A review by mitskacir
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

3.0

This was quite a departure from the other Austen books I’ve read so far - particularly the heroine, who is much more naive and young compared to the witty intellect of Elizabeth or the seriousness of Elinor. Also the tone of the book is satirical, the author frequently breaking the fourth wall and commenting on tropes from gothic novels and her own. For this, it was interesting and I would recommend it simply as a contrast to Austen’s other books. However, it was a bit disjointed, and the section of Catherine in Bath took up the majority of the book despite being potentially less interesting than her time at Northanger Abbey. I was amused though by the message that the true horrors in life are not haunted gothic abbeys filled with ghosts and murders, but rather insufferable pretentious men and uninvited house guests.