M. G Lewis

"Savaged by critics for its supposed profanity and obscenity, and bought in large numbers by readers eager to see whether it lived up to its lurid reputation, The Monk became a succès de scandale when it was published in 1796--not least because its author was a member of parliament and only twenty years old. It recounts the diabolical decline of Ambrosio, a Capuchin superior, who succumbs first to temptations offered by a young girl who has entered...

The Monk follows the rise and fall of Ambrosio, a Capuchin Monk in 17th century Madrid. Abandoned as a baby on the steps of a monastery and raised in strict Capuchin fashion, Ambrosio has become the most famous preacher in the country. Large crowds from near and far come to hear his mesmerizing sermons and he has earned the admiration of all. Convinced of his virure and rightousness, Brother Ambrosio thinks he is immune to temptation until obscure...