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The Monk; a romance Kindle Edition

by M. G. (Matthew Gregory) Lewis (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 477 ratings
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This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.
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  1. Print length
    263 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    May 12, 2012
  5. File size
    518 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Not Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  9. See all details
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0082Z4YHK
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ (May 12, 2012)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 12, 2012
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 518 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 263 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1702557987
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 477 ratings

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1 out of 5
477 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

rafael figueroa
5.0 out of 5 stars A must read! This novel is a true thriller ...
Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2014
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A must read! This novel is a true thriller from the beginning to the end even though is over two hundred years old. This novel kept me reading non-stop. The vocabulary is extensive adding richness to the eloquence of the narrative. The latter, true to an era when writers were masters of the art of description. The controversial dialectical prose is a masterpiece in philosophical discourse. The mystery and horror plot is second to none and excells by miles many contemporary writers.
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jndepuydt
4.0 out of 5 stars Dark, Disturbing, Exciting, and Endlessly Entertaining
Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2013
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I read this as part of a British Literature class and had no idea going into it what I was reading. The first section of the book does everything in its power to mislead you into thinking that maybe you really are just reading a typical romance novel, but things get messy in a hurry, and what follows is a fascinating critique of the Catholic Church of the past. The book incorporates sex, violence, dark magic, and the Devil himself into a story that initially presents itself as a tale of the best preacher in the world (the titular monk) and the wonderful people that he inspires.

I found this aspect of the book particularly interesting because I am Catholic, and many of the arguments that this book makes carry over to modern times. The arguments that it makes against the church are believable enough that they are not weakened by their supernatural causes; instead, these elements help to encourage a more honest and open look at these issues. They also help add a feeling of excitement and intensity that make the book hard to put down.

This book would most readily appeal to anybody who enjoys stories about demons and the supernatural, love stories gone horribly awry, or the downfall of over-bearing institutions (religions in particular), but the people that I really want to recommend this to are fellow open-minded Christians who need to see just how far back these negative opinions go and how easy our predecessors have made it for critics to find things to get mad about. I would not recommend this book to anyone who is looking for an easy read or who is easily offended.

The only thing I did not like about the book was the ending for the side characters. While the monk gets exactly the ending that I expected and wanted, everybody else gets a happy ending that is entirely to neat to be plausible.
6 people found this helpful
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A. Theriault
3.0 out of 5 stars Long read
Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2013
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It seemed to take forever to read this, the author dragged out descriptions and actions.
Hard to follow sometimes, mostly because it was written using the language style of era in which the story took place.
Good story plot, Was not what I would call a romance story though.
3 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars It has its flaws, but it's still a masterpiece
Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2013
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Along the way, characters vanish or die by second-hand account, and sub-plots disappear in the middle of overly-long chapters, only to be resumed many pages later. Such are the maddening twists of The Monk. It is the Literature (Big L) of old, and anybody looking to follow up a Stephen King fright fest by reading this book will be disappointed. Nevertheless...

The many twists and turns of this book are guided by a master, and they lead to a logical conclusion that will leave the reader gratified in the end. Granted, the title character isn't as well-known as Dracula or Frankenstein's monster, but The Monk gets my vote as the best of the Gothic novels.
5 people found this helpful
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garpwarp
5.0 out of 5 stars I really enjoyed this story
Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2016
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I really enjoyed this story. I read a lot of classics from this era and this one was a little different. I love the way you are just reading the story and all of a sudden something really startling is revealed... makes you want to say OMG!. There are a lot of twists and turns in the story but not too many characters to remember and the story is all tied together at the end. It has a very satisfying ending with the right amount of happy endings and justice. The heroes are heroic and the villains are evil. It's an adventure all the way through.
3 people found this helpful
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Martin M. Bodek
4.0 out of 5 stars Finally Goth it Right
Reviewed in the United States on August 14, 2017
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Now that's what I'm talking about.

In the same manner that Dangerous Liaisons saved an entire genre (the epistolary novel) from never having a proper representative book written well, so too does this book rescue one (goth) from such a fate.

It takes what all goth books preceding it tried to do (and failed), and does it right.

I have written before that this goth genre is very kitchen sink. It attempts to throw dozens of elements into a narrative and weave a story. It isn't done well.

Until this one! Every aspect of the genre is made interesting here, and fascinating. Things are compelling, and grab your attention, and peril and bedamnedness is ever-present and comes across as real, and feasible, and possible, as opposed to the trash that is the work of the Marquis De Sade.

Yes, a man can devolve in precisely this way. It is completely believable.

The goth elements could have been stripped away, and the story could have been great, but somehow, by skill of the young author, these elements add to the story. They don't subtract at all.

I even understand how the somewhat-lengthy diversions serve the story, as instructive parables to how things might turn out.

Finally, the ending is altogether fitting, and horrific, and satisfying.
3 people found this helpful
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Chris Fow Cohen
5.0 out of 5 stars What an amazing story!
Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2015
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This is the mother of all Gothic tales. Vanity, cruelty, debauchery, blasphemy, pride, lust, torture, from the first page to the very last. Rape, robbery, sorcery... If it's sinful, it's in The Monk.

The tale is a product of its age, so the dialog is a little old-fashioned, but do not let that stop you.

The tale has lasted through the ages for a reason: it's well told and, after a while, you can't look away. You must see of through to the stupendous finale.
2 people found this helpful
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Je Su
1.0 out of 5 stars It may be a classic of its kind but...
Reviewed in the United States on September 8, 2013
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it is a really silly story. I gave up on the book after the boy who actually was a girl came back to life with no help of the monastery doctor who could not tell he was a girl. If you like goofy stories, you'll love this.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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mari
5.0 out of 5 stars um livro desconcertante
Reviewed in Brazil on July 18, 2022
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São muitas as tramas que se desenrolam durante o livro, juntando cada um desses personagens com linhas que eles mesmos não percebem até a hora derradeira de seu sofrimento. Não há um personagem que não saia do livro sem a necessidade de anos de terapia e devo dizer que até os leitores acabam desolados. Eu confesso que não sou uma pessoa que se preocupa com gatilhos, mas nesse livro acho importante conferir a lista antes da leitura.
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Cornellbat
5.0 out of 5 stars 無料で読めるゴシックノベルの古典
Reviewed in Japan on August 26, 2023
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「ロマンス」とあるように冒険譚で始まり、愛欲に溺れた修道僧の破滅に終わるストーリー。地下納骨堂やそこに囚われた修道女、また魔術を用いた愛欲への誘惑、そして最後に悪魔との取引と、ゴシック要素満載に、性的な欲望と暴力がプラスされた当時の問題作。英語はやや古めかしいところがあるが、読みづらいという英語ではない。ただ長いので腰を落ち着けて読もう。
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Kimaya Mathew
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant
Reviewed in India on January 13, 2018
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Great Read!
Brilliancy to it's best.
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Steve Sawin
5.0 out of 5 stars helicon
Reviewed in Canada on May 6, 2015
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great Romantic romance that expresses the 19th cent. idea of love and faith.
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Manuel Martin Martin
2.0 out of 5 stars Looking for a «pillow» book?
Reviewed in Spain on July 26, 2014
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Deliciously kitsch. Easy-to-skip gothic and romantic stuffed writing. Take it to bed every night and forget about sleeping pills or herbal concoctions!!
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