Northanger Abbey - Jane Austen: A Review
Title: Northanger Abbey
Author: Jane Austen
Date Finished: November 2007
Pages: 211
Rating: 4/5
I read this for Joy's 2nds Challenge because I read Pride and Prejudice years ago...ironically I will be re-reading P&P later this month/next month for Something About Me Challenge. It wasn't until a co-worker asked for a "fluff" recommendation that I realized that most of the books I've been reading lately have been classics, but I've been enjoying them in a very strange, almost sadistic way. :)
Northanger Abbey is about Catherine who is not your typical heroine. She leaves her home to stay in Bath with some friends, the Allens, and she becomes entangled with Henry Tilney and his sister Eleanor. After befriending Catherine, the Tilneys invite her to stay with them at Northanger Abbey, an old Gothic castle. Can Catherine find love at Northanger Abbey; did her love interest's father commit a horrible crime at Northanger Abbey; does Catherine come into the type of life that she deserves? These are some of the questions that are answered in the second half of the book.
While I enjoyed the book, it wasn't as developed as I would have liked. It has been so long since I've read Pride and Prejudice that I don't have much to compare with, but the depth didn't seem to be there--not only with the characters, but with the plot as well. There were parts, especially near the end, where the connections were never really clear (why was Catherine asked to leave Northanger Abbey?). I thought it was a fun book, and I loved how Catherine has a tendency to overanalyze situations because I do the same thing. I'll be really interested in reading more of Austen's books--especially P&P in a few weeks.
8 comments:
Becky is hosting a Jane Austin challenge for 2008, and I definitely want to take part in it! The only Austen I've ever read was Persuasion...which I really enjoyed!!
Great Review!
I saw that and might join. I own all of her books except Persuasion, so it would be great for knocking down that TBR pile!
The one Austen book I haven't read. If you didn't find it in old post. I found out we are having a boy, hense that male pronouns.
I agree with your review. I'm on a small quest to read all of Austen's work; this was my 4th of 6 and my least favorite. In my review I wrote, Unfortunately, as much as I love Jane Austen, this is not a work I'd recommend to someone wanting to discover her talents.
The full review can be found here:
http://laura0218.livejournal.com/19254.html
Thanks!
It's pretty unanimous amongst Austen fans that this book is not up to Austen's clever standards. A couple of years ago I read all her works and this one belongs at the bottom of the stack.
When I first read the description of Catherine I thought it sounded a bit too much like me. Then I took that blasted "Which Jane Austen Character are You?" quiz and it confirmed it. =)
This sounds like a fun book, though probably not the one to start with. I REALLY need to finally read "Pride and Prejudice" next year.
*MyUtopia - I did see--I'm not sure if you have email notifications for comments, but I believe I left one on the post. Congrats!!
*Laura - I'll be looking forward to reading your reivew. I did like it...but I don't have much to compare with. Thanks for commenting!
*Petunia - I really liked Catherine. :) I did like the book, but I found it really undeveloped and myself wanting much more.
*Nymeth - you sound like me--I keep telling everyone, "Ohh, I'll read that in 2008!" I'm looking forward to re-reading P&P in a few weeks. This one was fun, but very undeveloped.
Wishing you the very best this Thanksgiving! :)
J. Kaye
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