At once a masterpiece of Gothic literature and a cautionary tale, The Monk is a vast and winding tale of romance, horror, and mystery. The story itself can actually be broken into three separate story lines.
The first deals with the titular monk Ambrosio, a pious, well respected Capuchin who falls prey to the seductions of the lovely Matilda. With the help of Matilda and her sorcery, he ensnares the helpless young Antonia.
The second relates to Don Raymond (the Marquis de las Cisternas) and his adventures with bandits and ghosts which culminate in his meeting and falling in love with Agnes, sister of his cavalier Lorenzo.
The third story line follows the aforementioned Lorenzo and his attempts to romance Antonia as well as his endeavors to help Don Raymond free Agnes from the Convent of St. Clare.
Teeming with elements of the fantastic and supernatural as well as horrific scenes of torture and rape, The Monk is not for the faint of heart. Lauded as the precursor to the modern horror novel, it is easy to see where horror's founding fathers drew their inspiration. This is a must read for fans of both Gothic and horror literature. ( )

What a long way we've come since Walpole! This book was actually scary in parts, and certainly gruesome and disturbing. Also a big shift from the "happily ever after" of most early Gothic novels. ( )

Never before has an old classic been so enjoyable. As improbable as it might seem in retrospect, I studied this book in literature class among the larger topic of gothic literature and it remains one of my favorite books to this day.

Lewis pushes all the characteristics of the gothic genre to their extreme until all the situations reach the limit between absurd and parody. But in spite of all its critical humor, or maybe even because of it, the book never gives the impression of mockery - the love of Lewis for writing and the genre he inhabits permeates throughout with passionate enthusiasm.
Just as interesting to study for Lewis' indeniable command of style and literary codes as it is just plain fun to read for its outrageous content, The Monk is the equivalent in book form of a rave party on crack thrown in the most respectable of cathedrals. ( )

Stephen King says about this early gothic horror "it was explosive then and it is explosive now" he is
right. ( )

It's hard to believe that this book was published in 1796. I can't even imagine how shocking this book was back then, because it certainly shocked me here in 2008. I bought the book because I was interested in reading The Italian by Ann Radcliffe and figured I should read The Monk first. I never expected to like it, but I loved it. I loved all the supernatural aspects of this book; it was something I wasn't expecting. This book can make you feel so many emotions as you read it: anger, sadness, happiness.

There's nothing I love more in a book than a bunch of different characters whose stories intertwine with each other with everything unfolding with each chapter.

I can't say anything else except: give it a read; you may be surprised how much you like it. ( )