Listen free for 30 days
Listen with offer
-
The Castle of Otranto
- Narrated by: Tony Jay
- Length: 3 hrs and 58 mins
Failed to add items
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
£0.00 for first 30 days
The Castle of Otranto
Buy Now for £12.99
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Summary
First published pseudonymously in 1764, The Castle of Otranto is purported to be an ancient Italian text from the time of the crusades and is a founding work of Gothic fiction. With its compelling blend of sinister portents, tempestuous passions, and ghostly visitations, it spawned an entire literary tradition and influenced such writers as Ann Radcliffe and Bram Stoker.
Listeners also enjoyed...
Critic reviews
What listeners say about The Castle of Otranto
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 21-11-20
fantastic reading, and not a bad book
excellent reading, of a poetic if cliche short story, fantastic imagery you'll enjoy it if you dont go in expecting Shakespeare
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 15-02-24
The narrator was superb!
I liked the otherworldliness of this novel. Well and truly transported me to a gothic and fantastical version of the Middle Ages. Would highly recommend to anyone interested in gothic literature.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ross H
- 09-12-21
Awesome story
Holds up surprisingly well given its age, i found it engaging and interesting and even surprising at the end, so this book ticked a lot of boxes and i loved it, particularly the brooding dark romantic feel of it all
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- Kez
- 01-11-21
Heavy going but interesting
Horace Walpole’s The Castle of Otrando first published in 1764 is considered to be the first gothic novel. In fact when the second edition was published Walpole added the subtitle A Gothic Story. It certainly has all the elements of a gothic novel, it combines a realistic story with that of the supernatural with ghosts and omens. It has recurring themes of violent deaths and terror intertwined with love and is set in a castle with secret passages and trapdoors.
The story itself concerns Manfred, Lord of the castle who’s son Conrad is betrothed to Isabella but just before they are due to marry he is crushed to death by a gigantic helmet. This extroidanary event follows a prophecy that stated “that the castle and lordship of Otranto should pass from the present family, whenever the real owner should be grown too large to inhabit it".
The significance and importance of The Castle of Ortranto is beyond doubt. I have to admit this was the reason I read it, I think it’s the main reason most people do. From that point of view it is an interesting read. The story itself however is convoluted and heavy going. Part of the reason for this is the way it’s structured. It is dialogue driven with most of the action being told using this method. It’s like a medieval farce. At times I thought it was a bit Pythonesque, especially Conrad’s death scene, I think it would fit well in Monty Python and the Holy Grail! In the preface of the second edition Walpole praises the work of Shakespeare and drew connections with his work and the playwright’s. I can see the connection, Walpole seems to have based his book on Hamlet. The core of the stories are the same, a prince struggles to establish his lineage.
The Castle of Ortranto is not the best book you’ll ever read, it isn’t even the best gothic novel. It is a bit of a slog wading through it, but on the plus side it isn’t very long. Its interest lies purely in its historical significance. If you are interested in gothic fiction and it’s origins it’s probably must read.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Chris Theophilus-Bevis
- 15-03-24
Best reading of any book ever
Loved this wild ride of an OTT classic. And read absolutely perfectly! Cannot praise highly enough!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- Sophie goodall
- 09-05-24
⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 Great little classic!
Love it when a short classic is juicy. I wasn’t expecting to like this as much as I did. The language is beautiful and very easy to follow. Would recommend this gothic little classic!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall1 out of 5 stars
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars
-
Story1 out of 5 stars
- Leon
- 12-10-23
Nope
Not for me. It read like a poorly written fairytale. While it may be considered a classic and arguably one of the original gothic stories, it was a tedious read.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!