Northanger Abbey

By Jane Austen, David Pinching and Hugh Thomson

Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey is a comedic and brilliantly postmodern lampoon of gothic romance novels.

Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful hardbacks make perfect gifts for book lovers, or wonderful additions to your own collection. Gorgeously illustrated by the celebrated Hugh Thomson, this edition also includes an afterword by David Pinching.

Catherine Morland is a naive young woman whose perceptions of the world around her are greatly influenced by the romantic gothic novels to which she is addicted. When she moves to Bath she sees mystery and intrigue all around her – not least of all in Northanger Abbey itself, the home of General Tilney and his handsome son Henry, where Catherine suspects a sinister crime has occurred . . .

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pan Macmillan
• Release date: Jul 14, 2016
• ISBN: 9781509826919

Jane Austen

Jane Austen nació en 1775 en Steventon (Hampshire), séptima de los ocho hijos del rector de la parroquia. Educada principalmente por su padre, empezó a escribir de muy joven, para recreo de la familia, y a los veintitrés años envió a los editores el manuscrito de La abadía de Northanger, que fue rechazado. Trece años después, en 1811, conseguiría publicar Juicio y sentimiento, a la que pronto seguirían Orgullo y prejuicio (1813), Mansfield Park (1814) y Emma (1816), que obtuvieron un gran éxito. Después de su muerte, acaecida prematuramente en 1817, y que le impidió concluir su novela SanditonLa abadía de Northanger, Persuasión (1818). Satírica, antirromántica, profunda y tan primorosa como mordaz, la obra de Jane Austen nace toda ella de una inquieta observación de la vida doméstica y de una estética necesidad de orden moral. «La Sabidu-ría –escribió una vez- es mejor que el Ingenio, y a la larga tendrá sin duda la risa de su parte.»

Book preview

changes.

Chapter 1

No one who had ever seen Catherine Morland in her infancy would have supposed her born to be an heroine. Her situation in life, the character of her father and mother, her own person and disposition, were all equally against her. Her father was a clergyman, without being neglected, or poor, and a very respectable man, though his name was Richard – and he had never been handsome. He had a considerable independence besides two good livings – and he was not in the least addicted to locking up his daughters. Her mother was a woman of useful plain sense, with a good temper, and, what is more remarkable, with a good constitution. She had three sons before Catherine was born; and instead of dying in bringing the latter into the world, as anybody might expect, she still lived on – lived to have six children more – to see them growing up around her, and to enjoy excellent health herself. A family of ten children will be always called a fine family, where there are heads and arms and legs enough for the number; but the Morlands had little other right to the word, for they were in general very plain, and Catherine, for many years of her life, as plain as any. She had a thin awkward figure, a sallow skin without colour, dark lank hair, and strong features – so much for her person; and not less unpropitious for heroism seemed her mind. She was fond of all boys’ plays, and greatly preferred cricket not merely to dolls, but to the more heroic enjoyments of infancy, nursing a dormouse, feeding a canary-bird, or watering a rose-bush. Indeed she had no taste for a garden; and if she gathered flowers at all, it was chiefly for the pleasure of mischief – at least so it was conjectured from her always preferring those which she was forbidden to take. Such were her propensities – her abilities were quite as extraordinary. She never could learn or understand anything before she was taught; and sometimes not even then, for she was often inattentive, and occasionally stupid. Her mother was three months in teaching her only to repeat the ‘Beggar’s Petition’; and after all, her next sister, Sally, could say it better than she did. Not that Catherine was always stupid – by no means; she learnt the fable of ‘The Hare and Many Friends’ as quickly as any girl in England. Her mother wished her to learn music; and Catherine was sure she should like it, for she was very fond of tinkling the keys of the old forlorn spinet; so, at eight years old she began. She learnt a year, and could not bear it; and Mrs Morland, who did not insist on her daughters being accomplished in spite of incapacity or distaste, allowed her to leave off. The day which dismissed the music-master was one of the happiest of Catherine’s life. Her taste for drawing was not superior; though whenever she could obtain the outside of a letter from her mother or seize upon any other odd piece of paper, she did what she could in that way, by drawing houses and trees, hens and chickens, all very much like one another. Writing and accounts she was taught by her father; French by her mother: her proficiency in either was not remarkable, and she shirked her lessons in both whenever she could. What a strange, unaccountable character! – for with all these symptoms of profligacy at ten years old, she had neither a bad heart nor a bad temper, was seldom stubborn, scarcely ever quarrelsome, and very kind to the little ones, with few interruptions of tyranny; she was moreover noisy and wild, hated confinement and cleanliness, and loved nothing so well in the world as rolling down the green slope at the back of the house.

