A review by lovelymisanthrope
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

adventurous challenging dark funny lighthearted mysterious reflective sad 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

4.0

I read this as part of my quest to read more classics.
"Northhanger Abbey" follows Catherine Morland, a young seventeen-year-old woman who is enthralled by all things gothic. While on a family vacation, she meets Henry Tilney. Henry invites Catherine to return with him to his family's estate. Catherine quickly becomes obsessed with uncovering the secret behind Henry's mother's sudden death.
This is my second novel I have read from Jane Austen, and I did enjoy this story more than "Emma". I loved reading from Catherine's perspective, and I got into her obsession with all things Gothic. I also enjoyed reading a female character who is a romantic at heart and not tainted by heartbreak.
The mystery throughout this story was compelling and kept the story moving forward, but it was not terribly dark and did not feel like too much of a heavy-handed mystery in the traditional sense. This story is humorous and light-hearted.
I am excited to continue to my quest of not only classics, but of reading all of Jane Austen's work.

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