Boo

I'm reading a new book. Actually, an old book, and it's proving to be a bit of a slog.

Here's the backstory. I love Jane Austen, especially Persuasion. The current marathon on PBS has led to me also re-reading all the novels, even Mansfield Park, which I've never enjoyed as much as the others.

Northanger Abbey, if you've never heard of it, is actually more of a satire of romance novels than a romance novel in it's own right. Throughout the story, the heroine is comparing her own experiences to the heroines of gothic novels. She's especially impressed by The Mysteries of Udolfo, and talks about it to her companions at every opportunity. And here I am, two hundred years later, reading about Catherine reading about Emily.

"But, my dearest Catherine, what have you been doing with yourself all this morning? Have you gone on with Udolpho?"
"Yes, I have been reading it ever since I woke; and I am got to the black veil."
"Are you, indeed? How delightful! Oh! I would not tell you what is behind the black veil for the world! Are not you wild to know?"
"Oh! Yes, quite; what can it be? But do not tell me--I would not be told upon any account. I know it must be a skeleton, I am sure it is Laurentina's skeleton"

Now, with that kind of a build-up, aren't you dying to know what's behind the veil as well. So, I decided to read Udolfo for myself, and downloaded it to my little PDA. According to my Microsoft reader, I didn't get to the black veil until after about 1200 pages of descriptions of mountain scenery, gondola parties, and many, many, many moonlit walks where the heroine laments her parent's death and the separation from her lover. (I think in paper versions, it runs to about 700 pages) I Didn't even get to the mysterious castle until Volume 2. And now, even after Emily has seen what's behind the veil, she is so shocked and disgusted, that the author hasn't had the courage to reveal to me what's going on yet. So I'm still in the dark about the veil. But at least the action has finally picked up, and there's been an attempted kidnapping, poisoning, and more than the requisite amount of fainting ladies. I'm on page 1700 now, I have no idea how much longer it goes.

I just wish it hadn't taken quite so long to get to this point. I did love her scenic descriptions, but when I kept expecting something "horrid", and kept getting lute players instead, it was a bit of a letdown. Hints were dropped early on of the mystery, but Emily's delicate sensibilities always kept her from investigating, which leaves me in the dark too. I want someone to edit it into a "good parts" version, with just the sword fights and the the ghostly sightings that have been coming fast and furious in the last 100 pages.