The Monk by Matthew Lewis book cover
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Eerie Efficiency Book Profile

The Monk

Readable on its own: recorded 1796 Adult
About this book

'He was deaf to the murmurs of conscience, and resolved to satisfy his desires at any price.' The Monk (1796) is a sensational story of temptation and depravity, a masterpiece of Gothic fiction and the first horror novel in English literature. The respected monk Ambrosio, the Abbot of a Capuchin monastery in Madrid, is overwhelmed with desire for a young girl; once having abandoned his monastic vows he begins a terrible descent into immorality and violence. His appalling fall from grace embraces blasphemy, black magic, torture, rape, and murder, and places his very soul in jeopardy. Lewis's extraordinary tale drew on folklore, legendary ghost stories, and contemporary dread inspired by the terrors of the French Revolution. Its excesses shocked the reading public and it was condemned as obscene. The novel continues to beguile and shock readers today with its gruesome catalogue of iniquities, while at the same time giving a profound insight into the deep anxieties experienced by British citizens during one of the most turbulent periods in the nation's history. 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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Best for readers who like: Extreme classic Gothic, religious transgression, literary horror
What do these ratings mean?

These are Eerie's editorial scores. Spice is scored out of 5; the other scores are out of 10. Higher intensity does not mean a better book. Romance Focus measures how central the relationship is to the story. Overall Recommendation is Eerie's recommendation for the book's intended readers.

Read the full rating methodology

Spice2/5
Darkness10/10
Obsession10/10
Psychological9/10
Violence9/10
Emotional Damage10/10
Trigger Intensity10/10
Romance Focus1/10

Bibliographic Sources

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Book at a Glance

Readable on its ownyes
POVThird Person
PaceFast
Story LengthStandard
EndingNon-HEA / Tragic
WorldParanormal / Supernatural
Obsession TypeRomantic Fixation
SubgenreGothic horror
MMC PersonalityCorrupt, lust-driven, violent
FMC PersonalityMultiple women; vulnerable and persecuted

Tropes & Themes

Trigger Warnings

These tags describe potentially sensitive material in the book and may not be a complete list. A missing warning does not confirm that the content is absent. HEA/HFN describes the romantic ending, not the absence of disturbing content. Check the author's current content notes before reading.

imprisonmentIncestmurderRapeReligious abusesupernatural violencetorture

Eerie Take

Historically important but extremely disturbing and not romance-centered

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Intensity
Eerie editorial
Readers
Spice
2/5
Waiting for votes
Darkness
10/10
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Obsession
10/10
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Psychological Intensity
9/10
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Violence
9/10
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Emotional Damage
10/10
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Trigger Intensity
10/10
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Romance Focus
1/10
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