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Jul 9, 1764 — Feb 7, 1823· 58 yrs

UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND AUTHOR · FICTION · GOTHIC

Ann Radcliffe

Also known as: Ann (Ward) Radcliffe, Mary Ann Radcliffe

22
BOOKS
3.3
AVG RATING (8)
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Ann Radcliffe (born Ann Ward, 9 July 1764 – 7 February 1823) was an English author and pioneer of Gothic fiction. Her technique of explaining apparently supernatural elements in her novels has been credited with gaining Gothic fiction respectability in the 1790s. Radcliffe was the most popular writer of her day and almost universally admired; contemporary critics called her the mighty enchantress and the Shakespeare of romance-writers, and her popularity continued through the 19th century. Interest has revived in the early 21st century, with the publication of paperback reprints and three biographies. Source: [Ann Radcliffe]( on Wikipedia.

Holborn, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Wikipedia

Towards the close of the sixteenth century, this castle was in the possession of Ferdinand, fifth marquis of Mazzini, and was for some years the principal residence of his family.

— from A Sicilian Romance

Most acclaimed

#1

A Sicilian Romance

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In A Sicilian Romance (1790) Radcliffe began to forge the unique mixture of the psychology of terror and poetic description that would make her the great exemplar of the Gothic novel, and the idol of the Romantics. This early novel explores the cavernous landscapes and labyrinthine passages of Sicily's castles and convents to reveal the shameful secrets of its all-powerful aristocracy. Julia and Emilia Mazzini live secluded in an ancient mansion near the straits of Messina. After their father's return to the island a neglected part of the house is haunted by a series of mysterious sights and sounds. The origin of these hauntings is only discovered after a series of breathless pursuits through dreamlike pastoral landscapes. When revelation finally comes, it forces the heroines to challenge the united forces of religious and patriarchal authority.

#2

The Italian, or the Confessional of the Black Penitents

2.0 (1)

"First published in 1797, The Italian is one of the finest examples of Gothic romance. The fast-paced narrative centres on Ann Radcliffe's most brilliant creation, the sinister monk Schedoni, whose past is shrouded in mystery." "From the opening chapters the reader is ushered into a shadowy world, in which crime and religion intermingle. Leagued against Ellena Rosalba and Vincentio di Vivaldi's union are the proud and ambitious Marchese di Vivaldi and her confessor Father Schedoni. Supernatural forces seem at work, but it is to the Holy Inquisition that the ill-omened lovers eventually fall prey. This edition explores the work in the context of British attitudes to Italy and Roman Catholicism in the late eighteenth century, as well as providing close analysis of the novel's structure and form."--Jacket.

#3

The Italian

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Napoleon has fallen and the Austrian Empire sweeps the continent. Dashing revolutionaries, traitors and spies lurk in every quarter in the turbulent Italy of the 1820s. Italian patriot Angelo Bartolini is a man of many faces: a devoted son and brother, a noble friend and a stalwart nationalist. As a member of the Carbonari, a secret society dedicated to freeing Italy from Austrian rule, Angelo is a wanted man. But as with all great men, Angelo has a tender side, and his spirit awakens the passion of the brilliant but shy English painter, Beatrice Fairweather, who now makes her home in the Tuscan countryside. The Italian is a compelling story of two people who fall in love at the wrong time for all the right reasons. It is a haunting tale of families and war, of missed opportunities, betrayal, tragedy and of a love that knows no end.

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