Molland's Community

[Mags]

Sorry for the lack of organization on this one--as usual I'm behind, and Heather is away somewhere warm and sunny, so everyone dive in and get started! In the meantime, here are some resources:

Here's a link to the book at Valancourt Books.

Some info about the book at Google Books (don't know how much of it you will be able to read).

Francis Lathom at Wikipedia

Francis Lathom at The Literary Gothic with excerpts and contemporary reviews of The Midnight Bell

An article about the discovery of the "Northanger Novels" (and that they were real books)

[Reeba]

Well!¨Has anyone started reading this yet?
It is so quaint :-) The language is absolutely starightforward with sentences as simple as can be, describing one action after the other. Time moves fast.
Here is an example;

His first step was now to offer himself for service....

8 lines later;

He had been about three months in the service....

4 lines later

In the course of another month

What I really like are the quotes heading the first two chapters  (which is where I am stopping at in this post).
The first chgapter with;

I am not mad; the hair I tear is mine,

is so apt with the shrieking strangely behaving mother, and the second with;

Canst thou not minister to a mind deseas'd

Aptly describes the state of mind Alphonsus is in. Not only having to flee, but to be thinking of his mother's strange behaviour and the mystery surrounding his uncle.

I am enjoying the book really. And while reading it I am also thinking of Rev. Austen reading this. 

[Reeba]

oops!!! I think I posted a day too early.
Was it to be on 13th or 14th??' 

Never mind, I just saw the main heading of this thread. How stupid can one get!! LOL!!

[Kelley B]

Are we limited as to how far into the novel we can comment?  I don't want to spoil anything for anyone who has not gotten very far but there is one coincidental moment that was so dramatic, so over-the-top exciting that it had me laughing myself to tears even though it had actually put our heroine at serious risk.  And it's not until Volume II.  I think I'll wait a bit to talk about that one and just jump back to the first. 

Reeba, I like your comment about the time...it sure does move quickly!  I like how in what felt like only a matter of pages Alphonsus goes from serving in the army to mining to becoming a personal assistant then finally ending up at the abbey where he makes goo goo eyes at Lauretta.  The story reads so quickly so it is very easy to get through.  Although I will say that at first I had a hard time remembering who was who in all of these back stories.  And don't you just love how Alphonsus always seemed to randomly meet all of these people who are connected to him or people he knows?  It's so fortunate

I'm anxious to find out more about the mysterious ghost that rings the bell every night at midnight.  I'm looking forward to when Alphonsus finally returns home...at least, I'm assuming that is where this story is heading. 

[robin]

I like how in what felt like only a matter of pages Alphonsus goes from serving in the army to mining to becoming a personal assistant then finally ending up at the abbey where he makes goo goo eyes at Lauretta.

Yes... military, mineral extraction, clerical, fisheries.  I'm assuming jobs in financial management, agriculture and manufacturing will follow.  This book teaches us important lessons; for instance, during a thunder storm, do not lean against an outside wall.

Robin

[Kelley B]

Okay, Robin mentioned my favorite moment so I will no longer hold back.  The scene where lightening strikes the wall right where Lauretta is standing and sends her falling to her freedom had me laughing for several moments before I could collect myself again.  I don't know why...I just found it hilarious.  You just can't find stuff like this anywhere else.  A rather fortunate accident!  Can you imagine what would have been running through Catherine Morland's head during her first night at the abbey had she been reading "The Midnight Bell?"  I see her doing anything possible to keep from having to go near an exterior wall, even climbing over furniture if necessary 

[robin]

I find The Midnight Bell very readable and no worse than any other Gothic Novel I've read.  They are all a bit formulaic, though, aren't they?  Living, as I do, in a country with inadequate healthcare provision, I often wish I would encounter aged hermits on a regular basis.  As we know, they would be able to provide me with:
Restorative cordial
Assuasive balm
Healing Balsam
Balsamic cordial
as well as baked apples, etc.

[Reeba]

LOL! Robin.
That's a fascinating list of healing devices.   
One more;
strong liquors - chafed on temples of insensible person, which on revival of said person, can be imbibed to fortify stomach with a dram of same cordial.

So I guess cordial stands for wine and strong liquors.   

[Reeba]

I enjoyed the abduction chapters. Kroonzer and Ralberg!! Kroonzer is such a colourfully viscious character with his double meaning oaths .

...saluted the landlord with a volley of oaths , which conveyed the double meaning, that the horses were in want of provender, and his flask void of brandy.

LOL!!

The abduction scene reminds me of Emily's journey to the castle - with lofty mountains, lofty trees, the gilded tinge of advancing day, shelving hillocks, high mountains speckled with cattle, the sun burst full upon them etc. 
  Of course the descriptions are shorter than in TMOU. 

They are meant to set the scene of impending danger and terror. In those days of very very dark nights it may well have. I see more and more the inclusion of the Beechan cliff walk in NA 

And then there was this *disabled chair* in the turret. LOL!!
I'm not sure whether it was meant to be funny or not, but I was certainly tickled with the use of such an adjective.

And to lean against a wall during a lightening storm when imprisoned is very very helpful, I think.

[Mags]

I think you can go ahead--just start a new thread and put the chapter you are discussing into the subject line. That way, if anyone doesn't want to be spoiled, they'll know not to read it. How does that sound?

I'm feeling this out as I haven't started the book yet (sorry! I'm slammed with the blog and work and everything) and I probably should have waited for Heather to get back from her holiday...