Title: Northanger Abbey
Series: N/A
Author: Jane Austen
Genres: Literary, Satire, Classics, Romance
Publishing Date: 20 December 1817
Original Language: English
Pages: ~256
CW: Toxic friendship, Misogyny, Classism, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Antisemitism, Infidelity, Terminal illness
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Read if you’re looking for:
- A satire poking fun at gothic literature
- A romantic comedy with delightful, witty banter
- The miscommunication trope
- Characters that feel like real people, especially the annoying ones
- A “classic” that is entertaining & easy to read
Northanger Abbey is a satire of the popular gothic novels of Austen’s time, particularly the Mysteries of Udolpho, so if you haven’t read much gothic literature there may be some references that you don’t catch, but it will still be an enjoyable read. This was the first Jane Austen novel I have ever read, and it was delightful. I don’t normally go for romance, and a lot of times I find classics a bit inaccessible. But Jane Austen’s writing is so easy to read, and the way she dissects and parodies high society is funny, and it still holds up to this day. The characters are so well written that they feel like people that we all know, especially the annoying ones.
The main character, Catherine Morland, is a young girl who loves to read gothic novels. She is invited by her rich neighbors to accompany them to Bath for the season. When she makes some new friends, she is sucked into a comedy of errors, with much miscommunication and missed connections. I was getting a little bit of vicarious social anxiety from all the awkward situations Catherine gets into, but as with Jane Austen’s other novels, everything comes out okay in the end. This is not Austen’s most well-known novel, but it’s definitely worth a read for those who enjoy romantic comedies and romance tropes, as well as witty writing.
