Vathek (Oxford World's Classics) Summary and Reviews

Vathek (Oxford World's Classics)
by William Beckford

Vathek (Oxford World's Classics)
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Book Summary Information

Author: William Beckford
Editor: Richard Lonsdale
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); French (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 1999-03-18
ISBN: 0192836560
Number of pages: 224
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA

Book Reviews of Vathek (Oxford World's Classics)

Book Review: not an easy read
Summary: 3 Stars

I read Vathek in my late teens when I had a fascination with all things macabre. I was not dissapointed with Vathek on this point but what irritated me then, and still does now, is the rather contrived and inpenetrable style in which it is written (or possibly translated). There is not much of a story to it, but some of the episodes are entertaining- I was particularly amused by the one about someone having half their beard burned off.

If you are a big fan of the gothic genre then you'll probably take great delight in Vathek, but for the more general reader it is something of a pain. The elements are there, it's just not done with enough finesse.

I read an unillustrated edition myself- I'm sure that Redon's illustrations add a lot to the reading experience.

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