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Ann Ward Radcliffe
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A Sicilian Romance (Oxford World's Classics) Kindle Edition

by Ann Radcliffe (Author), Alison Milbank (Editor) Format: Kindle Edition
3.8 3.8 out of 5 stars 345 ratings
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In A Sicilian Romance (1790) Radcliffe began to forge the unique mixture of the psychology of terror and poetic description that would make her the great exemplar of the Gothic nove, and the idol of the Romantics.

This early novel explores the cavernous landscapes and labyrinthine passages of Sicily's castles and covents to reveal the shameful secrets of its all-powerful aristocracy. Julia and Emilia Mazzini live secluded in an ancient mansion near the Straits of Messina. After their father's return to the island a neglected part of the house is haunted by a series of mysterious sights and sounds. The origin of these hauntings is only discovered after a series of breathless pursuits through dreamlike
pastoral landscapes. When revelation finally comes, it forces the heroines to challenge the united forces of religious and patriarchal authority.
ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.
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  1. Print length
    256 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    OUP Oxford
  5. Publication date
    9 October 2008
  6. File size
    857 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
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Product description

About the Author

Ann Radcliffe (née Ward, 9 July 1764 - 7 February 1823) was an English author and pioneer of the Gothic novel. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Review

'Her own survey of the criticism is lucid and wide-ranging.'Times Literary Supplement --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B095HZCG6T
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ OUP Oxford; 1st edition (9 October 2008)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 857 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.8 3.8 out of 5 stars 345 ratings

About the author

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Ann Ward Radcliffe

Ann Ward Radcliffe

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3.8 out of 5 stars
3.8 out of 5
345 global ratings

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Laurie G
5.0 out of 5 stars Riveting
Reviewed in the United States on 22 April 2024
Verified Purchase
RIVETING! I do not give 5 stars very often, but this book deserved it. I NEVER read 1700's anything and only read 1 gothic book, it is not my fave genre. I expected this to be a difficult read even at 199 pgs. Once I read through the the first 20 pages and became accustomed to the writing style and "olde" language, this was an easy read. This book was a work of art in its storytelling. It was page turning in spots and an emotional roller coaster. I highly recommend this book to everyone, especially those that never read 1700's style writing and gothic! I will be reading more Radcliffe. This book left me breathless at the end. And when I closed the cover for the last time, I actually said "wow" out loud!

Favorite quotes from book:
" the right of a father to dispose of his child to marriage". pg 132.

""if women are cut off from their own becoming, and from any model of their own transcendence, then they are buried alive in our culture." Luce Irigaray from the notes about the author

"when once we enter the labriynth of vice, we can seldon return, but now led on through correspondent mazes to destruction"

Story overview:
In A Sicilian Romance (1790) Ann Radcliffe began to forge the unique mixture of the psychology of terror and poetic description that would make her the great exemplar of the Gothic novel, and the idol of the Romantics. This early novel explores the cavernous landscapes and labyrinthine
passages of Sicily's castles and convents to reveal the shameful secrets of its all-powerful aristocracy.
Report
From Europe with love
1.0 out of 5 stars Bad self-published text. Do not buy.
Reviewed in Germany on 7 October 2021
Verified Purchase
This is basically a scam.
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Lotfi
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent service station timing
Reviewed in France on 10 December 2018
Verified Purchase
Description exact
Excellent
Rapidite de l'envois ex
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Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars delivery and publication are all good. I would encourage buying this edition
Reviewed in India on 18 July 2016
Verified Purchase
Radcliffe set precedence for the gothic genre along with Walpole. This book proves true to its essence.
The print, price, delivery and publication are all good. I would encourage buying this edition.
One person found this helpful
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V. G. Harwood
5.0 out of 5 stars Gothic Excess
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 29 September 2013
Verified Purchase
I so enjoyed reading this work which just typified Gothic excess at its very best. What we have here is the story of Julia and Emelia and their brother Ferdinand, children of the autocratic Marquis Mazzini who is every bit as diabolic a villain as Radcliffe's more famous Count Montoni. The children are motherless and live in a castle (in the same sublime species of landscape as Udolpho) which has an entire ruined southern hall which is reputed to be haunted. Of course, this is Radcliffe, so we know there aren't any real ghosts and there's going to be a rational explanation (even if it is more unlikely than if there had been actual ghosts). The story mainly concerns Julia, who falls in love with the courtly Hippolitus. However, the evil Marquis has other ideas and tells Julia that she must marry the evil Duke of Luovo. There then follows a series of adventures whereby Julia escapes, ends up in a convent, is given the choice between marrying the Duke or taking the veil, escapes again, gets captured by banditti, caught up in a shipwreck, escapes again, gets caught up in another shipwreck and all kinds of adventures before the inevitable happy ending. In the meantime, the ghostly groans in the castle are explained and everyone (except those who had it coming i.e. the Marquis and his evil adulterous wife) get what they deserved. This is a brilliant example of Gothic fiction with fainting heroines, sword fights, shipwrecks (x 2) and lots of sublime rocky rugged scenery. I loved it so much although I've got to say I was exhausted by the end of it all. Poor old Julia really does go through the wringer to get where she needs to be. It's not too long - certainly not as long as the more famous Mysteries of Udolpho and is a brilliant introduction to the excesses of the gothic genre.
8 people found this helpful
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