Such was Catherine Morland at ten. At fifteen, appearances were mending; she began to curl her hair and long for balls; her complexion improved, her features were softened by plumpness and colour, her eyes gained more animation, and her figure more consequence. Her love of dirt gave way to an inclination for finery, and she grew clean as she grew smart; she had now the pleasure of sometimes hearing her father and mother remark on her personal improvement. ‘Catherine grows quite a good-looking girl – she is almost pretty today,’ were words which caught her ears now and then; and how welcome were the sounds! To look almost pretty is an acquisition of higher delight to a girl who has been looking plain the first fifteen years of her life than a beauty from her cradle can ever receive.

Mrs Morland was a very good woman, and wished to see her children everything they ought to be; but her time was so much occupied in lying-in and teaching the little ones, that her elder daughters were inevitably left to shift for themselves; and it was not very wonderful that Catherine, who had by nature nothing heroic about her, should prefer cricket, baseball, riding on horseback, and running about the country at the age of fourteen, to books – or at least books of information – for, provided that nothing like useful knowledge could be gained from them, provided they were all story and no reflection, she had never any objection to books at all. But from fifteen to seventeen she was in training for a heroine; she read all such works as heroines must read to supply their memories with those quotations which are so serviceable and so soothing in the vicissitudes of their eventful lives.

‘Catherine grows quite a good-looking girl’

From Pope, she learnt to censure those who ‘bear about the mockery of woe’; from Gray, that ‘many a flower is born to blush unseen, and waste its fragrance on the desert air’; from Thompson, that ‘it is a delightful task to teach the young idea how to shoot’; and from Shakespeare she gained a great store of information – amongst the rest, that ‘trifles light as air, are, to the jealous, confirmation strong as proofs of Holy Writ’; that ‘the poor beetle, which we tread upon, in corporal sufferance feels a pang as great as when a giant dies’; and that a young woman in love always looks ‘like Patience on a monument smiling at Grief’.

So far her improvement was sufficient – and in many other points she came on exceedingly well; for though she could not write sonnets, she brought herself to read them; and though there seemed no chance of her throwing a whole party into raptures by a prelude on the pianoforte, of her own composition, she could listen to other people’s performance with very little fatigue. Her greatest deficiency was in the pencil – she had no notion of drawing – not enough even to attempt a sketch of her lover’s profile, that she might be detected in the design. There she fell miserably short of the true heroic height. At present she did not know her own poverty, for she had no lover to portray. She had reached the age of seventeen, without having seen one amiable youth who could call forth her sensibility, without having inspired one real passion, and without having excited even any admiration but what was very moderate and very transient. This was strange indeed! But strange things may be generally accounted for if their cause be fairly searched out. There was not one lord in the neighbourhood; no – not even a baronet. There was not one family among their acquaintance who had reared and supported a boy accidentally found at their door – not one young man whose origin was unknown. Her father had no ward, and the squire of the parish no children.

But when a young lady is to be a heroine, the perverseness of forty surrounding families cannot prevent her. Something must and will happen to throw a hero in her way.

Mr Allen, who owned the chief of the property about Fullerton, the village in Wiltshire where the Morlands lived, was ordered to Bath for the benefit of a gouty constitution – and his lady, a good-humoured woman, fond of Miss Morland, and probably aware that if adventures will not befall a young lady in her own village, she must seek them abroad, invited her to go with them. Mr and Mrs Morland were all compliance, and Catherine all happiness.

Chapter 2

In addition to what has been already said of Catherine Morland’s personal and mental endowments, when about to be launched into all the difficulties and dangers of a six weeks’ residence in Bath, it may be stated, for the reader’s more certain information, lest the following pages should otherwise fail of giving any idea of what her character is meant to be, that her heart was affectionate; her disposition cheerful and open, without conceit or affectation of any kind – her manners just removed from the awkwardness and shyness of a girl; her person pleasing, and, when in good looks, pretty – and her mind about as ignorant and uninformed as the female mind at seventeen usually is.

