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Ann Ward Radcliffe
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The Italian (Penguin Classics) Paperback – February 1, 2001

by Ann Radcliffe (Author), Robert Miles (Editor)
3.9 out of 5 stars 144 ratings
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From the first moment Vincentio di Vivaldi, a young nobleman, sets eyes on the veiled figure of Ellena, he is captivated by her enigmatic beauty and grace. But his haughty and manipulative mother is against the match and enlists the help of her confessor to come between them. Schedoni, previously a leading figure of the Inquisition, is a demonic, scheming monk with no qualms about the task, whether it entails abduction, torture - or even murder. The Italian secured Ann Radcliffe's position as the leading writer of Gothic romance of the age, for its atmosphere of supernatural and nightmarish horrors, combined with her evocation of sublime landscapes and chilling narrative.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
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  1. Print length
    544 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Penguin Classics
  4. Publication date
    February 1, 2001
  5. Reading age
    18 years and up
  6. Dimensions
    1.28 x 5.08 x 7.8 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    0140437541
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0140437546
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Editorial Reviews

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About the Author

Ann Radcliffe (1764-1823) was the leading exponent of Gothic fiction and, during her lifetime, she published five novels including A Sicilian Romance (1790) and The Mysteries of Udolpho (1794) as well as a collection of European travel writings. Her novels were immensely popular and much imitated.

Robert Miles teaches English at Sheffield Hallam University. He is the author of Gothic Writing (Routledge) and Ann Radcliffe: The Great Enchantress (Manchester UP).

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin Classics; First Edition (February 1, 2001)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 544 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0140437541
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0140437546
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 18 years and up
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 13.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 1.28 x 5.08 x 7.8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.9 out of 5 stars 144 ratings

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Ann Ward Radcliffe

Ann Ward Radcliffe

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Customer reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars
144 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book's story engaging, with one noting its lush descriptions of the time period. Moreover, the characters are well-developed, and customers consider it a great read. However, the language receives negative feedback, with multiple customers mentioning numerous spelling mistakes and typos in the Kindle edition. Additionally, the pacing receives criticism, with one customer describing the Kindle version as terrible.

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8 customers mention "Readability"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the book to be a great read.

"Read this book for one of my college English classes and really enjoyed it. I was very skeptical at first because I havnt read very many classics...." Read more

"...This is not a bad book but it is not a great classic either. It is a good story that begins quickly into the plot and does not stop...." Read more

"...Definite read." Read more

"The book cover is hard and steady with a matte print cover which is nice. No dust jacket comes with it...." Read more

8 customers mention "Story quality"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's story engaging, with one customer highlighting its lush descriptions of the times and another noting that the plot line never stalls.

"...There was so much mystery and supernatural elements and suspense throughout the book that kept my interest...." Read more

"...From that point forward, I became swept up in the story, and fascinated by historical details of the plot...." Read more

"...This is not a bad book but it is not a great classic either. It is a good story that begins quickly into the plot and does not stop...." Read more

"...well developed (even if you don't like some of them)and the plot line never stalls. Definite read." Read more

3 customers mention "Character development"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, with one review noting the lengthy character and plot development, while another mentions the story is filled with evil characters.

"...The story was filled with evil characters and good characters fighting for their own gain...." Read more

"...The characters are well developed (even if you don't like some of them)and the plot line never stalls. Definite read." Read more

"Yea! Enjoyed - with these old classics I commit to the lengthy character and plot development and I am always rewarded !..." Read more

11 customers mention "Language"3 positive8 negative

Customers criticize the book's language, noting numerous spelling mistakes and typos in the Kindle edition, with one customer mentioning that the writing is florid and overblown.

"...When first reading the book I didn't like it. The language was very hard to read and understand...." Read more

"...(in beautiful prose) that one skims half the book looking for the next bit of action." Read more

"...That was enough to make me want to read The Italian. The writing is florid and overblown, and it took me about the first third to half of the book..." Read more

"...There’s moments where the narrator break character, stumbles over words, and does vocal exercises...." Read more

3 customers mention "Pacing"0 positive3 negative

Customers find the pacing of the book terrible.

"...This is not a bad book but it is not a great classic either. It is a good story that begins quickly into the plot and does not stop...." Read more

