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Northanger Abbey
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Northanger Abbey
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Northanger Abbey
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Northanger Abbey

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

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About this ebook

In this spirited comedy of manners Catherine Morland, a plain, unspoiled small-town girl on holiday in Bath, meets and falls in love with Henry Tilney, a handsome young clergyman. Henry's father, believing Catherine to be wealthy, invites her to be a guest at Northanger Abby, the family's country estate. Catherine, who has read too many Gothic romances and who is possessed of too vivid an imagination, views the abbey as a house of nightmarish horror — an aspect of the book that gleefully parodies the fantastic Gothic romances by Ann Radcliffe and other popular writers of the period. An amusing assortment of misunderstandings and plot twists result in the satisfying romantic conclusion characteristic of the author’s works.
First written in 1789-99, when Austen was in her early twenties, this novel, like Persuasion, did not see publication till 1818, in the winter after the author's death. Distinguished by its satirical wit, brilliant comedy, and complex but subtle views of human nature and morality, the book also presents a fine background picture of middle-class life in nineteenth-century England, with particularly good scenes in Bath, the fashionable watering place to which Austen's father, a clergyman himself, had retired. Northanger Abbey is a must-read for all Austen fans and students of English literature.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateMar 5, 2012
ISBN9780486115030
Author

Jane Austen

Born in 1775, Jane Austen published four of her six novels anonymously. Her work was not widely read until the late nineteenth century, and her fame grew from then on. Known for her wit and sharp insight into social conventions, her novels about love, relationships, and society are more popular year after year. She has earned a place in history as one of the most cherished writers of English literature.

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Reviews for Northanger Abbey

Rating: 3.834228401431981 out of 5 stars
4/5

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  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This may make me a disgrace to Jane Austen fandom, but Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice have always been fairly interchangeable in my mind. They’re just so similar! So, even though I love them both dearly, I was initially very excited to start this book and find something a bit different. As always, I adored Austen’s writing style and her pointed humor. In this book, she very deliberately breaks the tropes of the Gothic novel, with funny asides about the genre along the way. Her points are made clearly enough that I could tell what she was making fun of in Gothic novels, even though I’ve read very few myself. However, as I got further into the book, it soon became clear that there was essentially no plot and the main character isn’t very bright. Although she does grow a bit, she has very little agency. Nearly all of the difficulties she faces are in her head or at least blown all out of proportion. I didn’t really feel that this silly main protagonist deserved the intelligent, funny, kind love interest. In typical Austen fashion though, everything just works itself out in the last few pages. This doesn’t typically bother me, but in this case, there wasn’t enough action by the main character preceding the speedy resolution. Only Austen’s wonderful writing saved this for me.

