The Monk: A Romance

Too silly. Just one example from the wikipedia synopsis:

“Agnes planned to dress as the Bleeding Nun, a ghost who haunts the castle and exits its gates at midnight. Raymond accidentally eloped with the real ghost of the real Bleeding Nun. Exorcizing the ghost of the Bleeding Nun required assistance from the Wandering Jew.”

So over the top with lusty monks, cruel nuns, poison plots, debauchery, rape, murder, torch carrying mobs, Inquisition torture, deals with the Devil. It is hard to believe that this book was written in 1796. Like nothing I've read before. It outdoes Frankenstein in its use of Gothic elements. It would have been 5 stars but there are quite a few long passages that drag on before returning us to the exquisite depravity.

The version of the book that I own is the Penguin Classics version, I like the cover the book has, it depicts demons, since the theme of the book is about demons, temptation and depravity/debauchery.
I like it when a book cover reflects the theme of the book, and it's one of the reasons that I bought the book, I already know about the controversy about this book, but I think even if you are religious, you should read this book, form your own opinion about it.
There is and was a lot of controversy about the publication of this book in 1796 historically and maybe there still is some controversy in the modern era, due to the themes, context of the book, it is considered to be blasphemous, obscene, a lot of writers/poets were opposed to the book and publically severely criticised the book & the author Matthew Gregory Lewis.
He could have been charged with blasphemy since there a law against doing something that is considered religiously offensive or blasphemous on purpose just to offend people.
I don't think the author wrote the book to be offensive, obscene, to seem immoral or blasphemous on purpose, it's just their creative idea, which is unique, so it should be appreciated for what it is.
A good example of blasphemy is the British metal band Cradle of Filth designed a t-shirt & hoodie that showed a nun masturbating which to me seems funny, I've always been a fan of the band, I have a dark sense of humour as well.
They don't purposefully create perverse, entertaining music just to be blasphemous on purpose, like people assume.
I understand why it is considered to be blasphemous, or a book promoting the belief in demons, or the worship of demons in certain ways, due to how the Capuchin monk in the book is influenced by demons or tempted by Satan overtime.
No one can withstand the influence of demons or Satan forever, eventually you will give in, and accept their influence, you will embrace the darkness, your inner animalistic, depraved, perverse, predatory, base self.
This is what the Capuchin monk does in the book, so while being influenced by demons & tempted by Satan he becomes more and more depraved, sexually deviant, perverse, animalistic and sexually predatory.
Everyone has this within themselves, but some people choose to suppress/repress it, while other people are very hedonistic and unashamed about it, there is always a dichotomy of the psyche, personality, in terms of your energy and which path you choose to follow.
A path of righteousness, and piety, & faith or trust in God or a path of darkness, depravity, hedonism, sexual perversity/sexual depravity, consorting with demons/Satan instead.
Anyone can originally be a good, kind, loving person, but their innocence can be corrupted, taken from them so they become something else, depraved, deviant, perverse, hedonistic, and unashamed of their perverse sexual appetite.
I think this book says a lot about innocence being corrupted, taken and the dark sexual appetites, taboo sexual desires people have, but they would never admit to, because they would be too ashamed, judged, shamed for their taboo sexual desires, their perversity, hedonism, predatory sexual nature as a person, they would be judged/shamed for their impiety.

I don't always understand why anyone that feels lust/lustful, or they sexual desire that can some be considered taboo, forbidden, or immoral in some way is considered & portrayed in a negative way, but it does depend on the context of their lust,sexual desire especially if it is perverse, depraved, and involves debauchery. A sexual Libertine like Giacomo Casanova.
Obviously there ae things I consider to be a taboo sexually
(hurting animals & kids, in any context or capacity including sexually/ritualistically is disgusting, it's morally wrong, I will never understand it) I don't understand why this in particular is not condemned a lot more, then just judging people just for feeling natural lust & sexual desire for someone they love/care about. It's nothing to be ashamed or,or fearful of unless you have been abused, religious abuse is part of it, intermingled with sexual abuse, which is why some people feel ashamed about sex, to like sex or feel ashamed after sex, which is understandable if you have been abused. Lust, sexual desire, or being into B.D.S.M is normal, I think it is more of a problem when you try to suppress and repress your natural lust & sexual desire which is what Ambrosio tries to do in the book, but that doesn't work forever, eventually he would naturally want to experience having sex and express himself in a sexual way.
I know from experience, how frustrating it is to be sexually repressed, to have sexual desire, but you don't always have the intention to act on that sexual desire,so you just suppress it, repress any sexual desire you have, which isn't healthy.
I have my own personal reasons for that though.
So in my pinion, the more you try to forbid someone from doing something, by condemning it, vilifying or demonizing it, the more the person would want to do it anyway, because it seems appealing, attractive because it's taboo, forbidden.
This can apply to various things such as sex, drugs, drinking alcohol, practicing witchcraft, using a Ouija board, communicating with the dead etc..

The introduction at the start of the book, is helpful but it is a very wordy, long & tedious to read.