I was finally able to present my Patrons with a digitised, free version of one of the most underrated and yet more significant works by Jules Verne: The Castle of the Carpathians.
Published five years before Bram Stoker consigned Transylvania to the public’s imagination as a land of undead creatures, Verne wrote this science fiction novel blending elements of Gothic you rarely see in his work. It doesn’t have many of the signature elements of his more famous works: the narrative is scattered amongst different and non-remarkable characters, the mystery isn’t built from the start, and the development feels a little rushed. Its importance however cannot be understated: The Castle of the Carpathians in fact explores a timeless theme – the clash between reason and blind faith in the face of the unknown – though it cannot be overlooked that it does that by indulging in racist tropes, particularly against Jewish and Romani people.
Proceed with caution.
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