    This review first published on Doing Dewey.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    After being so-so about Pride and Prejudice, which everyone seems to love, I was suprised at how much I liked Northanger Abbey. It is genuinely funny.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    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.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    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.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey was the first she completed for publication, in 1803, though it was not published until after her death in 1817. The work satirizes gothic novels though the heroine, Catherine Morland, who “is in training for a heroine.” She is fond of gothic novels, particularly the work of Ann Radcliffe’s work, and this allows Austen to comment on the novel as a literary form, defending it against critics who derided it for its supposed lack of serious content. Discussing her reading habits, Catherine describes the follies then current in historical writing, saying, “The quarrels of popes and kings, with wars or pestilences, in every page; the men all so good for nothing, and hardly any women at all – it is very tiresome: and yet I often think it odd that it should be so dull, for a great deal of it must be invention. The speeches that are put into the heroes’ mouths, their thoughts and designs – the chief of all this must be invention, and invention is what delights me in other books” (pg. 102). As modern academic history was relatively recent, first appearing with Edward Gibbon’s The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire in 1776, Austen comments on the earlier fashion of historical writing and how authors would simply repackage classical texts with some of their own inventions to spice up the narrative. The power of reading runs through Austen’s work, driving many of Catherine’s choices and informing her conversations. This Barnes & Noble edition includes an introduction and notes from Alfred Mac Adam that the Austen scholar may find interesting, though his habit of putting definitions for all the early-nineteenth century terms in the footnotes becomes distracting, especially as the meaning of most can be gleaned from context.
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    I see what she was trying to do here, but it comes off more frustrated and catty than satirical. It does make me glad that I live in the 21st century, though, and not the 18th.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I read this book way back in 1982 and I thinks it's due for a re-read.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    It is so refreshing to read a book that does not have sex, violence and profanity! Modern authors seem to have lost this mysterious art of being able to write a good book without the above mentioned "trinity." Jane Austen's works excel not only in quality of writing (which seems missing in modern authors), but quality of subject. I watched two or three screen renditions of this book and not a single one was able to capture Miss Austen's story. Catherine is not a stupid girl with an absurdly idiotic imagination. If you watched the movies and read this book you will understand my inference. Miss Austen writings all seem to me guided toward good. Henry Tilney is, as all Miss Austen's heroes seem to be, a charming man, elegant and respectful. But unlike other male characters (heroes) of her books, he has a delightful, even teasing sense of humor. His witty comments made me chuckle more than once. I am not a great writer of reviews, so my advice is read it. Even if you don't like the story very much, the writer style will certainly captivate you.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    actually very exciting and intriguing. early references to baseball and literature. it has a lot of character. Austen still can't write dialogue for confessions of love.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Being the Austen fan that I am, I eventually would have read Northanger but due to the recommendation of a friend (also an Austen fan), I wound up reading it much sooner than I had anticipated. At first, I was hesitant: how good could Austen's first novel have been if it had been overlooked by many for almost 200 years? Nevertheless, I read it- and loved it. The simplicity of the main character (Catherine) and the trifles of her life when suddenly placed in Bath, England push the story along much faster than you could imagine. Although characters are blatantly divided into "good" and "evil" there is no denying the fact that sometimes people ally themselves with bad people. It also goes without saying that Austen did an eloquent job of providing the reader with that sense of being alone in a world where everyone seems to despise you. Northanger Abbey is a wonderful little novel that'll make you want to sit in bed on a cold night and "gobble it all up".
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Miss Austen has remained for the past 10 years one of my absolute favorite authors; ever since first reading Emma when I was 12. Her humour is so subtle and mischievous in tone that it feels as if you're sharing an inside joke with a friend. Or at least that's how I described it to a disdainful friend that couldn't understand why I liked moldy old books from the 1800s.This was no exception. The delightful Mr. Tilney would sweep me off my feet with his charming teasing and good nature. But as with all her characters, no one is spared faults, including her hero and heroine. Catherine is burdened with pernicious folly and Mr. Tilney is skilled at vexing others for slight mistakes. I love this because who wants to read about perfect people all the time? It just makes you feel bad about yourself.Anyways, if you're an Austen fan who hasn't read it, do. If you've never read Austen, I wouldn't start with this book, but I definitely recommend reading something! by her. I've made friends simply for having read Austen. It was a great conversation starter when I visited colleges years ago...
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Characters were childish. This is the first Jane Austen book I have read and was highly disappointed.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Catherine Morland is taken to stay in Bath by Mr and Mrs Allen. She falls in love with one man, is courted by another, and is invited to stay at an old Abbey where her imagination runs riot.

