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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
I think my middling rating is in part due to my own ill-informed expectations, but also in part due to the execution of the plot. I thought this would be a spoof of a gothic novel. Instead, it’s a spoof of a gothic heroine. The novel captures the highs and lows of teenage joy and angst so well, but Catherine spends so little time actually at Northanger Abbey, and there is very little that is a spoof of a gothic plot. Any wild imaginings of Catherine’s get dispelled almost immediately.
The time Catherine spends in Bath drags along, especially with a manipulative friend like Isabella for company. And indeed, the other side characters are largely uninteresting. Perhaps this is because we are seeing them through the eyes of a dramatic teenage girl who only has eyes and attention for Henry and his sister Eleanor, but it still made all the conversation amongst the side characters particularly boring. I can’t help but compare the conversation of the groups in this book to those in Emma, where the characters and their discussions are a delicate comedy of manners - a game that everyone must continue to play. In this book, there is no such commentary, and the innocuous conversations are more boring because of it.
I enjoyed Catherine’s growth through the novel. She matures in more ways than one. Her realization that life is not, in fact, like a Gothic novel, is mostly humorous (except when Henry rightfully scolds her for sensationalizing his mother’s death). Her maturation regarding seeing people for who they really are, particularly Isabella, comes more slowly and only through the extended company of more reasonable people (Henry and Eleanor). Her ability by the end of the novel to not only see through Isabella’s schemes and theatrics, but also to be indifferent to them, is in stark contrast to her gullible, malleable start.
The romance between Catherine and Henry was not as strong in this book as the romance is in other Austen novels, but I think that’s because this book, more than some others, is a coming-of-age tale. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that of the five Austens I’ve read (P&P, Persuasion, Sense & Sensibility, Northanger Abbey, and Emma), the first three are less about coming-of-age and have more romance (Marianne Dashwood being the notable exception to this), and the latter two have less romance and are more about coming-of-age. Even in Emma, though, I was able to look back in hindsight and see occasions where Mr. Knightley was actually jealous about Emma, or was secretly pining for her. This is not the case in Northanger Abbey. In fact, Catherine spends more formative time with Eleanor than Henry, and it was hers and Eleanor’s friendship that I thought to be the strongest relationship in the book.
The time Catherine spends in Bath drags along, especially with a manipulative friend like Isabella for company. And indeed, the other side characters are largely uninteresting. Perhaps this is because we are seeing them through the eyes of a dramatic teenage girl who only has eyes and attention for Henry and his sister Eleanor, but it still made all the conversation amongst the side characters particularly boring. I can’t help but compare the conversation of the groups in this book to those in Emma, where the characters and their discussions are a delicate comedy of manners - a game that everyone must continue to play. In this book, there is no such commentary, and the innocuous conversations are more boring because of it.
I enjoyed Catherine’s growth through the novel. She matures in more ways than one. Her realization that life is not, in fact, like a Gothic novel, is mostly humorous (except when Henry rightfully scolds her for sensationalizing his mother’s death). Her maturation regarding seeing people for who they really are, particularly Isabella, comes more slowly and only through the extended company of more reasonable people (Henry and Eleanor). Her ability by the end of the novel to not only see through Isabella’s schemes and theatrics, but also to be indifferent to them, is in stark contrast to her gullible, malleable start.
The romance between Catherine and Henry was not as strong in this book as the romance is in other Austen novels, but I think that’s because this book, more than some others, is a coming-of-age tale. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that of the five Austens I’ve read (P&P, Persuasion, Sense & Sensibility, Northanger Abbey, and Emma), the first three are less about coming-of-age and have more romance (Marianne Dashwood being the notable exception to this), and the latter two have less romance and are more about coming-of-age. Even in Emma, though, I was able to look back in hindsight and see occasions where Mr. Knightley was actually jealous about Emma, or was secretly pining for her. This is not the case in Northanger Abbey. In fact, Catherine spends more formative time with Eleanor than Henry, and it was hers and Eleanor’s friendship that I thought to be the strongest relationship in the book.
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
emotional
lighthearted
lighthearted
relaxing
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
Went in hoping I would love this because it’s a satire taken on gothic books. And that didn’t happen. It honestly felt like two different books in one. I still plan to read more Jane Austen but this wasn’t the best first introduction.
