Scan barcode
zarco_j's review against another edition
2.0
I tried, I really really tried to enjoy this but I couldn't bear to read more than half way. I've read others in the Austen Project but this one didn't work. The trouble is I can't put my finger on why, there was just something missing. Vague, I know, but it's the truth.
sreckard's review against another edition
3.0
An okay read. Like with the other Austen Project I read, the modernization of the characters are a bit annoying. The modern slang dated this book so badly (i.e. the use of "totes" and the text message language was painfully to read). Val McDermid also made the Thorpes so obnoxious that it was hard to read their passages.
wendyh65's review against another edition
5.0
Catherine Morland (Cat to her friends) is a young middle-class girl, the home-schooled daughter of a vicar and an ex-school teacher, waiting for life to happen. Only, nothing ever happens in Piddle Valley, Dorset. Until her neighbours, the wealthy Allens, invite her to the Edinburgh Festival to keep Susie company while Mr Allen works his highly-successful London's West End theatrical-seeking business there.
And then life starts to happen rather quickly. Susie runs into an old school friend Martha - who's daughter Bella claims to be a good friend of Cat's older brother Jamie (James to his family). It's a very small world, you know. And her son John quickly takes a liking to Cat, much to Cat's dismay as he's quite a bore.
Meanwhile Cat meets the delicious Henry at a Scottish Country Dancing lesson, taken to prepare herself for one of the dances she'll be attending with Susie, and can't stop thinking about him. Only John dislikes Henry and does his best to put her off.
Sounds familiar? If you've read the original Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen, it might. This book is part of the "Austen Project", a modern realisation of the classic novels. I've not read any, but I've seen plenty of film and tv productions of them to recognise some of the quaint language and settings in this book.
Despite the occasional 'quaintness' in the language and settings, which while a bit different to what you might expect in a modern romance novel fits perfectly in this story, this is a lovely book that I enjoyed immensely. I have no hesitation in recommending it.
By the way, if you're expecting a 'normal' Val McDermid book based on thrills and murder mystery, you'll be greatly disappointed as there is none of that. But read it anyway, you'll enjoy it too, I expect.
And then life starts to happen rather quickly. Susie runs into an old school friend Martha - who's daughter Bella claims to be a good friend of Cat's older brother Jamie (James to his family). It's a very small world, you know. And her son John quickly takes a liking to Cat, much to Cat's dismay as he's quite a bore.
Meanwhile Cat meets the delicious Henry at a Scottish Country Dancing lesson, taken to prepare herself for one of the dances she'll be attending with Susie, and can't stop thinking about him. Only John dislikes Henry and does his best to put her off.
Sounds familiar? If you've read the original Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen, it might. This book is part of the "Austen Project", a modern realisation of the classic novels. I've not read any, but I've seen plenty of film and tv productions of them to recognise some of the quaint language and settings in this book.
Despite the occasional 'quaintness' in the language and settings, which while a bit different to what you might expect in a modern romance novel fits perfectly in this story, this is a lovely book that I enjoyed immensely. I have no hesitation in recommending it.
By the way, if you're expecting a 'normal' Val McDermid book based on thrills and murder mystery, you'll be greatly disappointed as there is none of that. But read it anyway, you'll enjoy it too, I expect.
vicrine's review against another edition
3.0
5/10. Never read the real one, so this was cute for me.
rmm018's review against another edition
4.0
I honestly liked this book for the nonsense YA version of Northanger Abbey that it is, that is until about the last chapter when all of a sudden the language started becoming pretty non-inclusive. Mostly just loved being reminded of the original.
madameshiraz's review against another edition
5.0
Loved this book! The characters were charming and familiar. I enjoyed touring Edinburgh. I thought her use of the internet and social media in the book added to the story and I loved the ending! Enjoyed getting to know Cat, Henry and Ellie. Fun!!
berlinbibliophile's review against another edition
3.0
All in all I really enjoyed this book. Edinburgh Fringe is a wonderful stand-in for Regency Bath and McDermid kept all the characters recognisable while giving them modern preoccupations, like John Thorpe's car. Especially Isabella Thorpe is pitch-perfect, and her texts and emails are an unreadable delight. The only bit I really didn't like is the changed ending, the reason for General Tilney throwing Cat out in the middle of the night. The entire time, If it hadn't been for this one revelation in the last 20 pages of the book, it would have gotten one star more. Still, the majority of the time I enjoyed reading this re-imagining of Austen's hilarious classic.
Spoiler
the set-up has been the same as in Austen's original, that he's obsessed with money and status and thinks she'll inherit from the Allens. But at the end Henry reveals that it's actually because Tilney thought Cat was a lesbian, and in love with Ellie Tilney. That makes no sense and hadn't been set up at all.fros86's review against another edition
4.0
A compelling read - great for a holiday, whether or not you've read the original.
Although I have read Northanger abbey (the original) a few times, I came to read this as a fresh story and enjoyed it all the more for that. There were clear comparisons with the original, but it was convincingly brought up to date... I read this in just a few days and couldn't put it down; an easy read and a fun adventure story.... I enjoyed it much more than the New version of Emma.
Although I have read Northanger abbey (the original) a few times, I came to read this as a fresh story and enjoyed it all the more for that. There were clear comparisons with the original, but it was convincingly brought up to date... I read this in just a few days and couldn't put it down; an easy read and a fun adventure story.... I enjoyed it much more than the New version of Emma.