"Kindle version is terrible..." Read more

"A Terrible Edition..." Read more

Bad Print.
1 out of 5 stars
Bad Print.
The book cover is hard and steady with a matte print cover which is nice. No dust jacket comes with it. The book did come a bit damage from inside but not that noticeable. There was some sticky residue on the cover but with a damped paper towel it can get cleaned. Overall nice however the print is faulty printed.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Kaley Bella
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great read
    Reviewed in the United States on January 25, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Read this book for one of my college English classes and really enjoyed it. I was very skeptical at first because I havnt read very many classics. When first reading the book I didn't like it. The language was very hard to read and understand. However, after getting through the first fifty pages I got used to the writing style and actually started to really enjoy the story. There was so much mystery and supernatural elements and suspense throughout the book that kept my interest. The story was filled with evil characters and good characters fighting for their own gain. The characters were also tightly interwoven in politics and relation that they were not wholly in the know about. Overall once you get used to the language it's a great read and I would recommend it.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • Stephanie Newman
    4.0 out of 5 stars Gotta Love Those Italians
    Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Because I was spending 3 months teaching in Italy, I decided to read a number of books set there. Before choosing The Italian, I read about it, and about its author, Ann Radcliffe. I learned she was a contemporary of Jane Austen, is considered the founder of the gothic genre, and that Austen purportedly wrote Northanger Abbey as a parody of Radcliffe's gothic novels. That was enough to make me want to read The Italian. The writing is florid and overblown, and it took me about the first third to half of the book to really start to enjoy it. From that point forward, I became swept up in the story, and fascinated by historical details of the plot. Instead of irritated, I started to feel charmed by the language and style of writing. This book is definitely not for everyone, but if you enjoy historical fiction, romance, and the writing style of a different era, it may be for you.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • John B.
    3.0 out of 5 stars Good but not Great
    Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    I have read many classic stories and picked this one up on the suggestion of a friend. This is not a bad book but it is not a great classic either. It is a good story that begins quickly into the plot and does not stop. However, the first half of the book does plot along but the second half moves at a much quicker pace. One is left wondering where the story will end or how the story will end. One wonders what is going to be the story of the leading lady and leading bad guy. Not much in the way of information comes in the first half of the book, but the answers come very quickly near the end. In fact, that is one of the drawbacks of the book - the book ends rather quickly. The characters are not much developed nor are there tangent story lines. This is a one dimensional story but a good one at that. The ending is easy to figure out but it does take a long way to get there. There are some twists and turns that are very good and unexpected. The stories by Willkie Collins are much better - Moonstone, Lady in White, No Name, Armadale and Basil. I would suggest those books over this one. With that being said, this is not a bad book to read if you have some extra time.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Book Lover
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Page Turner
    Reviewed in the United States on July 8, 2009
    Verified Purchase
    I read this book while on vacation in Italy. I found myself staying awake far into the night, unable to put it down. It is very atmospheric and draws the reader into the time and place of the story. The characters are well developed (even if you don't like some of them)and the plot line never stalls. Definite read.
    4 people found this helpful
    Helpful
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  • judy wiley
    5.0 out of 5 stars a quiet masterpiece!
    Reviewed in the United States on October 15, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Rich, romantic, the triumph of good over evil, full of lush descriptions of the times and the geography of Italy. A wonderful story! I loved it!
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  • Karen
    1.0 out of 5 stars Bad Print.
    Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    The book cover is hard and steady with a matte print cover which is nice. No dust jacket comes with it. The book did come a bit damage from inside but not that noticeable. There was some sticky residue on the cover but with a damped paper towel it can get cleaned. Overall nice however the print is faulty printed.
    Customer image
    Karen
    1.0 out of 5 stars
    Bad Print.

    Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2025
    The book cover is hard and steady with a matte print cover which is nice. No dust jacket comes with it. The book did come a bit damage from inside but not that noticeable. There was some sticky residue on the cover but with a damped paper towel it can get cleaned. Overall nice however the print is faulty printed.
    Images in this review
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    Helpful
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  • Cox Mama
    4.0 out of 5 stars Audiobook mistakes?
    Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I really enjoyed the audiobook, however about 8 and 1/2 hours in they seemed to have missed some of the incorrect clips while editing. There’s moments where the narrator break character, stumbles over words, and does vocal exercises. It’s not really that big a deal but it did take me a second to realize what exactly was happening. Just be aware that it’s there, if you do choose to buy the audiobook. Especially because it is kinda expensive. OTHERWISE, it’s a really wonderful production and the narrator does a beautiful job. :)
    2 people found this helpful
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  • JMN
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United States on December 26, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Good gothic literature and free!
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Claus Hoheisel
    4.0 out of 5 stars Der letzte Roman von A. Radcliffe "The Italian".
    Reviewed in Germany on December 23, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    Verglichen mit den früheren Romanen dieser Autorin erscheint "The Italian" von Sprachbeherrschung und Wortschatz her ungleich besser. Jedoch sind die "Kehrtwendungen" nicht genügend verdeckt und die Aufrechterhaltung der Spannung gelingt nicht in allen Abschnitten des Romans. So wirkt z.B. die Gefangeschaft des Hauptprotagonisten künstlich in die Länge gezogen. Insgesamt kann ich aber diesen Roman sowie alle anderen der Autorin sehr empfehlen.

    23.12.2012
    C. H.
    Report
  • Irene
    1.0 out of 5 stars No
    Reviewed in Italy on October 22, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Il libro presenta le pagine ingiallite, macchiate e la copertina sporca di qualcosa che sembra essere colla. Non ho parole...
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    Irene
    1.0 out of 5 stars
    No

    Reviewed in Italy on October 22, 2020
    Il libro presenta le pagine ingiallite, macchiate e la copertina sporca di qualcosa che sembra essere colla. Non ho parole...
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  • Scott McLaren
    4.0 out of 5 stars but overall very a good reading experience on the Kindle
    Reviewed in Canada on November 24, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    A few minor typos here and there, but overall very a good reading experience on the Kindle.
    Report
  • newant
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wife loved it .
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 19, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    No complaints.
    Report
  • 橘　久人
    1.0 out of 5 stars これで良く商売ができる！！
    Reviewed in Japan on November 24, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    酷く汚れた商品が届きました。返送しようかと考えたけれど、発送元の書店名がありません。Undeliveredの場合の住所は入っていましたが、それで代金を返してもらえるかもわかりません。まだ郵送された包装の中に入れたままにしてあります。販売者がわからないので、以後は英国アマゾンの古書は買わないことにします。英国にいた当時よく古書店に行ったし、大学生協でもバーゲンをしていましたが、その時でもこんな本は1ポンドセールにだって出ていなかったと思います。
    　きっと東洋に送るのだからこの程度でいいと思った知識のない本屋が売ったのでしょう。おかげで、ラドクリフの作品、読む気がうせました。
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