A review by cpcabaniss
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

5.0

“The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid.”

This most recent reread of Northanger Abbey was in conjunction with a course through Hillsdale College. This being the earliest and least changed of Austen's novels, the course focused on the young Jane Austen and her perceptiveness and insight.

The novel is a satire of the popular Sentimental and Romantic genres of Austen's day and as such might not pack as much for a modern reader as one of her own time, since we are not as familiar with the conventions of the day. The Hillsdale course discussed these things, showcasing certain elements of her writing that were specifically poking fun at these novels, but also showing the parts where she clearly said that the reading of these novels was not a bad thing. She herself enjoyed them. This was a big push toward realism in fiction.

This is one of my favorite novels and this course was a great insight into Austen's mind and the messages within its pages.