Monk: A Romance

The Monk is a Gothic novel that explores the themes of desire, greed, and lust and was controversial for its perceived licentiousness and blasphemy. Despite the controversy, the book was immensely popular with the reading public.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 448 pages
Publication date: 24 October 2019
Publisher: Alma Books Ltd

A masterpiece of the Gothic genre, The Monk tells the story of the Capuchin friar Ambrosio and his fall from grace through desire, greed, and lust. Favourably reviewed at first, the novel was later so widely and raucously denounced for its perceived licentiousness, blasphemy, and corrupting influence that Lewis had to remove controversial passages from future editions. Unsurprisingly, amidst this furore, the book was immensely popular with the reading public. Suffused with eroticism and focusing on the corrupting influence of power, The Monk pioneered a shocking new form of Gothic novel, where elements such as mob violence, incest, and brutal murder replaced the gentler horrors of earlier practitioners of the genre.

A masterpiece of the Gothic genre, The Monk tells the story of the Capuchin friar Ambrosio and his fall from grace through desire, greed, and lust.

Favourably reviewed at first, the novel was later so widely and raucously denounced for its perceived licentiousness, blasphemy, and corrupting influence that Lewis had to remove controversial passages from future editions.

Unsurprisingly, amidst this furore, the book was immensely popular with the reading public.

Suffused with eroticism and focusing on the corrupting influence of power, The Monk pioneered a shocking new form of Gothic novel, where elements such as mob violence, incest, and brutal murder replaced the gentler horrors of earlier practitioners of the genre.

Weight: 362g
Dimension: 198 x 131 x 29 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781847498168