I have spent the last few days re-reading uncharacteristically slowly. This Jane Austen classic is worth savoring. There are so many passages that display the author's sly observational wit and brilliance. And the illustrations add a little something extra in this kindle edition.
I love the way she creates her characters through their dialogue. John Thorpe is a recognizable example. How many ladies HAVEN'T been out with a guy who's such a gearhead that he doesn't realize that perhaps his date isn't interested in the differences between a Mustang and a Corvette? The same guy who brags and embellishes his supposed accomplishments? And is certain he knows what's best for you and makes decisions for you without really listening to you? Yeah, THAT guy. I hate that guy. Jane Austen describes him to a "T" (although, in John's case, it's actual horses rather than horsepower that he's obsessed with).
And then there's his sister, Isabella Thorpe. Have you ever known somebody who gushes and fawns all over you as though she's your bestest friend in the whole entire world, but she turns out to be just using you? Who pretends not to notice guys but makes sure that she's in the most prominent spot so they can't help but notice her? Who knows how to make them fall at her feet even though she's a flat-out phony? Yeah, THAT "friend." Ms. Austen's got that type pegged here, too. I'm really glad Isabella gets hoisted by her own petard so James Morland doesn't get stuck married to that nasty piece of muslin.
Then there's Mrs. Allen's ridiculous preoccupation with clothing. I could go on with numerous other examples, but you get the idea.
This is primarily a coming of age story about one Catherine Morland. She is a sweet, plain-spoken, naive 18-year-old young lady who goes to Bath with the Allens, a respectable older couple. She doesn't recognize hyperbole and is extremely gullible. At the Pump Room, she makes the acquaintance of the aforementioned Isabella whose brother John, as it happens, is good friends with James, Catherine's brother. Catherine also makes the acquaintance of Henry Tilney and his sister Eleanor, who are much pleasanter company than the Thorpe siblings. (If you're unsure why, see descriptions of the Thorpe characters above.) As the story goes on, she also meets Captain Tilney, Henry and Eleanor's older brother, and General Tilney, their father. The book title is taken from the name of General Tilney's residence in Gloucestershire, where Catherine has a very confusing and eventful visit. By the book's end, she is older and wiser when it comes to recognizing duplicitous people.
A chunk of this book pokes gentle fun at scary gothic novels. Just a few months ago, I read a piece of Austen's juvenalia, Love and Friendship (NOT the recent movie, but the book!!), which takes a more frontal approach to mocking such tales. Reading Northanger Abbey so soon afterward, I can recognize her improved writing skills and more sophisticated story-telling. In this book, Catherine is an enthusiastic devotee of The Mysteries of Udolpho and the like, and she's thrilled to be visiting an actual abbey. When she first arrives, she's severely disappointed because there's nothing sinister about it at all. But once nighttime and a raging storm hits, she's a bundle of nerves and imagining all kinds of nonsense. I don't read a lot of scary books, but I'll never forget how nervous I felt alone in my house the night I was wading through one of Stephen King's novels!
And that's the reason we're still talking about Jane Austen's books today and will continue talking about them for many eons to come. Her characters are people we recognize; they're relatable and feel real. The situations are credible. There may be more coincidences than we encounter in real life, but they serve to keep her plots compact and interesting. Every time I read this (or any of JA's other masterpieces), I find more to admire and marvel at.
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Reviews with images
A timeless classic
Absolutely wonderful! The first Jane Austen book I read, it was simply delightful. I loved the setting and plot, the characters were well developed and believable, as well as likeable (for the most part) and even humorous at times. Highly recommended.
