I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE THINKING: You’re thinking “I want to read a novel by chronically underrated gothic novelist Ann Radcliffe, but I don’t know which one I should read read? If only my general familiarity with the work of Led Zeppelin could somehow help me answer this question!”
Worry not! Here we’ve figured out which Ann Radcliffe novel corresponds with which Led Zeppelin album! (It’s not a perfect match; even though Radcliffe outlived John Bonham by 26 years, she only ever published seven novels. Alas, no CODA here!)
THE CASTLES OF ATHLIN AND DUNBAYNE (1789)
is
LED ZEPPELIN (1769)
The sublimity of nature, monstrosity of human corruption, and the hauntedness of the humble mind all get full play, but this is just a hint of Radcliffe’s full power.
A SICILIAN ROMANCE (1790)
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LED ZEPPELIN III (1970)
Diverse, balancing action and drama against elegy and reverie, there are some memorable moments, but generally not considered Radcliffe’s greatest work.
THE ROMANCE OF THE FOREST (1791)
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LED ZEPPELIN II (1969)
Some hardcore Radcliffeheads won’t want to give the cliched answer, and so will insist that Romance of the Forest is the best Radcliffe novel. They’re wrong, but still, they have a point. Deftness of prose, careful plotting, convincing characters, and vivid settings makes this an ideal choice for “getting the Rad out.”
THE MYSTERIES OF UDOLPHO (1794)
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LED ZEPPELIN IV (1971)
Plenty of people try to knock Udolpho off its pedestal, but it’s always an uphill battle. As well it should be; at its most brilliant, Udolpho is powerful, unsettling, unparalleled literature. It ranges from the clouded peaks of the Pyrenees (Evermore) to the dismal dungeons of Udolpho (Levee), from daring escapes (Rock and Roll) to arranged marriages (Four Sticks). And don’t forget the unforgettable deathbed confessions (Stairway). There is one and only one Mysteries of Udolpho in all of literature. Period.
A JOURNEY MADE IN THE SUMMER OF 1794, THROUGH HOLLAND AND THE WESTERN FRONTIER OF GERMANY… TO WHICH ARE ADDED OBSERVATIONS OF A TOUR TO THE LAKES (1795)
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HOUSES OF THE HOLY (1973)
By all accounts, a lovely journey, but we’re mostly just biding our time for her to complete her trifecta of masterpieces.
THE ITALIAN, OR THE CONFESSIONAL OF THE BLACK PENITENTS (1797)
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PHYSICAL GRAFFITI (1975)
Why keep reading past Udolpho when you know perfection has been achieved? Surely that pièce de résistance left no stone unturned… or did it? Indeed, Udolpho‘s villianous Count Montoni is a threatening creature, but he enters and leaves as one of many power-mad ruffians. The Italian‘s Father Schedoni (Kashmir) is, by comparison, the grand puppetmaster, as much a victim to his own emotions as he as the lord of mechinations. Nothing — not even Udolpho — can capture a character quite like this.
GASTON DE BLONDVILLE (1826)
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PRESENCE (1975)
At some point, even A. Rad started phoning it in. Hey, at least it isn’t In Through the Out Door.