When the hour of departure drew near, the maternal anxiety of Mrs Morland will be naturally supposed to be most severe. A thousand alarming presentiments of evil to her beloved Catherine from this terrific separation must oppress her heart with sadness, and drown her in tears for the last day or two of their being together; and advice of the most important and applicable nature must of course flow from her wise lips in their parting conference in her closet. Cautions against the violence of such noblemen and baronets as delight in forcing young ladies away to some remote farmhouse, must, at such a moment, relieve the fullness of her heart. Who would not think so? But Mrs Morland knew so little of lords and baronets, that she entertained no notion of their general mischievousness, and was wholly unsuspicious of danger to her daughter from their machinations. Her cautions were confined to the following points. ‘I beg, Catherine, you will always wrap yourself up very warm about the throat when you come from the Rooms at night; and I wish you would try to keep some account of the money you spend; I will give you this little book on purpose.’

Sally, or rather Sarah (for what young lady of common gentility will reach the age of sixteen without altering her name as far as she can?), must from situation be at this time the intimate friend and confidante of her sister. It is remarkable, however, that she neither insisted on Catherine’s writing by every post, nor exacted her promise of transmitting the character of every new acquaintance, nor a detail of every interesting conversation that Bath might produce. Everything indeed relative to this important journey was done, on the part of the Morlands, with a degree of moderation and composure, which seemed rather consistent with the common feelings of common life, than with the refined susceptibilities, the tender emotions which the first separation of a heroine from her family ought always to excite. Her father, instead of giving her an unlimited order on his banker, or even putting an hundred pounds bank-bill into her hands, gave her only ten guineas, and promised her more when she wanted it.

Under these unpromising auspices, the parting took place, and the journey began. It was performed with suitable quietness and uneventful safety. Neither robbers nor tempests befriended them, nor one lucky overturn to introduce them to the hero. Nothing more alarming occurred than a fear, on Mrs Allen’s side, of having once left her clogs behind her at an inn, and that fortunately proved to be groundless.

They arrived at Bath. Catherine was all eager delight – her eyes were here, there, everywhere, as they approached its fine and striking environs, and afterwards drove through those streets which conducted them to the hotel. She was come to be happy, and she felt happy already.

They were soon settled in comfortable lodgings in Pulteney Street.

It is now expedient to give some description of Mrs Allen, that the reader may be able to judge in what manner her actions will hereafter tend to promote the general distress of the work, and how she will, probably, contribute to reduce poor Catherine to all the desperate wretchedness of which a last volume is capable – whether by her imprudence, vulgarity, or jealousy – whether by intercepting her letters, ruining her character, or turning her out of doors.

Mrs Allen was one of that numerous class of females, whose society can raise no other emotion than surprise at there being any men in the world who could like them well enough to marry them. She had neither beauty, genius, accomplishment, nor manner. The air of a gentlewoman, a great deal of quiet, inactive good temper, and a trifling turn of mind were all that could account for her being the choice of a sensible, intelligent man like Mr Allen. In one respect she was admirably fitted to introduce a young lady into public, being as fond of going everywhere and seeing everything herself as any young lady could be. Dress was her passion. She had a most harmless delight in being fine; and our heroine’s entrée into life could not take place till after three or four days had been spent in learning what was mostly worn, and her chaperone was provided with a dress of the newest fashion. Catherine too made some purchases herself, and when all these matters were arranged, the important evening came which was to usher her into the Upper Rooms. Her hair was cut and dressed by the best hand, her clothes put on with care, and both Mrs Allen and her maid declared she looked quite as she should do. With such encouragement, Catherine hoped at least to pass uncensured through the crowd. As for admiration, it was always very welcome when it came, but she did not depend on it.

