{"product_id":"the-castle-of-otranto-by-horace-walpole-1","title":"The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole","description":"\u003cp\u003e\"The Castle of Otranto,\" written by Horace Walpole in 1764, is often regarded as the first Gothic novel. Its initial edition claimed to be a translation of a 1529 Naples manuscript found in the library of an ancient Catholic family in northern England.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe story revolves around Manfred, the prince of Otranto, who desperately seeks to secure the castle's future for his descendants in the face of a mysterious curse.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe novel begins with the tragic death of Manfred's son, Conrad, who is fatally crushed by a gigantic helmet on his wedding day to the beautiful princess Isabella. Fearing the end of his family line, Manfred resolves to divorce his wife and marry the terrified Isabella himself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"The Castle of Otranto\" blends elements of realistic fiction with the supernatural and fantastical, introducing numerous plot twists and character types that would become staples of the Gothic genre: hidden passages, echoing trapdoors, concealed identities, and vulnerable heroines fleeing from sinister antagonists.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Watkins Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58220713738614,"sku":null,"price":36.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0578\/0635\/6656\/files\/Screenshot2026-07-07at13.10.54.png?v=1783427154","url":"https:\/\/shop.watkinsbooks.com\/products\/the-castle-of-otranto-by-horace-walpole-1","provider":"Watkins Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}