But you gave Pride & Prejudice 4.5 stars!!! I hear you say. Yes. Yes, I did. And I’m giving Northanger Abbey 5. P&P is objectively the better crafted book. A real masterpiece. But I had SO MUCH FUN reading Northanger Abbey. Truly a black horse of the Austen canon. Catherine Morland an underrated heroine. I could write so much about it (I won’t, I don’t like writing essays). But I will say: it is actually really funny. As a friend of mine who knows more about these things than me told me, NA is Austen’s most meta book. It’s a love letter and satire and I think you have to know at least a little bit about classic gothic literature to really appreciate it. It references a lot of stuff. It’s often tongue in cheek. Austen literally stops the narrative in its track to address her contemporaries and let them know she thinks it’s dumb that they write novels about characters that are looked down on for reading novels. I can’t count how many times I laughed out loud. Or went to google to check something. I feel like I learned a lot about that time period reading this.
The weakest part of the book is probably the romance and I could see how that would put a damper on people’s experience of it if they expect more of that. Henry Tilney is no Fitzwilliam Darcy (though lbr Mr Darcy is a real DICK for like, half of the novel). He can easily come off as patronizing (though I think a good faith reading of him is that he likes to tease and banter but Catherine has no wit in her to banter back so it falls flat and a little mean at time. Also he’s sometime just literally patronizing). Also the age gap is more felt, exacerbated by Catherine’s inexperience. But the love story in NA really just isn’t a big part of the plot at all.
IMO, Catherine Morland would be a more beloved heroine if society didn’t dislike teenage girls and their passions so much. I have so many thoughts about her I COULD write an essay but won’t (see above). The book really felt like a coming of age story to me. Catherine, 17 years old, leaving her country house and town for the first time having only known mostly kindness and support and entering her season in Bath with absolutely no tool in her head or in her personality to deal with the potential wickedness and trickery of others. Or the pitfalls of her own imagination. She is accidentally HILARIOUS. I have never in my life been so on edge about whether or not a country walk would happen. When Catherine learns that the Tilneys live in an Abbey (the titular one obviously) her gothic-obsessed mind is like I HOPE IT’S OLD AND DECREPIT HEARTEYES EMOJI. If she lived today, she would leave scathing instagram comments on DIYers videos for daring to paint wood and would potentially speculate on true crime (HAVE YOU CONSIDERED THAT HE COULD HAVE HIDDEN HIS WIFE IN THE ATTIC). She is a queen, an icon.
I didn’t think I could hate an Austen character more than Mr Collins, but John Thorpe (and to an only slightly lesser extant his sister Isabella) proved me wrong.
ANYWAY, I have never highlighted an ebook so much, it was practically annotated. I LOVED IT A LOT.
The weakest part of the book is probably the romance and I could see how that would put a damper on people’s experience of it if they expect more of that. Henry Tilney is no Fitzwilliam Darcy (though lbr Mr Darcy is a real DICK for like, half of the novel). He can easily come off as patronizing (though I think a good faith reading of him is that he likes to tease and banter but Catherine has no wit in her to banter back so it falls flat and a little mean at time. Also he’s sometime just literally patronizing). Also the age gap is more felt, exacerbated by Catherine’s inexperience. But the love story in NA really just isn’t a big part of the plot at all.
IMO, Catherine Morland would be a more beloved heroine if society didn’t dislike teenage girls and their passions so much. I have so many thoughts about her I COULD write an essay but won’t (see above). The book really felt like a coming of age story to me. Catherine, 17 years old, leaving her country house and town for the first time having only known mostly kindness and support and entering her season in Bath with absolutely no tool in her head or in her personality to deal with the potential wickedness and trickery of others. Or the pitfalls of her own imagination. She is accidentally HILARIOUS. I have never in my life been so on edge about whether or not a country walk would happen. When Catherine learns that the Tilneys live in an Abbey (the titular one obviously) her gothic-obsessed mind is like I HOPE IT’S OLD AND DECREPIT HEARTEYES EMOJI. If she lived today, she would leave scathing instagram comments on DIYers videos for daring to paint wood and would potentially speculate on true crime (HAVE YOU CONSIDERED THAT HE COULD HAVE HIDDEN HIS WIFE IN THE ATTIC). She is a queen, an icon.