Mrs Allen was so long in dressing that they did not enter the ballroom till late. The season was full, the room crowded, and the two ladies squeezed in as well as they could. As for Mr Allen, he repaired directly to the card-room, and left them to enjoy a mob by themselves. With more care for the safety of her new gown than for the comfort of her protegée, Mrs Allen made her way through the throng of men by the door, as swiftly as the necessary caution would allow; Catherine, however, kept close at her side, and linked her arm too firmly within her friend’s to be torn asunder by any common effort of a struggling assembly. But to her utter amazement she found that to proceed along the room was by no means the way to disengage themselves from the crowd; it seemed rather to increase as they went on, whereas she had imagined that when once fairly within the door, they should easily find seats and be able to watch the dances with perfect convenience. But this was far from being the case, and though by unwearied diligence they gained even the top of the room, their situation was just the same; they saw nothing of the dancers but the high feathers of some of the ladies. Still they moved on – something better was yet in view; and by a continued exertion of strength and ingenuity they found themselves at last in the passage behind the highest bench. Here there was something less of crowd than below; and hence Miss Morland had a comprehensive view of all the company beneath her, and of all the dangers of her late passage through them. It was a splendid sight, and she began, for the first time that evening, to feel herself at a ball: she longed to dance, but she had not an acquaintance in the room. Mrs Allen did all that she could do in such a case by saying very placidly, every now and then, ‘I wish you could dance, my dear – I wish you could get a partner.’ For some time her young friend felt obliged to her for these wishes; but they were repeated so often, and proved so totally ineffectual, that Catherine grew tired at last, and would thank her no more.

They were not long able, however, to enjoy the repose of the eminence they had so laboriously gained. Everybody was shortly in motion for tea, and they must squeeze out like the rest. Catherine began to feel something of disappointment – she was tired of being continually pressed against by people, the generality of whose faces possessed nothing to interest, and with all of whom she was so wholly unacquainted that she could not relieve the irksomeness of imprisonment by the exchange of a syllable with any of her fellow captives; and when at last arrived in the tea room, she felt yet more the awkwardness of having no party to join, no acquaintance to claim, no gentleman to assist them. They saw nothing of Mr Allen; and after looking about them in vain for a more eligible situation, were obliged to sit down at the end of a table, at which a large party were already placed, without having anything to do there, or anybody to speak to, except each other.

Mrs Allen congratulated herself, as soon as they were seated, on having preserved her gown from injury. ‘It would have been very shocking to have it torn,’ said she, ‘would not it? It is such a delicate muslin. For my part I have not seen anything I like so well in the whole room, I assure you.’

‘How uncomfortable it is,’ whispered Catherine, ‘not to have a single acquaintance here!’

‘Yes, my dear,’ replied Mrs Allen, with perfect serenity, ‘it is very uncomfortable indeed.’

‘What shall we do? The gentlemen and ladies at this table look as if they wondered why we came here – we seem forcing ourselves into their party.’

‘Aye, so we do. That is very disagreeable. I wish we had a large acquaintance here.’

‘I wish we had any – it would be somebody to go to.’

‘Very true, my dear; and if we knew anybody we would join them directly. The Skinners were here last year – I wish they were here now.’

‘Had not we better go away as it is? Here are no tea things for us, you see.’

‘No more there are, indeed. How very provoking! But I think we had better sit still, for one gets so tumbled in such a crowd! How is my head, my dear? Somebody gave me a push that has hurt it, I am afraid.’

‘No, indeed, it looks very nice. But, dear Mrs Allen, are you sure there is nobody you know in all this multitude of people? I think you must know somebody.’

‘I don’t, upon my word – I wish I did. I wish I had a large acquaintance here with all my heart, and then I should get you a partner. I should be so glad to have you dance. There goes a strange-looking woman! What an odd gown she has got on! How old-fashioned it is! Look at the back.’

After some time they received an offer of tea from one of their neighbours; it was thankfully accepted, and this introduced a light conversation with the gentleman who offered it, which was the only time that anybody spoke to them during the evening, till they were discovered and joined by Mr Allen when the dance was over.

‘Well, Miss Morland,’ said he, directly, ‘I hope you have had an agreeable ball.’

‘Very agreeable indeed,’ she replied, vainly endeavouring to hide a great yawn.

‘I wish she had been able to dance,’ said his wife; ‘I wish we could have got a partner for her. I have been saying how glad I should be if the Skinners were here this winter instead of last; or if the Parrys had come, as they talked of once, she might have danced with George Parry. I am so sorry she has not had a partner!’

‘We shall do better another evening I hope,’ was Mr Allen’s consolation.

The company began to disperse when the dancing was over – enough to leave space for the remainder to walk about in some comfort; and now was the time for a heroine, who had not yet played a very distinguished part in the events of the evening, to be noticed and admired. Every five minutes, by removing some of the crowd, gave greater openings for her charms. She was now seen by many young men who had not been near her before. Not one, however, started with rapturous wonder on beholding her, no whisper of eager enquiry ran round the room, nor was she once called a divinity by anybody. Yet Catherine was in very good looks, and had the company only seen her three years before, they would now have thought her exceedingly handsome.

