Northanger Abbey (Penguin Clothbound Classics) Hardcover – April 24, 2012

I have spent the last few days re-reading uncharacteristically slowly. This Jane Austen classic is worth savoring. There are so many passages that display the author's sly observational wit and brilliance. And the illustrations add a little something extra in this kindle edition.I love the way she creates her characters through their dialogue. John Thorpe is a recognizable example. How many ladies HAVEN'T been out with a guy who's such a gearhead that he doesn't realize that perhaps his date isn't interested in the differences between a Mustang and a Corvette? The same guy who brags and embellishes his supposed accomplishments? And is certain he knows what's best for you and makes decisions for you without really listening to you? Yeah, THAT guy. I hate that guy. Jane Austen describes him to a "T" (although, in John's case, it's actual horses rather than horsepower that he's obsessed with).And then there's his sister, Isabella Thorpe. Have you ever known somebody who gushes and fawns all over you as though she's your bestest friend in the whole entire world, but she turns out to be just using you? Who pretends not to notice guys but makes sure that she's in the most prominent spot so they can't help but notice her? Who knows how to make them fall at her feet even though she's a flat-out phony? Yeah, THAT "friend." Ms. Austen's got that type pegged here, too. I'm really glad Isabella gets hoisted by her own petard so James Morland doesn't get stuck married to that nasty piece of muslin.Then there's Mrs. Allen's ridiculous preoccupation with clothing. I could go on with numerous other examples, but you get the idea.This is primarily a coming of age story about one Catherine Morland. She is a sweet, plain-spoken, naive 18-year-old young lady who goes to Bath with the Allens, a respectable older couple. She doesn't recognize hyperbole and is extremely gullible. At the Pump Room, she makes the acquaintance of the aforementioned Isabella whose brother John, as it happens, is good friends with James, Catherine's brother. Catherine also makes the acquaintance of Henry Tilney and his sister Eleanor, who are much pleasanter company than the Thorpe siblings. (If you're unsure why, see descriptions of the Thorpe characters above.) As the story goes on, she also meets Captain Tilney, Henry and Eleanor's older brother, and General Tilney, their father. The book title is taken from the name of General Tilney's residence in Gloucestershire, where Catherine has a very confusing and eventful visit. By the book's end, she is older and wiser when it comes to recognizing duplicitous people.A chunk of this book pokes gentle fun at scary gothic novels. Just a few months ago, I read a piece of Austen's juvenalia, Love and Friendship (NOT the recent movie, but the book!!), which takes a more frontal approach to mocking such tales. Reading Northanger Abbey so soon afterward, I can recognize her improved writing skills and more sophisticated story-telling. In this book, Catherine is an enthusiastic devotee of The Mysteries of Udolpho and the like, and she's thrilled to be visiting an actual abbey. When she first arrives, she's severely disappointed because there's nothing sinister about it at all. But once nighttime and a raging storm hits, she's a bundle of nerves and imagining all kinds of nonsense. I don't read a lot of scary books, but I'll never forget how nervous I felt alone in my house the night I was wading through one of Stephen King's novels!And that's the reason we're still talking about Jane Austen's books today and will continue talking about them for many eons to come. Her characters are people we recognize; they're relatable and feel real. The situations are credible. There may be more coincidences than we encounter in real life, but they serve to keep her plots compact and interesting. Every time I read this (or any of JA's other masterpieces), I find more to admire and marvel at.

Jane Austen wrote "Northanger Abbey" in the late 1790's, but it was not finally published until 1818, after her death. It is a broad satire of the Gothic Romance novels popular in her day. Its lead character, the innocent young Catherine Morland, is moderately attractive, good-hearted, and highly imaginative, but perhaps the least compelling of Austen's heroines. Nevertheless, Jane Austen's excellent writing gifts are on display in this short novel, which offers some superbly funny dialogue, witty commentary on social manners, and a sympathetic heroine.Catherine is offered the opportunity to vacation in the resort town of Bath by family friends Mr. and Mrs. Allen. In Bath, she falls in with two people her own age, Isabella and John Thorpe. Isabella is to be engaged to Catherine's brother James, while John, a college friend of James, takes an interest in Catherine. The Thorpes involve the inexperienced Catherine in the social whirl of Bath. They will also provide her with some hard lessons in manners.Catherine also meets Henry and Elinor Tilney, a brother and sister who introduce her to walks and intellectual discussion. Their father, the imposing General Tilney, invites Catherine to visit the family estate of Northanger Abbey. Catherine eagerly accepts the invitation, in part to stay close to Henry, on whom she has a crush, and in part to see the ancient abbey, sure to be the embodiment of her cherished Gothic Romances.Catherine's willingness to see dark secrets in ordinary events leads her on a search of the Abbey for clues to the suspected murder of General Tilney's wife. In a gentle confrontation, Henry ends the search, but is not able to save her from the sudden wrath of the General, who banishes her from the Abbey. A heartbroken Catherine is separated from Henry and Catherine, and returned unceremoniously to her home. There, an unexpected visit by Henry Tilney will offer an explanation for what happened at Northanger Abbey and a chance to reunite with the Tilneys.Readers expecting a story with the heft of "Pride and Prejudice" or "Mansfield Park" may be disappointed. However, "Northanger Abbey" is a fun book on its own terms, very much a Jane Austen product and likely to be enjoyed by her fans. It is highly recommended as an entertaining read.

4.75This was our book club pick and such a delight. There were some slow moments but overall a fun time! Henry. Henry, Henry, Henry, where can I find me a man like this? From the first moment he popped on to the page I was here for his character. His and Catherine’s chemistry *top tier*. The way Henry confronts Catherine with the utmost care while all so being honest, AHHHHHH! Overall this book was 👌🏻👌🏻.

