Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

37 reviews

lalu's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted relaxing
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

It's the first time seventeen year-old Catherine spends the season in Bath, where she quickly forms friendships and meets the sophisticated and handsome Mr. Tilney... 

Though there are some obstacles our heroine has to overcome, the story focuses more on the coming-of-age of the endearing and charmingly naive Catherine than on the drama. Along with Austen regularly breaking the fourth wall this provided a very enjoyable and pleasant read. It won't become a favourite, but it was nice in the best possible way. My only complaint is that the ending felt rushed. 
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lizzieb29's review against another edition

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funny hopeful lighthearted slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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jupitermond's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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jja_b's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Was a little slow at first, but once we were introduced to the abbey, I found the story very engaging. Overall, it was quite fun. I wish there were a little more of the gothic themes, however.
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lindseyhall44's review against another edition

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funny medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

5.0

“I have no notion of loving people by halves, it is not my nature.”
This is my third Jane Austen novel to date, and probably one of my favorites. The humor, wit, and satirical premise displays once again the overall genius of Austen’s writing, a feat which I cannot wait to explore more in the future.
Northanger Abby follows Catherine throughout her experiences in bath and directly after, as she comes of age with a unique cast of characters and settings very much contrasting to her usual home environment. While readers get a glimpse of society life through a scathing social commentary of prior England, we can also see the cognitive dissonance between growing up and maintaining innocence, a marker of youth today. The characters are such a defining quality in Austen’s ability to stay popular for centuries past her life. We understand them and it feels as if they would understand us.
One thing I would have loved to see more of is the gothic elements-I felt like they took a back seat in the story-but nevertheless, I thought Northanger Abby was wonderful.
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chalkletters's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

 Despite taking a Jane Austen module at university, I was certain I hadn’t read Northanger Abbey. Imagine my surprise when I opened the book and found notes, in my own handwriting, all the way through! It’s never happened to me before that I have absolutely no memory of previously reading a book (though, I suppose the question is: how would I know? Spooky!). I can only assume that reading books for six modules, and reading several other Austens, Northanger Abbey didn’t have time to make much impression. 

Catherine Morland feels incredibly different from Jane Austen’s other heroines. She’s neither in total possession of herself like Elizabeth, Emma and Elinor nor giddily irresponsible like Marianne or Lydia. Instead, she’s guileless and a little socially awkward. Watching her thrown into Society in Bath will little in the way of helpful guidance from anyone on how to pick her friends and acquaintances was very relatable, despite the wealth of years since Jane Austen was writing.
 
Speaking of characters, General Tilney is an amazing villain. Not, as Catherine thinks, because he might have murdered his wife, but because the ways he breaches etiquette feel as outrageous today as they presumably did over two hundred years ago. Contrasted against her father and Julia, Eleanor shines as friend worth making. As the romantic lead, Henry is… fine. He’s certainly no Mr Darcy. There are moments where his teasing of Catherine seems based in intelligence and affection, but then Austen also explicitly states that he only fell for her because she was interested in him, which is hardly the stuff of a great love story.

Of all Jane Austen’s novels, Northanger Abbey particularly needs a good introduction, and David Blair does a decent job. Some sentences are a little wordy, but the main points are interesting and illuminate the text. The point he makes about Catherine’s taste for novels giving her a vocabulary to express her discomfort with General Tilney made a nice contrast to the usual perspective that Catherine is a young woman carried into foolishness by her overactive imagination.

Northanger Abbey’s ending is a little abrupt. Austen never really dwells on what happens between the proposal and the wedding, but in this case, her quick summary and dismissal of Eleanor’s contribution to proceedings felt unearned. If that plot line had been brought up earlier, it would have been more satisfying, and it’s not as if the book is overlong as it is!

Despite enjoying Northanger Abbey more than I expected to, it doesn’t quite displace Emma as my current favourite Jane Austen novel.
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venetiana's review against another edition

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adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

There's so much humour in this book. Catherine is really lovable, and young and silly. Henry's love for her is very obvious. A lot of fun to read.
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anna_m_k's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A surprisingly meta book that is constantly taking asides to discuss its predecessors and contemporaries, this coming of age tale feels surprisingly modern and focuses heavily on Catherine growing out of childish naïveté.
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bronzeageholly's review against another edition

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lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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mme_carton's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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