‘What an odd gown she has got on! How old-fashioned it is!’

She was looked at, however, and with some admiration; for, in her own hearing, two gentlemen pronounced her to be a pretty girl. Such words had their due effect; she immediately thought the evening pleasanter than she had found it before – her humble vanity was contented – she felt more obliged to the two young men for this simple praise than a true quality heroine would have been for fifteen sonnets in celebration of her charms, and went to her chair in good humour with everybody, and perfectly satisfied with her share of public attention.

Chapter 3

Every morning now brought its regular duties – shops were to be visited; some new part of the town to be looked at; and the Pump-room to be attended, where they paraded up and down for an hour, looking at everybody and speaking to no one. The wish of a numerous acquaintance in Bath was still uppermost with Mrs Allen, and she repeated it after every fresh proof, which every morning brought, of her knowing nobody at all.

They made their appearance in the Lower Rooms; and here fortune was more favourable to our heroine. The master of the ceremonies introduced to her a very gentlemanlike young man as a partner; his name was Tilney. He seemed to be about four or five and twenty, was rather tall, had a pleasing countenance, a very intelligent and lively eye, and, if not quite handsome, was very near it. His address was good, and Catherine felt herself in high luck. There was little leisure for speaking while they danced; but when they were seated at tea, she found him as agreeable as she had already given him credit for being. He talked with fluency and spirit – and there was an archness and pleasantry in his manner which interested, though it was hardly understood by her. After chatting some time on such matters as naturally arose from the objects around them, he suddenly addressed her with – ‘I have hitherto been very remiss, madam, in the proper attentions of a partner here; I have not yet asked you how long you have been in Bath; whether you were ever here before; whether you have been at the Upper Rooms, the theatre, and the concert; and how you like the place altogether. I have been very negligent – but are you now at leisure to satisfy me in these particulars? If you are I will begin directly.’

‘You need not give yourself that trouble, sir.’

‘No trouble, I assure you, madam.’ Then forming his features into a set smile, and affectedly softening his voice, he added, with a simpering air, ‘Have you been long in Bath, madam?’

‘About a week, sir,’ replied Catherine, trying not to laugh.

‘Really!’ with affected astonishment.

‘Why should you be surprised, sir?’

‘Why, indeed!’ said he, in his natural tone.

Reviews for Northanger Abbey

[petroglyph_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was fun, especially the beginning and the very end of Northanger Abbey where Austen indulges in meta-comments, authorial intrusions, direct appeals to the reader, and the most obvious jokes. Most of the rest of this short novel plays out like a regular Jane Austen book, with the occasional reminder that this is -- in part -- a parody. Jane Austen parodying her own style and genre. Fun!

[renz0808 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Though I have read most of Austen's novels some of them numerous times, I have been saving this one for just the right time when I felt like I could appreciate it the most. I finally decided I needed a good Austen fix and was ready to enjoy it. I knew that it is considered by most critics to be Jane Austen's most satirical novel so I was very excited to dive into this book and see for myself. I was not disappointed, I loved our heroine Catherine Morland, I thought she had just the right amount of girlish charm mixed in with some moments of good sense. I found myself routing for her throughout the book. I also have to say that Henry Tilney found his way right into my heart from almost the first meeting, especially when he exclaims, "The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid", a opinion I agree with entirely.

[jenritchie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Quite possibly one of my favorite books, Gothic romance and suspense, The first half went slow until I mastered to language, but it was the easiest Austen book to read and get into and I was able to read her other novels with more ease after this one.

[raschneid_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Unsurprisingly, I adored this. Definitely less mature than some of her other novels - I'm not sure how well the gothic parody and the serious social interactions really meshed, although it was fun to see their intersection - but I thought the characters were in many ways just as adeptly drawn as those in her later novels, while being just a little wackier.

One of my favorite things about Austen's novels is the way she handles social transgression in such a socially-conscious society, and so poor Catherine's misadventures very much fit the bill.

