Scan barcode
vaguelyredhead's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Misogyny, Toxic friendship, and Classism
Moderate: Death of parent and Gaslighting
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, Antisemitism, and Murder
words_and_coffee's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic friendship, and Classism
Moderate: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
Minor: Antisemitism
erica_cronje's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
The pacing feels very off centre, the first half drags by with very little actually happening, we are simply meeting characters and setting up plotlines, which is fine, but then the second half of the novel feels incredibly rushed. The two sides of the novel does not feel as though they go together and the novel felt very inconsistent.
As far as characters go, I like them well enough. Catherine is extremely naive and we are shown that really well with her inner thoughts and the conclusions she so easily jumps to, which does make her a type of unreliable narrator and brings a type of laughaniloty to the novel, since her thought process is just. . .so silly sometimes. I really appreciated Isabella as a complicated character, a woman striving for more than what her society allows her to, and while i do dislike her in the context of the main character, i appreciate that she is complex and wants more for herself and is therefore shunned for it by her society. The Tilneys and men - could not care less for. I have no strong feelings about them whatsoever, don't hate them, don't love them just can't find it in myself to care.
Ater reading three of her novels, i think it's time to acknowledge that Austen is not for me, her stories are too light for me, as well as her commentary and themes. I prefer novels with darker themes and darker characters, real gothic novels, so i do admit that my review on the novel is much more biased than i originally thought since , as it turns out, Austen's writing is just not for me.
Graphic: Misogyny, Toxic friendship, and Classism
anjasshelf's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Misogyny, Toxic friendship, and Classism
Minor: Antisemitism
abigailhaagen's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Toxic friendship, and Classism
Minor: Cursing
rinku's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Misogyny
Moderate: Death of parent and Toxic friendship
Minor: Antisemitism, Murder, and Classism
diana_raquel's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
From the six major novels of Jane Austen, to me, this is the odd one. Maybe because it's one of her early works, this is a little rough around the edges.
The first time I read Northanger Abbey, I thought it was a little odd but it had some charm to it. Still, I thought that this one would become my least favorite book by Austen. By then, I already had read the other five major novels, so this one was the least favorite because it was odd.
Now that I've reread Austen several times, I still think this is the odd one but it isn't my least favorite (that "honor" belongs to the irritating thing also known as Mansfield Park). At least, this one isn't impregnated with irritating and boring characters. Well, I absolutely detest John and find Isabella irritating, but I'm supposed to feel that way. He's the villain, she's the "fake friend", you're not supposed to like them. But, in Mansfield Park, you're supposed to like the Crawfords.
But, comparisons to Mansfield Park aside, to me this isn't a bad book. It simply lacks some characteristics that you expect in an Austen novel. The love story isn't the great love affair that you see in other works, and the pacing is a little wonky- more than half of the book is set in Bath, and we spent very little time in Northanger Abbey. To me, this is more a coming of age story, not a love story.
But I actually liked the satire and the social commentary. And it is a fun book, just don't expect it to be a masterpiece. I actually think this is a good book to start reading Austen or classics. It is entertaining and easy to read. So if you're looking for an introduction to classics or to the regency period in literature, this is a great way to start.
Final note: If you want to watch an adaptation of this novel, I recommend the movie adaptation of 2007 starting Felicity Jones and JJ Feild. It's a very good, faithful, and charming adaptation of this coming of age story. Perfect for a rainy day!
Graphic: Classism
Moderate: Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Misogyny, Sexism, and Murder
mattiedancer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
- Fans of Jane Austen
- Fans of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
- Those looking for a fun classic novel with slight hints of romance
- Those who love MC with an overactive imagination
- Misogyny, sexism, classism, death of a parent, death, illness, toxic relationships, toxic friendships,
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Classism
Minor: Murder
tea_at_mole_end's review against another edition
2.5
Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism
Moderate: Toxic friendship
remuslibrary's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic friendship, and Classism