    Not a huge amount of plot, but plenty of humour as characters are cleverly revealed by their speech and actions. Supposedly a spoof on the romantic fiction of the time, but with a satisfying and happy ending after several misunderstandings are cleared up. Lighter than most Jane Austen, and rather shorter but very enjoyable.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    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.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is one of my favorite Jane Austen reads. Henry and Catherine are amazing characters and I can identify with both of them on some level! Great coming of age story and wonderful romance.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Jane Austen's satire on the gothic novels of her time is, at the same time, a defense of the novel, according to the Austen scholar who was in my bookclub meeting the other day. The novel showcases Austen's sense of humor, and at times gently, at times not-so-gently, highlights flaws in the society.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This was my first time reading a Jane Austen novel. I found it to be quite enjoyable and loved the humor that Ms Austen used. This is labeled to be a bit on the "gothic" side, however being use to today's type of gothic, this did not stand out at all to me. In Northanger Abbey, we have young Catherine Morland, who is off to spend a few weeks in Bath, with a dear family friend. While there, she sees many exciting things and meets many people. One such person, Eleanor Tilney, becomes a beloved friend and also happens to be the sister of Henry, who Catherine has fallen in love with.The time has soon come for the Tilney's to head home and Eleanor asks that Catherine come to stay with them. Not only does the prospect of getting to see the inside of a true Abbey excite her, but to be able to stay with her dear friend and be able to be near the man she has fallen in love with, are to good to be true.Once settled in Northanger Abbey, Catherine begins to question the death of Eleanor and Henry's mother. She envisions their father keeping their dear mother stashed away somewhere within the Abbey, or worse yet, having killed her at his own hand, rather than a sudden illness taking her life. Thus enters the role of the gothic play.By reading Northanger Abbey, I feel as though I was given the chance to travel back in a time much much different than today. I look forward to reading more of Jane Austin's work and may even search out the movie, based upon this book - just to see how it plays out on the screen, compared to how I envisioned it while reading.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Catherine Morland was an ordinary young girl who was good-natured, inquisitive, and gullible. She blossomed when she traveled to Bath from her country parsonage and "came out" to society. There she was easily deceived by the calculating Isabella, but her basic goodness was never in doubt. I like to think her naivete was due to her youth and protected upbringing. Also, she was extremely fond of reading novels which further sparked her already lively imagination.The plot was simple and straighforward made a bit more interesting by the gothic intrigue of the abbey itself and the General's dark demeanor. I was disappointed in the hurried and weak ending. Perhaps I just wanted it to go on a bit longer so I could spend more time with Austen's delightful characters.
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    This book wasn't published during Austen's lifetime and you can see why. It simply isn't as good as her later books.I couldn't get into it at all.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Please don't be angry Austen fans but I'm afraid I will never be able to join your ranks. I liked Pride & Prejudice but I couldn't even finish Persuasion. I can see why fans like Northanger Abbey. Austen got in some pretty cutting comments on social mores and gothic literature. Unfortunately, the humor was not enough to draw me into the story.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This is abook about a woman. She is Catherine. She came to Bath with Mr and Mrs Allen. When she went to balls, she met a girl. She is Isabella. She became her friend. And there She met a man. He is Henry who is destined to marry her. This book is easy to read. So everyone can read easy.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    At seventeen, Catherine Morland reads books. She especially enjoys gothic novels like Ann Radcliffe's The Mysteries of Udolpho which contain castles with secret passages, mysterious rooms and evil inhabitants. Miss Morland takes these romantic thoughts with her to Bath where she spends several weeks with her neighbors, the Allens. It is there that she meets Isabella and the braggart, foul mouthed, deceptive John Thorpe and both love Catherine immensely, or do they really? Catherine also befriends Henry and his sister Eleanor Tilney. Catherine loves Henry from the first sight of him. She is ecstatic to be invited to their home, Northanger Abbey. Henry fuels her romantic thoughts on the trip to the Abbey in what seems like a mockery of her love of novels. I so looked forward to reading my beautiful edition of Northanger Abbey but I was just as let down by the Abbey as Catherine. We both expected something that never transpired. There was little romance and hardly any cat and mouse games which I have become accustomed to in an Austen novel. As usual, her trademark injustices of class distinctions are present . The exception to any romantic liaison is John Thorpe who simply loves John Thorpe. I have never met a character which I detest more than this man. His gaul and audacity make me cringe.I never knew for certain Henry's feelings for Catherine as I found the story to lack passion and intensity with a conclusion that is hurried and is simply a review of events by the narrator. A tidy way to wrap things up. It is as if Austen was ready to finish this story and move on to the next. Disappointed that the object of the title did not present itself until Chapter 20! With all do respect, this novel was Austen's first but published post-humously by her brother.I recommend it to lovers of Austen though not enthusiastically.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I am so glad I read this - so that I never have to read it again. She's a very good author, I agree - but you have to have some knowledge of a subject to enjoy a satire on it, and I avoid Gothic novels because I find them boring and histrionic. So I missed 90% of her clever satirical bits (all but the ones she pointed out with loud handwavings and lampshadings) and got to read a boring, histrionic Gothic novel. The characters are rather sketchy - aside from Our Heroine and a little bit Our Hero, none of them move much past stereotype. The events are (deliberately) dull, ordinary, and conventional...hmm, we never did get that abduction in a coach and four she mentioned as a future event. I was expecting it to show up during her ride home, and to be conventionally explained. It's almost a sweet little romance, but the obstacles are so silly... I also found the narrator/author extremely intrusive, particularly at the beginning while she was explaining how Catherine was a heroine despite lacking all the standard markers. Hopefully this is part of the satire, and not her standard form. I will read more Austen (this was, I believe, my first), and will do my best to forget about this one.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is probably my favorite Austen novel. It is so lighthearted.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I think Northanger Abbey may be my favorite Jane Austen novel, although it's almost impossible to pick a favorite. This one is up there, though. It's a lighthearted satire that parodies the Gothic novels of Austen's day and age. I love how good Catherine is... how she sees the best in people. I love how she loves to read and how her imagination can run away from her. It's just a fun read. Henry Tilney and his sister are both delightful characters as well, and Isabelle Thorpe is a perfectly written shallow gold-digger. Don't skip this Austen read just because it's not one of her more well-known works!Recommendations:Would I recommend this to a fellow book-lover? Absolutely.Would I recommend this to my teen daughter? Yes.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Catherine Morland, who enjoys reading novels, finds herself in a twist on one as she accompanies neighbors to Bath. She soon finds herself as a guest at Northanger Abbey where she falls for Henry Tilney, the son of the owner, a rather nasty general. This is Jane Austen's take/parody on a gothic novel. I tried to read this one about 35 years ago when I read a lot of romantic suspense and Gothic novels. I did not like it at that time, probably because of the linguistic and grammatical differences in reading a novel written at the time of Austen versus that of a novel written in the 1970s. I found myself enjoying it much more this time. While Catherine is not in quite the lowest of circumstances of many heroines of Gothic novels, she is not as affluent as Henry's family so there is a difference in social class. Catherine experiences many things in this novel including the betrayal of a friend.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I think Pride and Prejudice is still my fave Austen novel but this is a close second. I love the satire of it all and wish more of her books were like this. highly entertaining!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    17-year old Catherine has gone to visit friends, Mr. and Mrs. Allen, in Bath. While there, she meets Isabelle and Miss Tilney, who will also become friends,. Miss Tilney has a handsome borther, who catches Catherine's eye, though Isabelle's brother is also interested in Catherine. I really liked this one. I liked Catherine and Mr. Tilney, in particular, and I loved their banter! I thought it got even more interesting in the last 1/3 of the book, when Catherine came to Northanger Abbey, the Tilney's home. I especially enjoyed Mr. Tilney's description of the house and Catherine's first couple of nights there. So far, this is one of my favourites by Austen.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I haven't read that many gothic novels from the 1700:s, so most of the satire is lost on me.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    At first glance a simple parody of gothic novels turned parody of manners, Austen's irony manages to surpass the limitations that might seem inherent in such an approach. Perhaps the parody is not of the fiction as of the society that inspired it, that reveled in keeping women ignorant.