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bookedbymadeline's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This is my second Austen and I can’t wait to read more from her! It was quite slow and could be hard to focus sometimes. It could partly be due to my trying to read this while on vacation and it’s not much of a holiday vibes read 😅 I enjoyed the second half more than the first because it was a little more fast paced.
I liked the characters especially Catherine, a fellow bookworm! I definitely prefer Persuasion over this one but I’ll have to read the rest of Austen’s work before ranking them of course.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny
Moderate: Death of parent and Classism
Minor: Infidelity and Antisemitism
lalu's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
It's the first time seventeen year-old Catherine spends the season in Bath, where she quickly forms friendships and meets the sophisticated and handsome Mr. Tilney...
Though there are some obstacles our heroine has to overcome, the story focuses more on the coming-of-age of the endearing and charmingly naive Catherine than on the drama. Along with Austen regularly breaking the fourth wall this provided a very enjoyable and pleasant read. It won't become a favourite, but it was nice in the best possible way. My only complaint is that the ending felt rushed.
Though there are some obstacles our heroine has to overcome, the story focuses more on the coming-of-age of the endearing and charmingly naive Catherine than on the drama. Along with Austen regularly breaking the fourth wall this provided a very enjoyable and pleasant read. It won't become a favourite, but it was nice in the best possible way. My only complaint is that the ending felt rushed.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Toxic friendship
lizzieb29's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent and Classism
jupitermond's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship
Moderate: Classism
Minor: Death of parent
jja_b's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Was a little slow at first, but once we were introduced to the abbey, I found the story very engaging. Overall, it was quite fun. I wish there were a little more of the gothic themes, however.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Death of parent and Classism
Minor: Infidelity
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: Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Infidelity, Death of parent, and Classism
chalkletters's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Despite taking a Jane Austen module at university, I was certain I hadn’t read Northanger Abbey. Imagine my surprise when I opened the book and found notes, in my own handwriting, all the way through! It’s never happened to me before that I have absolutely no memory of previously reading a book (though, I suppose the question is: how would I know? Spooky!). I can only assume that reading books for six modules, and reading several other Austens, Northanger Abbey didn’t have time to make much impression.
Catherine Morland feels incredibly different from Jane Austen’s other heroines. She’s neither in total possession of herself like Elizabeth, Emma and Elinor nor giddily irresponsible like Marianne or Lydia. Instead, she’s guileless and a little socially awkward. Watching her thrown into Society in Bath will little in the way of helpful guidance from anyone on how to pick her friends and acquaintances was very relatable, despite the wealth of years since Jane Austen was writing.
Speaking of characters, General Tilney is an amazing villain. Not, as Catherine thinks, because he might have murdered his wife, but because the ways he breaches etiquette feel as outrageous today as they presumably did over two hundred years ago. Contrasted against her father and Julia, Eleanor shines as friend worth making. As the romantic lead, Henry is… fine. He’s certainly no Mr Darcy. There are moments where his teasing of Catherine seems based in intelligence and affection, but then Austen also explicitly states that he only fell for her because she was interested in him, which is hardly the stuff of a great love story.
Of all Jane Austen’s novels, Northanger Abbey particularly needs a good introduction, and David Blair does a decent job. Some sentences are a little wordy, but the main points are interesting and illuminate the text. The point he makes about Catherine’s taste for novels giving her a vocabulary to express her discomfort with General Tilney made a nice contrast to the usual perspective that Catherine is a young woman carried into foolishness by her overactive imagination.
Northanger Abbey’s ending is a little abrupt. Austen never really dwells on what happens between the proposal and the wedding, but in this case, her quick summary and dismissal of Eleanor’s contribution to proceedings felt unearned. If that plot line had been brought up earlier, it would have been more satisfying, and it’s not as if the book is overlong as it is!
Despite enjoying Northanger Abbey more than I expected to, it doesn’t quite displace Emma as my current favourite Jane Austen novel.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death and Death of parent
venetiana's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
There's so much humour in this book. Catherine is really lovable, and young and silly. Henry's love for her is very obvious. A lot of fun to read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Grief, Abandonment, and Alcohol
anna_m_k's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A surprisingly meta book that is constantly taking asides to discuss its predecessors and contemporaries, this coming of age tale feels surprisingly modern and focuses heavily on Catherine growing out of childish naïveté.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Infidelity, Antisemitism, and Death of parent
bronzeageholly's review against another edition
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Classism