DescriptionNOTE: This audiobook is in Portuguese. Time can be love's worst enemy. Mariana, a rather gothic tale, concerns a love triangle involving the title character and the shadow of death. Original Portuguese description: O tempo pode ser o pior inimigo do amor. Mas tambem podem existir varias formas de amar. Que sera feito do amor de Mariana? Ouca e descubra: Mariana, de Machado de Assis.
DescriptionAs a milestone of American literature, Hawthorne's second novel stands as sturdily today as when the title mansion was first constructed. This is a finely crafted blend of Gothic horror, mystery, and good old-fashioned ghost story. An old mansion in Salem, moss-covered and gabled, broods over the destiny of a distinguished but troubled New England Family, the Pynchons. A haunting, centuries-old curse, a forceful probing of national and personal guilt, a romance between the young heroine and an attractive stranger all intertwine in this classic work by one of America's greatest novelists.
DescriptionNorthanger Abbey, written in 1798, was one of Austen's earliest works, though it was not published until after her death. The novel is the coming-of-age story of Catherine Morland, who is taken to the fashionable resort of Bath with her friends, the Allens. While in Bath, she meets Henry Tilney and his sister Eleanor. The Tilneys invite Catherine to Northanger Abbey, their family estate. Catherine, an avid reader of Gothic novels, soon becomes obsessed with the thought that possible atrocities are going on at the abbey. Northanger Abbey is Austen's parody of late 18th century Gothic thrillers by writers such as Ann Radcliffe. While it is considered by many to be Austen's most light-hearted novel, it is nevertheless filled with unsentimental commentary on love and marriage.
DescriptionOn the day of his wedding, Conrad, heir to the house of Otranto, is killed under mysterious circumstances. His calculating father, Manfred, fears that his dynasty will now come to an end and determines to marry his son's bride himself, despite the fact he is already married. But a series of terrifying supernatural omens soon threaten this unlawful union, as the curse placed on Manfred's ancestor, who usurped the lawful Prince of Otranto, begins to unfold. First published pseudonymously in 1764, The Castle of Otranto is purported to be an ancient Italian text from the time of the crusades and is a founding work of Gothic fiction. With its compelling blend of sinister portents, tempestuous passions, and ghostly visitations, it spawned an entire literary tradition and influenced such writers as Ann Radcliffe and Bram Stoker.
DescriptionIgnoring the mysterious past of charming and handsome Baron Clare, trusting and naive Lucy Cartwright accepts his marriage proposal. Innocently following Clare to his estate, Lucy has no idea that he is leading her into a world of betrayal and danger. Suddenly, the man of Lucy's dreams becomes the source of her nightmares.
DescriptionObsessed with creating life itself, Victor Frankenstein plunders graveyards for the material to fashion a new being, which he shocks into life with electricity. But his botched creature, rejected by Frankenstein and denied human companionship, sets out to destroy his maker and all that he holds dear. Mary Shelley's chilling Gothic tale was conceived when she was only 18, living with her lover Percy Shelley near Byron's villa on Lake Geneva. It would become the world's most famous work of horror fiction, and remains a devastating exploration of the limits of human creativity. To supplement this reading of Frankenstein, listen to The SparkNotes Guide to Frankenstein.
DescriptionThis mysterious tale is the best known and best loved of du Maurier's work. After honeymooning in Italy, the dashing Max de Winter returns to Manderley, his beautiful country estate, with his innocent young bride. But the unsettling presence of Rebecca (the first Mrs. de Winter) still lingers within the mansion's rooms and halls, and most of all in the persistent reminders from the grim housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers. The new Mrs. de Winter is nearly driven to despair by Mrs. Danvers' obsessive love of Rebecca, the mysterious and glittering socialite who is thought to have drowned at sea. Anna Massey's haunting performance heightens the suspense and intrigue in this classic.