This is my least favorite Jane Austen novel. I was intrigued because I'd heard that it was a spoof of gothic novels. I've been a lover of gothic novels especially in my youth but thought that I could use a comical novel in my advanced age of 70. But in my opinion there was nothing funny in this book. It seemed pretty typical for Jane Austen--another romance where finances and connections play a part. But I didn't feel much attachment to the characters. I wasn't touched. I wasn't amused. And some of the sentences were way too long. I found myself becoming confused, having to reread--not my idea of an enjoyable read. I became much more involved with the characters in some of her other novels. Emma was amusing. Some of the characters were so eccentric. Mansfield Park was perceptive especially when the heroine finds that coming home isn't what it's cracked up to be. But nothing captured my attention while reading Northanger Abbey. I was just wanting it to be over. If I could give it 2.5 stars, I would. I can rarely, if ever, give a book less than three stars because there is always something to make me think. But I would like to be charmed as well. And this one didn't do it for me.

Easier to read than Pride and Prejudice.A very good book.

Bra pocket, bra översatt till svenska. Rekommenderas för er som gillar Jane Austen eller romantiska titlar.

5+ stars & 6/10 hearts. Jane Austen is brilliant. That said, we can move on. This book is quite small (for Austen) and almost pure humour and satire… yet still packs a hefty punch of two great messages.In the late 1790s/early 1800s, Catherine Morland grows up as a naïve tomboy in the little town of which church her father is the clergyman. In her late teens, she unconsciously begins to “prepare herself to be a heroine” with poetry and the Gothic novels all the rage at the era, and when family friends take her to Bath, she is all-too-ready to find a girlish “bestie,” fall in love with a handsome young clergyman, and venture out into the wild world of kidnapping barons, chilling castles, poisons draughts, and murdering husbands… because that is, of course, what the world is made up of.Although this is one of Austen’s earliest books, it’s very finely written—incisive, witty, and clear—just beautiful. The characters are very realistic, as old-fashioned as they are. Catherine, although very confused between the world in her books and the world she lives in, is very sweet and desirous to do right. Henry is hilarious and so kind to Catherine & Eleanor, as well as respectful to his father. Eleanor was a sweetheart too, and I loved her friendship with Catherine. James was rather a pathetic figure, but he wasn’t half as terrible as his horrible friend Thorpe!—really a dreadful man. Isabella was such a shallow, foolish, bad girl—just disgusting. Mrs. Allan was ridiculous but meant well, and Mr. Allen struck me as rather irresponsible but at least he did speak up when he had to. General Tilney was quite nasty, and Frederick was just wicked. Mr. & Mrs. Morland were lovely, though.[Plot] The plot of the book is certainly enjoyable. Th book is really hilarious (I mean, you jump from a man refusing to walk down a certain path to him pretending his wife is dead and keeping her a prisoner in a lonely monastic cell….) and just had me in stitches the first time I read it. Now, I understand better the sober undertone, and it’s more ridiculous in an eye-rolling way, but still very enjoyable. I love the banter between Henry and his sister—so natural and fun!—and how this book so finely mocks horror stories/the lurid Gothic mysteries so popular at the time. The lesson on controlling your imagination is really excellent; there is a splendid speech on using one word to mean many things; and there are so many stern reminders to young ladies of how ridiculous their behaviour sometimes is… each time, I am reminded of how little I want to be like Isabella! Henry & Catherine’s romance was sweet, although brief, and all in all, though I spend a good deal of my time raging at characters + cringing for Catherine, I really enjoy and appreciate this book.Content: Some language; a lot of talk of murder, skeletons, being kidnapped, etc; a young engaged woman flirts very openly with another man.A Favourite Quote: ‘I am sure,’ cried Catherine, ‘I did not mean to say anything wrong; but it is a nice book, and why should not I call it so?’‘Very true,’ said Henry, ‘and this is a very nice day, and we are taking a very nice walk, and you are two very nice young ladies. Oh! It is a very nice word indeed! It does for everything. Originally perhaps it was applied only to express neatness, propriety, delicacy, or refinement—people were nice in their dress, in their sentiments, or their choice. But now every commendation on every subject is comprised in that one word.’A Favourite Humorous Quote: ‘And now, Henry,’ said Miss Tilney, ‘that you have made us understand each other, you may as well make Miss Morland understand yourself—unless you mean to have her think you intolerably rude to your sister, and a great brute in your opinion of women in general. Miss Morland is not used to your odd ways.’‘I shall be most happy to make her better acquainted with them.’‘No doubt; but that is no explanation of the present.’‘What am I to do?’‘You know what you ought to do. Clear your character handsomely before her. Tell her that you think very highly of the understanding of women.’‘Miss Morland, I think very highly of the understanding of all the women in the world—especially of those—whoever they may be—with whom I happen to be in company.’‘That is not enough. Be more serious.’‘Miss Morland, no one can think more highly of the understanding of women than I do. In my opinion, nature has given them so much that they never find it necessary to use more than half.’

Gótico, ameno y divertido. Un gran clásico de la literatura inglesa. Me ha encantado, recomendable!

Ganz tolle Ausgabe. Liegt gut in der Hand. Schöne Schriftgröße, übersichtliche Kapitelunterteilung, interessantes Vorwort vom Bruder der Autorin, gute Anmerkungen, ein bisschen Geschichtliches zu Jane Austens Leben, da dieses Buch erst nach ihrem Tod von ihren Angehörigen veröffentlicht wurde. Ein Penguin classic eben.