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Cover of Melmoth the Wanderer by Charles MaturinMelmoth the Wanderer
Classic · Fiction, Classics, Fantasy

Melmoth the Wanderer

by Charles Maturin
1820 · 560 pages · Fiction
66.5Must-Read
Score Classic
Critics' pick
≈ 14 hours to read · about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

Melmoth trades his soul for immortality in a satanic bargain. His tortured wanderings across the centuries are pieced together through the people he begs to take over his pact with the devil.

Why it's worth reading

It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It took the Gothic novel to a new, macabre pitch, and its admirers included Poe, Balzac, Oscar Wilde and Baudelaire.

You'll love it if you liked

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Good to know

Its tales nest inside one another, which takes patience.

By the numbers

66.5Must-Read Score
  • Readers59 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics30 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Bestseller9 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

On the lists
Guardian 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read

Reads as

Gripping, Epic

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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Quick answers

Is Melmoth the Wanderer worth reading?

Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It ranks #1,817 of the 3,057 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 66.5 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is Melmoth the Wanderer about?

Melmoth trades his soul for immortality in a satanic bargain. His tortured wanderings across the centuries are pieced together through the people he begs to take over his pact with the devil.

How long does it take to read Melmoth the Wanderer?

About 14 hours (560 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after Melmoth the Wanderer?

If you liked it, try The Monk by Matthew Lewis, Uncle Silas by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu or The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde.