Jane Austen

Northanger Abbey

Annika

The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid.

All have been, or at least all have believed themselves to be, in danger from the pursuit of someone who they wish to avoid; and all have been anxious for the attentions of someone who they wished to please.

There’s nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends.

Do not imagine that I often read novels - it is really very well for a novel. Such is the common cant. What are you reading, Miss? Oh! It is only a novel! Replies the young lady, while  she lays down her book with affected indifference, or momentary shame. It is only Cecilia, or Camilla, or Belinda; or, in short, only some work in which the greatest powers of the mind are displayed, in which the most thorough knowledge of human nature, the happiest delineation of its varieties, the liveliest effusions of wit and humor, or conveyed to the world, and the best chosen language.

Friendship is certainly the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love.

P. D. James

WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY P.D. JAMES The Vintage Classics Austen series is designed by the writer and illustrator Leanne Shapton and introduced by some of our finest contemporary writers and Austen fans: Alexander McCall Smith, Lynne Truss, Amanda Vickery, Francesca Segal, P.D. James and Andrew Motion. 'Jane Austen is a genius, and Northanger Abbey is hugely underrated' Martin Amis Catherine Morland is a young girl with a very active imagination. Her naivety and love of sensational novels lead her to approach the fashionable social scene in Bath and her stay at nearby Northanger Abbey with preconceptions that have embarrassing and entertaining consequences.

Helen 

Her duplicity hurts me more than all; till the very last, ifI reasoned with her, she declared herself as much attached to me as ever, and laughed at my fears. I am ashamed to think how long I bore with it; but if ever man had reason to believe himself loved, I was that man.

 There is nothing I would not do for who are really my friends. I have no notion loving people those by halves, it is not my nature. My attachments are always excessively strong. 

Friendship is certainly the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love. 

Northanger Abbey tells the story of a young girl, Catherine Morland who leaves her sheltered, rural home to enter the busy, sophisticated world of Bath in the late 1790s. Austen observes with insight and humour the interaction between Catherine and the various characters whom she meets there, and tracks her growing understanding of the world about her. In this, her first full-length novel, Austen also fixes her sharp, ironic gaze on other kinds of contemporary novel, especially the Gothic school made famous by Ann Radcliffe. Catherine's reading becomes intertwined with her social and romantic adventures, adding to the uncertainties and embarrassments she must undergo before finding happiness.

karissa 

Iona Birchenall 

Katherine

victoria

I LOVED??? but i really wanted to know more about mr tilney and catherine togheter, their scenes always got me smiling and giggling 😭

Northanger Abbey is about the misadventures of Catherine Morland, young, ingenuous, and mettlesome, and an indefatigable reader of Gothic novels. In Lady Susan, Lady Susan has practically imprisoned her daughter Frederica in a boarding school which she hates because Frederica will not marry the man Lady Susan chose for her. In the Watsons, Emma Watson is a disenfranchised outsider in her family. Sanditon sketches a restless world of speculation and real estate as Mr. Parker devotes himself to transforming his quiet village into a bustling resort for the wealthy.

Northanger Abbey ; Lady Susan ; The Watsons ; Sanditon

Nour Bassiouny

4.5
Very enjoyable 
Not boring at all like .....other books (*cough* Emma *cough*)
I found it very relatable a lot of the time
I just loved it❤

The most youthful and optimistic of Jane Austen's novels, Northanger Abbeytells the story of na�ve, charming Catherine Morland, who is obsessed with reading Gothic romance and horror. When Catherine is invited to stay at her new friends' grand house, Northanger Abbey, with its mysterious suite of sealed-off rooms, her melodramatic imagination threatens to run away with her. As comic misunderstandings ensue, she comes to understand the gap between fantasy and reality, false friends and true feeling.

Rachel Braithwaite

Um okay this book is amazing. As a seventeen year old girl like Catherine, I found her character very relatable and I saw myself in her. The plot was at times slow but the amazing characters always kept me invested and turning pages. Don’t even get me started in Henry Tilney, that man is my husband.

Honey 🍯 

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen was among the two novels which were posthumously published in the year 18-. It is classified as a satire on gothic fiction with its classy storytelling. While it is not as popular as three of her other books (namely, P&P, Emma and S&S), it is certainly a novel I can narrate with extreme ease and joy since it is so easy to recall. 

At the outset, I want to say that this book is simple. Its simplicity makes it super easy to follow, grasp and relate to. Being an Austen novel, it HAD to deal with mannerisms in Victorian Britain, but strangely, I seldom found that factor affecting our heroine. Catherine Morland is young, naïve and adorable. Her perception of the society is supremely influenced by the books she had  read. Now, isn't this the most relatable thing for us book lovers? This girl has barely seen the world outside her house. So the author says straightforwardly that if the heroine does not meet an adventure at home, she must seek it abroad. Thus Catherine goes off to Bath where she meets new people and befriends a few. 

The Allens, the couple who took her to this new place, are yet another pair of quirky Austen characters. Mrs. Allen is described to be only ever concerned about her gowns and her husband's lack of obsession over them. Mr. Allen is on the other hand is told to have been a rather intelligent and wealthy man. 

In her very first ball, Catherine meets Henry Tilney—a fine and handsome younger son of General Tilney—and the two instantly click. Henry is easily one of my favorite characters written by Austen. He is funny and super witty. I love the way the two would talk about books most of the time and he would always make Catherine learn a thing or few from his manners. He is charming and not at all arrogant. He is gentle and appreciative, but not in a patronizing way. He just knows all the right things to say without holding back and hurting the other person. Cool, no? He is the one who first added fuel to Catherine's explosive imagination and then showed her that she needed to distinguish between fiction and reality. Moreover, he has an adorable younger sister called Eleanor who herself likes our Catherine dearly. 

Isabella Thorpe, a flirtatious young woman, quickly becomes Catherine's "best friend" and would talk to the latter about novels, balls and meeting fine young men. She, along with her brother John Thorpe, become close with Catherine and her brother James Morland (who is one of Catherine's nine siblings). The four of them undertake many adventures and spend a lot of time together.


The book is divided into two perfect volumes—the first one smoothly narrating the daily routines of the heroine as she spends her time in Bath and meets new people with unique traits and the second when two of her closest friends invite her to spend some time at their residence. It is in the second part is where the satire around gothic literature is beautifully painted. It also narrates how our preconceptions about something affects how we view the people we meet. Sometimes we draw the most irrational and unacceptable conclusions by mere delusion. This book highlights this very trait of most of us. 

This book is a marvel and the most delightful read. I enjoyed how fast-paced the storyline was and adored how Austen managed to keep her characters so consistent, while simultaneously hitting jabs on mannerisms and even the types of 'novels' one is guilty of enjoying. I am sure it is going to stay with me for a long, long time.

Gayathri Jinesh

I was genuinely surprised, when I realized that I was breezing through this novel, as opposed to the uphill rocky climb that her other books are(looking at you, Mansfield Park.)
Either I have gotten used to her style of writing or this is unusually simple and would be a great first book for readers new to Austen. Also, it might have helped that the heroine herself is half the time clueless about whatever that's going on around her.

It's the early 19th century, there are no telephones, no internet. And our 18y/o heroine is naïve and has no idea about the ways of the world. She's a tomboy and has a penchant for 'horrid' novels. She visits Bath with her friendly neighbors for 6 weeks, where she makes friends and finds love; only things get a little awkward, when she decides to incorporate a little of those novels into daily life; immersive experience you know. That plotline doesn't take much of space, though. It is a character driven, humor predominant novel leaving nothing much definitive in the way of a plot.

There is a general format that Austen follows, which I believe, the readers tend to expect, one they have read 3 or 4 of her books. All her novels depend heavily on characters. Once a character is introduced, there is a subconscious " waiting" taking place, as we read through lines - waiting for the description of this character. She doesn't lightly introduce her characters, make them say/do things and leave. An elaborate description always follows, that sets the foundation. At the end of the book, there are no picturesque sceneries or incredible plot twists that remains in my mind. There are only people, talking.

There is a thin paste of humor, spread evenly throughout the novel. You know, the kind that's funny, but you aren't exactly rolling on the floor. Also the author chats with the reader. It's incredible if you think, it's actually communication transcending 2 centuries, and they are addressing you. Anyway, I think it makes the book more...loveable.

If you have read other Austen novels and haven't read this yet, please do. If you'd like to start reading Austen, this would be a good first book, on a par with PP. Although having read that a long time back, it demands a second reading for a just comparison. If you have read the book and came just to read my review, hello. If you don't even plan on reading, what are you doing here?

ps mandatory quotes in review:
"Where people wish to attach, they should always be ignorant. To come with a well informed mind is to come with an inability of administering to the vanity of others , which a sensible person should always wish to avoid. A woman especially, if she have the misfortune of knowing anything , should conceal it as well as she can"

"It would be mortifying to the feelings of many ladies, could they be made to understand how little the heart of a man is affected by what is costly or new in their attire...Woman is fine for her own satisfaction alone."

" No man is offended by another man's admiration of the woman he loves; it is the woman only who can make it a torment"

Just so that the list doesn't look like dating tips out of an 18th century magazine, I'll add one more, 

 "The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid."

brynn

like catherine, i too am a sad little shatter-brained creature

Northanger Abbey
            
                Oneworld Classics

read it for school. slow. better than pride and prejudice. surprisingly funny and relatable 

zoe troxler

Alice Hyman

I was experiencing Austen withdrawals after finishing Emma so immediately went onto this, and i was not disappointed. Northanger is so much younger than Emma, it shows that it was her first novel - but it is no less enjoyable. That characters are intriguing and very well developed. I thoroughly enjoyed every second of it, though i enjoyed the second volume more than the first. The first felt like a very long preamble to the actual story in the second volume. But i still maintain that both are impeccable.

juno

Elisa Bieg

This book has been on my TBR for quite a while, and I had this lovely Vintage Classics edition I was looking forward to diving into, so I was happy to have some additional motivation to read it, thanks to a read-along organized by two bookstagrammers (if you're interested, you can find it by searching for the tag #ArdentlyAustenBookClub on Instagram).

When we hear about Jane Austen, the one title that always pops up is Price and Prejudice. It is her best-known work, and while I love it and feel it deserves most of the hype, I cant help but feel that it isn't deserving of so much more praise than some of her other work, namely this book.

Northanger Abbey was a huge surprise for me. I started out a bit skeptical and didn't love the MC at first, but she grew on me. Catherine Morland is incredibly naive, inexperienced, and impressionable, and while that is a bit annoying at times because it makes her so gullible, it's also somehow charming, because she has a tendency to think the best of everyone and not read anything between the lines, which results in some awkwardness but also some fairly comical moments.

I can't help but draw parallels between Northanger Abbey and Pride and Prejudice when it comes to its cast of characters; like its more famous cousin, Northanger Abbey features some obnoxious, disingenuous characters, some silly ones, some plain obnoxious ones, and has the MC interacting with all of them. It also features class disparities, romantic entanglements, and some challenging episodes for the MC.
But whereas P&P is overall fairly serious, there is an undercurrent of comedy, of spoof running throughout Northanger Abbey; particularly at the gothic novels that the MC is so fond of, and the way she wishes so badly to be in one that she often looks at reality through a bookworm's lenses, if you will – or at least one in the midst of a book hangover.

I liked this book VERY much — last but not least because of its love interest, Henry Tilney, who is cultured, chatty, charming, and whom, I must confess, I very much prefer to Mr. Darcy. 

I am so impressed on the first read that I'm giving it a much deserved 4 1/2 STARS, and I look forward to future rereads!

jess

This is my first Austen book. I enjoyed it somewhat, though as most classics go this was still quite dense and hard to read even though it was short. Catherine was cool and I liked the Gothic imagery.

Celeste Richardson

Northanger Abbey is both a satire of a Gothic novel and a Gothic novel in its own right. Austen’s balance here is incredibly clever, and her social commentary is subtly scathing. In my opinion, this novel is Austen at her wittiest. I particularly love her diatribe on those who turn their noses up at novels, including those who actually write them. I’ve never understood why an artist would belittle their own medium, and it’s apparent that Austen felt the same.

This is also the book that can us this wonderful quote: “The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid.” Honestly, that line alone is worth the price of admission. Northanger Abbey is such a fun story, and it remains one of favorite works by Austen.

Janet Genova 

The truth is, I had prepared myself for a boring book compared to the rest of Jane Austen's books. But my expectations were contradicted. Yes, the book is quite different from Pride and Prejudice and her other famous books. But it was precisely with its difference that it grabbed me. The theme of friendship involved is really fascinating, much more so than the one about love and balls that we find everywhere.

Northanger Abbey tells the story of a young girl, Catherine Morland who leaves her sheltered, rural home to enter the busy, sophisticated world of Bath in the late 1790s. Austen observes with insight and humour the interaction between Catherine and the various characters whom she meets there, and tracks her growing understanding of the world about her.In this, her first full-length novel, Austen also fixes her sharp, ironic gaze on other kinds of contemporary novel, especially the Gothic school made famous by Ann Radcliffe. Catherine's reading becomes intertwined with her social and romantic adventures, adding to the uncertainties and embarrassments she must undergo before finding happiness.We are delighted to publish this classic book as part of our extensive Classic Library collection. Many of the books in our collection have been out of print for decades, and therefore have not been accessible to the general public. The aim of our publishing program is to facilitate rapid access to this vast reservoir of literature, and our view is that this is a significant literary work, which deserves to be brought back into print after many decades. The contents of the vast majority of titles in the Classic Library have been scanned from the original works. To ensure a high quality product, each title has been meticulously hand curated by our staff. Our philosophy has been guided by a desire to provide the reader with a book that is as close as possible to ownership of the original work. We hope that you will enjoy this wonderful classic work, and that for you it becomes an enriching experience.

ℰ.

Caitlyn Baldwin

4.25 ⭐

I live for Austen's social commentary of the regency era of England. This novel is a little different from other of her works but I did enjoy that it was more mysterious and silly than usual.

