Customer Reviews

The Witch of Ravensworth (Gothic Classics)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I am with the publisher, Valancourt Books, and wanted to post the description from the book's back cover, since Amazon hasn't done it:
The cowardly but evil Baron de La Braunch wants desperately to rid himself of his wife and her son so he can marry the enchanting Lady Alwena. He enlists the aid of the hideous Hag of Ravensworth, a wicked witch who has sold her soul to demons in exchange for supernatural power. The witch leads the Baron deeper and deeper into depravity and murder, leading to a startling and unforgettable conclusion!
First published in 1808 and long out of print, The Witch of Ravensworth is a masterful blend of Gothic horror, fairy tale, and bizarre dark humour. George Brewer's grotesque Witch is the clear precursor to later Gothic literary monsters like Frankenstein and Dracula. This edition features a new introduction and notes for modern readers, as well as the complete text of contemporary reviews.

The Witch of Ravensworth is a quick, pleasant read for Gothic/horror fans. Readers unaccostumed to the idiosyncracies of early nineteenth-century literature may find the reading somewhat difficult or tedious, but it's quite readable for a novel of its time.

The edition needs some polishing. The page numbers for the notes are incorrectly labeled, but this poses no problem, since the notes are extremely minimal. Some of the notes are unnecessary - readers are perfectly capable of looking up "fillet" in a dictionary - while others are sadly lacking. I found myself turning to the back a few times to check a note that unfortunately wasn't there. On the plus side, the introduction is well-informed, reasonably short, and suggests quite a few interesting points for the reader to consider.

Witch itself presents the seasoned Gothic reader with new and unexpected plot twists that, with their novelty, seem to transcend the usual contrivances. A contemporary review complains tbat the Gothic novel is "beneath the talents of such a writer as [George] Brewer," but it is just such talents that make Witch such an inventive - and enjoyable - read.

the Baron marries wealthy, and widowed, lady Bertha-yes, Bertha is a terrible name-. she has an infant son Edward. due to his fortunate match, the Baron is now rich, of more consequence and happier. within a year Bertha gives birth to a son. although ecstatic at first, the baron realizes that it is Edward who will inherit his mother's money and his son that will be the dependent. he goes to visit the Hag of Ravensworth to change his sons future prospects.which she agrees to do, for a horrifying price.

unencumbered as he is, with a wealthy loving wife, he is not as happy as he wants to be and feels guilty about the "mysterious disappearance" of Edward and anger toward lady Bertha for occasionally mentioning Edwards name when she had another child that she could be attending. he meets the strikingly beautiful lady Alwena. a woman who is as depraved in her heart as the cruel baron and only interested in money. the Baron decides that he will only be happy if he can marry symmetrically perfect Alwena. off he goes to the hag for another favor. of which the Hag agrees to do, if he can meet her next, more terrible, price.

that was one wicked witch. she was great. i liked her hut, her cat, and her raven. the end was pretty good to. when i first got the book i was sad to see that it was only 100 pages. after reading it i think that it was the perfect size and would recommend the story to others.

This book is a wonderful tale- It's a great book to teach for it covers many wonderful themes- Excellent ideas in early Feminism- Greed, sexuality, and super fairy tale issues as well (Check out Marina Warner's FROM THE BEAST TO THE BLONDE, then apply those ideas to Witch of Ravensworth... Its a blast!) Totally worth the read!

First published in 1808, this novella has something for scholars and thrill-seekers alike.

Being among the thrill-seekers, I reveled in the shocks and horrors of the plot. Will the depraved Baron de La Braunch stoop to murder to gain his wife's fortune? Will the Hag of Ravensworth help him to perdition? Who is this amazing witch, anyway, and what is she up to?

This is the sort of book Jane Austen made fun of, but couldn't resist reading.

The well-done scholarly introduction by Allen Grove should not be skipped, but I suggest reading it after the book to preserve the surprise ending.

I like reading all kinds of witch stories, so it was fun to come across this really early work. The ending will surprise you!

this was a fun, quick read. the descriptions of the witch,the castle, and the forest painted a haunted backdrop for a plot that was easy to keep up with. starts out very dark and scary, and pulls you right in.