I’m a huge fan of Austen and ‘Northanger Abbey’ was the only one of her works I had yet to read. My favorite Austen novel is ‘Persuasion‘ and though it is not as widely read as Pride and Prejudice or Sense and Sensibility, I do feel that Austen’s lyrical prose and understanding of human nature is at its best in ‘Persuasion’.
Northanger Abbey is familiar Austen territory. A much shorter novel compared to her earlier works, this book gives an account of Catherine, the heroine, who leaves her village for the first time to witness the world of Bath.
“If adventures will not befall a young lady in her own village, she must seek them abroad.”
Jane Austen
She leaves home as a joyful, innocent young girl and her subsequent adventures and experiences leave her with a keener understanding of society, people and the vagaries of the human nature. Northanger Abbey’s greatest advantage is that it is a light read. It is perhaps, a book for the die-hard fans, who would want to complete her entire series of books. However, for a first-timer yet to be acquainted with her works, this novel might not serve as a great introduction.
I write, Therefore I am 