Auriol; or, The Elixir of Life

English writer William Harrison Ainsworth wrote many historical novel. While training as a lawyer Ainsworth met a publisher who brought him into literary circles. Auriol is unique in Ainsworth's catalog as the action is fantasy so his supernatural elements can take free reign. Truly a gothic romance creating a nightmarish commentary on society of the early 1800's. Kidnapping, confining a lunatic, a two-hundred year old criminal, the eve of discovering the elixir of life and a deserted mansion keep this story alive and moving forward. This is an excellent example of Ainsworth's works a book for anyone that enjoys Gothic Fiction.