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lovelymisanthrope's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
4.0
I read this as part of my quest to read more classics.
"Northhanger Abbey" follows Catherine Morland, a young seventeen-year-old woman who is enthralled by all things gothic. While on a family vacation, she meets Henry Tilney. Henry invites Catherine to return with him to his family's estate. Catherine quickly becomes obsessed with uncovering the secret behind Henry's mother's sudden death.
This is my second novel I have read from Jane Austen, and I did enjoy this story more than "Emma". I loved reading from Catherine's perspective, and I got into her obsession with all things Gothic. I also enjoyed reading a female character who is a romantic at heart and not tainted by heartbreak.
The mystery throughout this story was compelling and kept the story moving forward, but it was not terribly dark and did not feel like too much of a heavy-handed mystery in the traditional sense. This story is humorous and light-hearted.
I am excited to continue to my quest of not only classics, but of reading all of Jane Austen's work.
"Northhanger Abbey" follows Catherine Morland, a young seventeen-year-old woman who is enthralled by all things gothic. While on a family vacation, she meets Henry Tilney. Henry invites Catherine to return with him to his family's estate. Catherine quickly becomes obsessed with uncovering the secret behind Henry's mother's sudden death.
This is my second novel I have read from Jane Austen, and I did enjoy this story more than "Emma". I loved reading from Catherine's perspective, and I got into her obsession with all things Gothic. I also enjoyed reading a female character who is a romantic at heart and not tainted by heartbreak.
The mystery throughout this story was compelling and kept the story moving forward, but it was not terribly dark and did not feel like too much of a heavy-handed mystery in the traditional sense. This story is humorous and light-hearted.
I am excited to continue to my quest of not only classics, but of reading all of Jane Austen's work.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
lajoy's review
adventurous
funny
reflective
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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Adult/minor relationship
chalkletters's review against another edition
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.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death and Death of parent
venetiana's review against another edition
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Death of parent, Misogyny, Death, Murder, Confinement, and Infidelity
Minor: Violence, Torture, Terminal illness, Sexual content, Grief, Rape, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Cursing, and Alcohol
rini's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent and Grief
Minor: Death and Murder
alexthegoblin's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Northanger Abbey is one of Jane Austen's earlier books, and you can definitely tell that she was still refining her style when she wrote it. Nevertheless, it is a very entertaining read with some excellent villains and a delightfully witty love interest. If you're struggling to get into classics I'd recommend this as a place to dip your toes.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Emotional abuse
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