And now I've read all of her novels! *beams*

[jaylia3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Jane lets her wicked humor loose in this book, poking gentle (and sometimes not so gentle) fun at just about everyone’s poses, pretensions, and delusions, but as silly as Austen makes novel-drama-obsessed Catherine she still allows her to be artlessly charming and a lively joy to spend time with, and on this reread I gained a renewed appreciation for the playful wit and heartfelt decency of Henry Tilney. Northanger Abbey has moved up a few places in my favorite Austen novel list.

[melydia_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This is my first Austen since I started reading for pleasure (elementary and high school beat that love right out of me, and I hardly touched any nonrequired reading until college), and the biggest thing I noticed is that she never heard that age-old rule about writing: "show, don't tell." I admit that I haven't read large amounts of literature from this time period, but was it in style to simply describe conversations rather than write actual dialogue? Either way, I can look past that. Unfortunately, the story wasn't particularly interesting. Catherine visits friends in Bath, hooks up with the Tilneys, has a series of misunderstandings, then abruptly there's a happy ending. Though I can't say I'll never read another Austen novel, I don't see myself going out of my way to read them either.

[leslie398 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

When I was younger, I didn't think that this book by Austen measured up to her other books. Now I find it so amusing! Perhaps I was too close to the teenage mentality that she pokes fun at in this book to see the humor back then.

[kaydence_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Northanger Abbey also has many elements of a gothic novel. The heroine is continuously curious. She goes through corridors once in Northanger Abbey searching for dark, mysterious things. She often allows her imagination to get the better of her because of this. She decides that the wife/mother that is proposed to be dead is really being held prisoner, but often it is found that she is wrong. The twist on gothic style provides the interesting deal that the heroine is mistakenly said to be poor and kicked out of Northanger Abbey, but really at the end found to be decently well off again. In this case, Austin does a very good job of playing about the innocence of females while offering little jabs of how intolerable that is. I have not read much of Jane Austin, but her wit intrigued me. I think I’m going to have to read more.

[scucksey_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Austin's hand at gothic-style romance, as a way to poke fun at the novels and those who read them. Protagonist Catherine Morland is overly dramatic and a twit. She's my least favorite Austin heroine.

[wiszard · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is a quick read that is quite enjoyable. If you loved "Pride and Prejudice", you'll find Northanger Abbey to be in the same mold. Jane Austen brings the characters alive in this short novel.

[justplainoldcj · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My least favorite of Austen's works. I prefer "Sanditon," which she didn't even finish. The Gothick! sheen is just flimsy.

[axya_4 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

the easiest Austen novel I guess. What can I say, it's cute =) its satirism is very clear, there are hints pointing to the ridiculousness of the dark Gothic novels at that period. Clearly Austen doesn't intend to invest much time in being subtle and building layers in this one. On the contrary, Northanger Abbey has a distinctive and authoritative narrator’s voice. While in other Austen’s novels, the narrator’s view is limited, and most of the happenings are seen through the heroine’s view, the narrator’s voice in Northangery Abbey seems to lead the story deliberately, at times warn readers about what is to come, and to remind us that it, Austen’s view, is in fact more omnipotent than the heroine’s. Austen also mentions constantly about how a heroine is supposed to be, and how our heroine - Catherine, is different from or similar to the common image of a heroine at that time.

[nhcoffin · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I always labor a bit when reading dated language, but the lightly satirical tone of this novel carried me through. Certain passages, like when Catherine talks about reading novels, will probably find their way into my work as a librarian.

[writestuff_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Not my favorite Austen novel. The first half of the book is rather slow, a bit dry. Luckily for the reader, the second half picks up and moves along nicely. Catherine, the MC, is a silly girl - a bit of a drama queen with a tendency to let her imagination run wild. Austen pokes fun at the novel in this story, and there are moments of humor that gave me a chuckle. Rated 3.5/5.

[ahnya-2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I think this is my favorite Jane Austen. I found myself giggling throughout the whole book. I loved Catherine and how she would let her imagination run wild, and that Henry enjoyed spinning her up. I love the way Austen writes people, and how often you know someone like her characters.

[bookwyrmm_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I loved Catherine and her obsession with gothic novels. I love gothics, too, and it seemed like this was Austen's way of taking a dig at the pulp reading that was so popular in her day. Despite that, I still enjoyed this immensely.

[jamiem12 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It's a classic!!

