The Castle of Otranto-Review

Intro

The Castle of Otranto is the first gothic horror novel ever made. This would be the start of the genre that would later bring us greats like Dracula, Frankenstein, and The Turn of the Screw. Does The Castle of Otranto stand up to the classics mentioned previously? Well, it's an experience, to say the least, one that I will not forget anytime soon.

Writing

The Castle of Otranto opens with an explosive opening, with the death of Conrad, heir to the family of Otranto, getting crushed to death just before his wedding to Isabella. His father, Manfred, believing that his family line is doomed to end, decides to marry Isabella while divorcing his current wife. He doesn't care that Isabella doesn't want to marry him or sire his children. I will not lie; the first chapter is fantastic; It had my full attention and care as to what would happen next. However, after that chapter, the story doesn't recover; the ghosts mentioned occasionally don't show up in any meaningful way. The prime source of conflict in the story revolves around Manfred trying to get his gross hands on Isabella and the latter's attempts not to have that happen. Honestly, the story didn't interest me as much as that first chapter did. There is a thrill, however, despite lacking any genuine scares to how the family tries to survive under the insane rule of Manfred and protect/ save Isabella.

However, I didn't care as much for the characters post the first chapter; they remain relatively static regarding character. Manfred is always the villain desperate to save his house, his wife Matilda and Isabella are the helpless maidens trying to survive, and Jerome is the hero trying to rescue the women in his life. Some haunting moments of abuse towards Isabella and Matilda have some compelling moments, but they are the exception to the rule. That is, the story is mostly a rescue adventure. I have personally read scarier entries in the genre, but it could be a good starting point for newcomers to the horror genre.

Conclusion

The lack of ghosts is disappointing for someone who loves gothic horror and the spooks that often accompany the genre. However, The Castle of Otranto is an extraordinarily thrilling and engaging read about abuse and women surviving in unequal situations. Maybe not be the best entry in the gothic horror genre, but I would not recommend it.

Acknowledgments

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