Barbara Williford

In all the Jane Austin books, I have never disliked so many characters but enjoyed the book! Poor naive, trusting, fanciful Catherine who trusted everyone and tried to be so civil and acceptable. It appears Catherine spent too much time in her novel and viewed the world through those rose colored, wishful glasses. I thought the book was well written and captivating and enjoyed the storyline, even found myself chuckling at the playful humor. I wish there had been more effort put into the resolution of the book instead of just an author’s summary but still enjoyable.

Stephanie Joseph

I finished this a while back but forgot to post about it here 😅🙈

The plot is different from Austen’s other works and like I had mentioned to the #pemberlittens, I couldn’t put this book down. It was THAT GOOD.

Catherine is so different from Lizzy or the Dashwood sisters that I almost felt sad for the girl. She’s so naive and clueless! Jane Austen really was a prolific writer.

Rating: 4/5

Jaclyn

Henry Tilney has my whole HEART!!! Absolutely adored this!! So much fun to read!!!

Audrey Vandecauter 

3,5/5 ✨

First of all, I think it is hard not to love anything written by Jane Austen. 

I liked Catherine a lot, she’s a very relatable character, but found the story a bit slow at times. I wasn’t the greatest fan of Henry Tilley though I didn’t dislike him either.

Kali Olson

Northanger Abbey is probably Jane Austen’s least-known novel. It was published after Austen’s death in 1817, but it was written in 1799 and was in fact her first complete novel. The story of Catherine Morland’s introduction to society, her many blunders, and her overactive imagination is usually noted for its parody of the Gothic literature that Catherine obsessively reads. But Northanger Abbey is also a very sweet little romance. Jane Austen is at her most clever and wry in this slim novel and she writes one of her most charming and funny heroes in Henry Tilney, who teases and laughs where Mr. Darcy, Edward Ferrars, or Mr. Knightley would only glower, sulk, or lecture. Northanger Abbey is the only Austen novel that Hollywood has overlooked, but there have been film versions made for television. The most recent—and far and away the most pleasing—is the production that aired as a Masterpiece Theater presentation on Public Television in 2007. Masterpiece Theater is notoriously professional and accurate in their book adaptations so every nuance of Austen’s little masterpiece is distinguished. J.J. Field and Felicity Jones play the witty Tilney and the charmingly naïve Catherine to perfection, and the ending is exceptionally sweet. If you’re an Austen lover, don’t forget about Northanger Abbey in either of its engaging forms.

Northanger Abbey (Penguin Popular Classics)

Flavia Louise

4.5 stars

I once took a Buzzfeed quiz to determine which Jane Austen novel would suit me best and this one came up. Buzzfeed was right; I loved the self-awareness of this book.

Capucine Fachot

Oh Jane Austen, you truly are brilliant. Thank you. I can't wait to read more of your stories.

roosmarijn

pheww this book is something...

first of all: I DON’T UNDERSTAND THE ROMANCE?? i mean yeah sure, henry and catherine teased each other and yeah sure, they found each other attractive BUT NOT ONCE DID THEY HAVE A NORMAL CONVERSATION TOGETHER - i’m honestly worried for their future together, their development was as flat and tasteless as the toast i burned this afternoon

and secondly: i have no fricking clue what genre this book can be put in? 
it has both gothic and romantic aspects (although the romance part was pretty non-existent as mentioned above) and i kind of felt like the entirety of volume one was very ironic and satirical (as we're used to from miss austen)

and thirdly: the protagonist feels so fake, but i don't necessarily mean that in a bad way. i think austen meant to make it feel that way? - throughout the novel austen leads the way for “our heroine” and tells the story through the eyes of some “all known observer” (the author)
for example this sentence in chapter one (vol. I): 
"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"
and even more in chapter fourteen (vol. II):
"a heroine returning, at the close of her career, to her native village (...) and the author must share in the glory she so liberally bestows. - but my affair is widely different; i bring back my heroine to her home in solitude and disgrace"

anywho overall it was an interesting read; i will definitely be rereading it at some point but right now i'm just glad it's over

Kloster Northanger

Angela Zeiler

Ideen / Ideas: ⭐⭐⭐
Handlung / Plot: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Charaktere / Characters: ⭐⭐⭐
Schreibstil / Writing Style: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Unterhaltung / Entertainment: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Wiederholen / Repeat: ⭐⭐⭐

I didn't know the book or any of the films, so I didn't know anything about the plot or the characters. The heroine is a bit too naive for me, especially at the beginning, which makes it easy to influence her. But I liked that she learns from her mistakes. I liked the novel, even if it wasn't a new Jane Austen highlight for me.
 


Northanger Abbey

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