I didn’t think I could hate an Austen character more than Mr Collins, but John Thorpe (and to an only slightly lesser extant his sister Isabella) proved me wrong.
ANYWAY, I have never highlighted an ebook so much, it was practically annotated. I LOVED IT A LOT.
hopeful
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
challenging
funny
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I found what looks like a hastily constructed book report of Northanger Abbey that I wrote back in 2005, when I was 18 years old. This is a shortened and updated version of that report, which contains spoilers:
Summary
The book is divided in two volumes. In the first volume, 17 year old protagonist Catherine discovers the world of fashion and gossip while visiting the town of Bath with her neighbours. She is really into reading gothic novels, visits balls and makes friends and male acquaintances. Catherine is naïve and she imagines herself a heroine from one of her novels having an adventure. The tone of the book is whimsical. In the second volume, the tone is more serious. Catherines takes her fantasies to the next level, but learns that they are childish. She also discovers that not everyone is as kind as they seem: her friend Isabelle only pretended to like her, but is in fact only interested in herself. She hurts Catherine's brother's feelings and tries to use Catherine's friendship for her own gains. Catherine matures as a woman and - after a dramatic turn of events - eventually manages to marry the man she in is love with, Henry.
Themes
The main theme of the book is coming of age. In the beginning, Catherine is a naïve girl of seventeen years old, but in the end she has learned a lot about society and the personality of people, for instance through the actions John and Isabella Thorpe and General Tilney. Her lived experiences pose as a sort of reality check. Parallel to this, she learns the distinction between fictional life and real life. Catherine first does not realize that a novel does not represent real life. She applies motives from the novel A Sicilian Romance to the situation at Northanger Abbey, and by doing so starts to believe that General Tilney is keeping his wife locked up, although everybody thinks she is dead. Later, when she investigates the room of Mrs. Tilney and is detected by Henry, she realizes that childish fantasies and romantic novels do not resemble reality.
I would now (2025) add that the story is also moralistic. It stresses the importance of virtue, with the character of Isabelle as cautionary tale. Isabella wants to marry the richest man. She first pursues Catherine's brother, James, then ditches him for General Tilney and eventually ends up with nobody. It is implied that General Tilney seduces and then discards her. General Tilney - being a rich man of stature - can do as he pleases, but Isabella's reputation is ruined, as are any chances of a good marriage. In contrast, Catherine's friend Eleanor serves as the example of how to be a virtuous woman.
Opinion
I enjoyed the 'gothic novel bashing'. The young women in Northanger Abbey are extremely excited about The Mysteries of Udolhpo by Ann Radcliffe, a famous novel at the time. Although the characters are very positive about the novel, the reader gets the distinct impression that it is a dumb book. This was very funny to read and I could really appreciate Austen's writing style.
I did struggle with volume 1, having trouble keeping track of all the characters, and the many superficial conversations between them. Catherine excepted, the characters lacked depth. However, I could appreciate the conversations for being typical for that time and those social circles. Volume 2 was darker, but easier to read.
Speaking from 2025 again, I remember being left with mixed feelings after finishing the book, although I could not put into words why. I now think this was the case because of the ending and the strong moral messaging. While Catherine ends up with Henry, their union is presented without much fireworks. It is good match for Catherine, but the reader is left wondering whether it will make her truly happy. Also, the way Isabella was taken advantage of while General Tilney gets away with everything - despite all her faults - was very unfair. I get that it was realistic at the time (and unfortunately it often still is, even today!), but the conclusion of "so be a good girl"...? I reckon it was a useful warning in Austen's time, but it was received with mixed feelings by 18 year old me. 18th/19th century Great Britain was a very constrained place for women, and I'm very relieved not to live back then.
Unless, of course, the lack of fireworks in the ending with Henry was the point, and in fact Austen's way to subtly criticise the status quo... I'm unsure about this, though.
