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Northanger Abbey

Jane Austen

Start date: September 2, 2014

Finish date: September 30, 2014

Discussion: Group Reads Discussions

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Group Reads Discussions

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last updated Jan 18, 2013 07:12PM

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What Members Thought

Apr 21, 2020 Elizabeth added it

Shelves: europe, fiction, 1800s, england

The Jane Austen binge continues. I must admit that I hit a wall with this one.
Sense and Sensibility moved along so merrily and with great suspense, while Northanger Abbey had a few moments where I thought, "Oh gosh, do I really have to pick this book up again?"

After I finished the novel I started doing more research including reading the introduction by crime writer Val McDermid (I make it a policy never to read introductions as I they often include spoilers), and realized that this was the firs ...more

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Oct 10, 2011 superawesomekt rated it really liked it

Shelves: book-club, british-literature, satire

*Update: reread this for OBOB - Oregon Battle of the Books 2023-2024. This was a high school selection. This book gets better every time I read it :)*

Watching the 2007 film adaptation of Northanger Abbey was a revelation for me. It's like Henry Tilney's sense of humor finally clicked for me—and now the book is full of unrelenting farcical amusement.

"Now, I must give one smirk and then we may be rational again." ...more

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May 05, 2018 Anie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: classics, fiction, female-author, female-protagonist, audiobook, 2018

First, Stephenson is a superlative narrator and I am amazed at her talent.

Second, I loved this deeply. I love Austen, and this is great Austen - sharp and perceptive. Henry Tilney has, I think, become my favorite Austenian hero. Catherine is sweet and kind, the Thorpes despicable, and Elinor so lovely.

There's some great literary commentary in this too - on Gothic novels, and on the real life familial tyrannies reflected in novels. ...more

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Sep 14, 2007 Sarah rated it really liked it

Shelves: classics, owned, 1001-must-read, book-club-rg, book-club

I really enjoyed Austen's first novel, but not quite as well as I loved Pride & Prejudice or Sense and Sensibility. I loved the way Austen used Catherine's overactive imaginiation in a humorous way, and also the commentary Austen was making on trashy novels. I thought it was quite interesting that Austen defended the readings of trashy novels as harmless fun, so long as the reader doesn't blur the lines between fiction and real life. ...more

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Jan 12, 2014 Suvi marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: novels, 1800s, _great-britain, gothic

Leaving this to rest as well. I have an audio version, and it just makes me too sleepy at this time of the year.

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Dec 11, 2009 Steph S rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: novels, young-adult, audiobooks, favorites, 2010, classics, british, funny, favorite-authors, author-female

Slightly differing in tone and subject matter from Austen's usual fair, her delightful irony is ever-present. Targeting both literary and social conventions, Austen's earliest novel is a tale of a comically daft heroine and her first encounters requiring finesse with both human subtlety and the manners of society.

In audio format, I think it wise to find a performer a bit inept with the character of John Thorpe as he quickly becomes painfully annoying. I listened to the version narrated by Juliet ...more

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