Date Finished: 3/18/2007
Pages:  456
Category: Classic
Rated: B
Cover: Quality Paperback
From: sudokris
Reason for Reading:  classic ring

"She was wise enough to hold her tongue. As this is the only instance known of a Woman's ever having done so, it was judged worthy to be recorded here."

"...I saw that you were virtuous from vanity, not principle..."

A pregnant nun...a girl (???) poses as a novice monk...rape...murder...incest...All in the name of religion.  The Monk is a fabulous tale about religious hypocrisy.  I never knew what was going to happen from moment to moment.  A classic gothic tale!  Romance, lust, crime, death...a real feel good story.

Perhaps most fascinating thing about The Monk is he wrote it in ten weeks and he was only 19!! 

Date Finished: 2/20/2007
Pages:  199
Category: Classic
Rated: B
Cover: Paperback
From: sudokris
Reason for Reading:  classic ring

"Now," cried I, holding up my children, "now let the flames burn on, and all my possessions perish. Here they are, I have saved my treasure. Here, my dearest, here are our treasures, and we shall yet be happy."

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  It is a wonderful quick read about a man (family) over coming adversities in life, yet continuing to hold on to and cherish what is important in life.  Dr. Primrose never becomes jaded after all that is thrown at him.  Just when you think he can take no more, more is piled onto him.  In the end, of course, all is well.  While I wouldn't call the book exciting itself, there are exciting elements...kidnappings, death, cheating, and more.  I enjoyed it so much because Dr. Primrose is truly a stand up guy and one we can all learn lessons from.

Once I got used to the dialect (Scottish), this book was quite easy to read.  The story is about several generations obsessed with money and inheritances.  It is an interesting study of human nature and how obsessed we can become.  It still sends a message today.  At times, the book was extremely comical.