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lindseyhall44's review against another edition
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Misogyny
Moderate: Death of parent, Infidelity, and Classism
zazreads's review
funny
lighthearted
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexism
mme_carton's review against another edition
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Sexism
Moderate: Antisemitism, Xenophobia, and Death of parent
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Cursing
booksjessreads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-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? It's complicated
4.5
I think I loved this novel because of its clear satirisation of gothic fiction, it was just so cleverly done. I haven't read massive amounts of gothic fiction so far in my reading adventures, but from what I have, I really like it. But I liked how Austen interlaced humour in her writing to make it such a great parody. I also liked how she made this a novel about reading, specifically what reading was like for women and how reading could have the power to change a woman's desires and pleasures in life.
I think what I also liked was that Catherine has been my most relatable character. She's a young, naive, ignorant bookworm and fairly quiet and placid until she goes to Bath to meet new friends. We all wish we could be like Lizzy Bennett, but I found Catherine so much more relatable and I took to the novel so quickly because of this! One of the most famous Austen quotes comes out of this novel, "The person, be it gentleman or lady who has not the pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid." Austen not only shows the empowerment of women through reading, but also is making a joke of the masculine world and it's relationship with reading. Men were encouraged to read but saw it as taxing, rather than empowering and so this is a clear satirisation of that.
I wouldn't say a massive amount goes on with the plot since its quite short, but the character-driven narrative was interesting and kept me intrigued. Jane Austen's writing for me will never not be good.
I think what I also liked was that Catherine has been my most relatable character. She's a young, naive, ignorant bookworm and fairly quiet and placid until she goes to Bath to meet new friends. We all wish we could be like Lizzy Bennett, but I found Catherine so much more relatable and I took to the novel so quickly because of this! One of the most famous Austen quotes comes out of this novel, "The person, be it gentleman or lady who has not the pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid." Austen not only shows the empowerment of women through reading, but also is making a joke of the masculine world and it's relationship with reading. Men were encouraged to read but saw it as taxing, rather than empowering and so this is a clear satirisation of that.
I wouldn't say a massive amount goes on with the plot since its quite short, but the character-driven narrative was interesting and kept me intrigued. Jane Austen's writing for me will never not be good.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism
kierscrivener's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
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
4.25
I love this story, Austen's humour really shines through from the first line to the last. Following Catherine was a delight, and Henry is further cementing my conplete adoration of Austen heroes and the narrator putting themself into the story, is my favourite.
I loved her youthfulness, her love of stories and her growth. And that it follows a different trajectory then many of Austen's stories.
Read first time: April 2018
Second Time: April-May 2021
I loved her youthfulness, her love of stories and her growth. And that it follows a different trajectory then many of Austen's stories.
Read first time: April 2018
Second Time: April-May 2021
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism
Minor: Death of parent and Infidelity
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