Chapter Ann Radcliffe: The Mysteries of Udolpho of The Gothic Novel - Study Guide by Gothic Authors

Gothic and that fear is necessarily rooted in our own anticipation of misfortune. The realism of the book in its depiction of Emily's home life alongside the paranoia of her castle sojourn makes it a much more satisfying read than Lewis's The Monk which, though much influenced by Radcliffe, is too much of a rollercoaster ride (or rather ghost train) of horror to be taken terribly seriously.