[marliesd_4 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Austen's first real novel, sort of, and so it isn't her best. She was so young when she wrote it!But, an Austen read nonetheless.

[technodiabla · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book at the beginning but was not a huge fan by the end. The characters seemed somewhat shallow and although they were on the verge of learning some good "coming-of-age" lessons, they instead basically got their way and walked away almost spoiled, rather than mature. Loved the descirptions of Bath, but the Abbey part kind of lost my interest-- it seemed a bit childish. Might be a good read for a pre-teen.

[danielstj · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A quite surprising novel in its frankness and how it treats the subject matter. Austen proves her worth by crafting characters whose journeys inward parallel the motion of the plot-line occurring around them. While the prose might seem a little dated by today's standards, there is still much to be admired here. This is, I believe, one of Austen's finer novels.

3.35-- worth the read.

[davida.chazan · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

While Catherine Morland is quite the least intelligent and most naive of all of Austen's protagonists, she starts out slightly annoying but becomes more likable as story unfolds. Filled with the usual romantic intrigues, what makes this different is the inclusion of the passion for horror novels by our hero, which her heart's desire shares with her, and how he uses it to pique her imagination just a touch too much - almost to her detriment. In general, a delightful story, and while not my favorite, it certainly is a lovely read.

[gracez-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is GOOD. Better than I remembered. That's the great thing about Jane Austen: Seems like each time you read them, they get better. If that's possible.

Northanger Abbey is just so much fun! Catherine is such a sweet naive little girl, and yet she isn't annoying. Henry Tilney is one of my favorite Austen heroes. The gothic intrigue is amusing and interesting, as is the intertextuality. I'm so glad I took the time to re-read it! (25/6/2008)

[ainjel-3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Not my favourite Austen novel, but still a lovely read and a very intriguing story. Northanger Abbey concerns itself with appearance, style, and fashion. This is established immediately with the author's advertisement, and with the repetition in the first few chapters that Catherine is the "heroine" and must appear "heroic." Of course, Austen breaks down the rules of appearances, demonstrating throughout the length of the novel that nothing is as it appears. Even the lovely abbey that Catherine longs for, she soon remarks that it is the place where she has been most miserable, and received the most terrible news, as opposed to its exterior joys. All in all, it's a snarky Austen, and a witty Austen, but it lacks the mastery of some of Austen's other works.

[markbstephenson · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

a very amusing book indeed!

[krazy4katz · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Although Jane Austen has a wonderful sense of humor, which weaves its way through her stories, I found the plot rather dull. I knew (or suspected) the ending quite early in the book and thought more could have been written about it. Instead it was just tacked onto the end of the book. Not much happens but the dialogue is very good.

[kirklowery · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Hysterically funny, especially if you've read any of the gothic novels of her time. I particularly like the authoress injecting herself into the narrative, speaking of her own feelings about her characters. She clearly doesn't take herself too seriously...

[nog_5 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This early Austen skewers the Gothic novel, or at least how seriously impressionable young ladies were affected by them. I was reminded of how often Poe used the word "gloomy", but here it is used for comic effect. What's interesting is how you can see the prototypes of future Austen characters; here they are definitely more cartoonish, especially a particular cad. Right out of the gate, she pulls out her favorite plot device: the unfortunate misunderstanding that won't get resolved until the final pages. Once again, we get to that ending with the happy wedding. Obviously, these marriages were destined to work out, since the novels stop here.

[jontseng · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Drippy provincial meets gent, gets scared, lives happily ever after.

[greeeen_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Main character is Catherine Morland.She is an average girl from a large family.one day,she is invited to accompany some friends of the family.It is romance story.I like this book.I can't expect this ending.

[romonko · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have read most of Miss Jane Austen's books, and I have enjoyed them, but this one and Mansfield Park were two that I missed some how. I decided to rectify this so read this book first. It was Jane Austen's first major novel, so it was interesting to read if for that reason alone. Miss Austin's talents are many, but I think the two that are the most remarkable are her characterizations, and her wonderful way of writing satire. She is known for her very real and human heroines. Catherine Morland in this book is one of these. She is very much a young 17 year old who is a product of the era she lives in. But her own innate good sense, and practicality help her to see people and the masks they assume in society for what they are. I found this book to be very warm and wonderfully light-hearted. Jane Austen's genius runs rampant through this little novel. I enjoyed it immensely.