EDIT: When discussing this review with my partner, he suggested that Catherine realizes that she is not like the heroines in her books, but in fact she is very much a middle of the road kinda girl. With this in mind, her choice of Henry as her husband makes sense. This also explains my feeling of unfulfillment when I finished the book: this is intentional, Austen wants you to have mixed feelings about this. I should probably read Northanger Abbey again, as I'm sure it will provide me with new insights. However, I don't know whether I like this particular Jane Austen novel enough for that.
Summary
The book is divided in two volumes. In the first volume, 17 year old protagonist Catherine discovers the world of fashion and gossip while visiting the town of Bath with her neighbours. She is really into reading gothic novels, visits balls and makes friends and male acquaintances. Catherine is naïve and she imagines herself a heroine from one of her novels having an adventure. The tone of the book is whimsical. In the second volume, the tone is more serious. Catherines takes her fantasies to the next level, but learns that they are childish. She also discovers that not everyone is as kind as they seem: her friend Isabelle only pretended to like her, but is in fact only interested in herself. She hurts Catherine's brother's feelings and tries to use Catherine's friendship for her own gains. Catherine matures as a woman and - after a dramatic turn of events - eventually manages to marry the man she in is love with, Henry.
Themes
The main theme of the book is coming of age. In the beginning, Catherine is a naïve girl of seventeen years old, but in the end she has learned a lot about society and the personality of people, for instance through the actions John and Isabella Thorpe and General Tilney. Her lived experiences pose as a sort of reality check. Parallel to this, she learns the distinction between fictional life and real life. Catherine first does not realize that a novel does not represent real life. She applies motives from the novel A Sicilian Romance to the situation at Northanger Abbey, and by doing so starts to believe that General Tilney is keeping his wife locked up, although everybody thinks she is dead. Later, when she investigates the room of Mrs. Tilney and is detected by Henry, she realizes that childish fantasies and romantic novels do not resemble reality.
I would now (2025) add that the story is also moralistic. It stresses the importance of virtue, with the character of Isabelle as cautionary tale. Isabella wants to marry the richest man. She first pursues Catherine's brother, James, then ditches him for General Tilney and eventually ends up with nobody. It is implied that General Tilney seduces and then discards her. General Tilney - being a rich man of stature - can do as he pleases, but Isabella's reputation is ruined, as are any chances of a good marriage. In contrast, Catherine's friend Eleanor serves as the example of how to be a virtuous woman.
Opinion
I enjoyed the 'gothic novel bashing'. The young women in Northanger Abbey are extremely excited about The Mysteries of Udolhpo by Ann Radcliffe, a famous novel at the time. Although the characters are very positive about the novel, the reader gets the distinct impression that it is a dumb book. This was very funny to read and I could really appreciate Austen's writing style.
I did struggle with volume 1, having trouble keeping track of all the characters, and the many superficial conversations between them. Catherine excepted, the characters lacked depth. However, I could appreciate the conversations for being typical for that time and those social circles. Volume 2 was darker, but easier to read.
Speaking from 2025 again, I remember being left with mixed feelings after finishing the book, although I could not put into words why. I now think this was the case because of the ending and the strong moral messaging. While Catherine ends up with Henry, their union is presented without much fireworks. It is good match for Catherine, but the reader is left wondering whether it will make her truly happy. Also, the way Isabella was taken advantage of while General Tilney gets away with everything - despite all her faults - was very unfair. I get that it was realistic at the time (and unfortunately it often still is, even today!), but the conclusion of "so be a good girl"...? I reckon it was a useful warning in Austen's time, but it was received with mixed feelings by 18 year old me. 18th/19th century Great Britain was a very constrained place for women, and I'm very relieved not to live back then.
Unless, of course, the lack of fireworks in the ending with Henry was the point, and in fact Austen's way to subtly criticise the status quo... I'm unsure about this, though.
EDIT: When discussing this review with my partner, he suggested that Catherine realizes that she is not like the heroines in her books, but in fact she is very much a middle of the road kinda girl. With this in mind, her choice of Henry as her husband makes sense. This also explains my feeling of unfulfillment when I finished the book: this is intentional, Austen wants you to have mixed feelings about this. I should probably read Northanger Abbey again, as I'm sure it will provide me with new insights. However, I don't know whether I like this particular Jane Austen novel enough for that.
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Toxic relationship, Murder, Toxic friendship