The sixty-eighth book: #57 The Mysteries of Udolpho - Ann Radcliffe
We've entered the era where the gothic novel is really becoming popular, and Udolpho seems to be one of the well known ones that was used in Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey, a satire of the genre. There are a lot of common parts, mysterious, (seemingly) supernatural happenings, with a dark villain and the innocent lead character who gets involved in these dealings. We had the pure protagonist before, but here she's not perfect, just standing out in this dark world where people keep secrets.
The novel flows best in the middle third, while we're in the titular Udolpho castle. The novel gets a lot of set up - in a way that pays off really nicely, but perhaps feels a bit longer than needed - and while the resolution works well and is satisfying in the last few chapters, there are some dealings surrounding Emily getting her freedom that takes a while longer.
It's mostly a compelling read, with three dimensional characters that you can change around on. While there are some big twists, they're mostly set off well and pay off, and while there's hints of supernatural involvement, for the most part we get more satisfying explanations later. It's a decent read and it feels like we're getting better versions of these narratives.