Rating: 
Summary: A lighthearted novel with a satiric twist
Review: I spent most of the story wishing to dance with the witty Henry Tilney, slap the artful and manipulative Isabella, lose my temper with the deceitful John, and give Catherine Morland a good shake to knock some sense into her.That said, any book that can drag me into the characters' lives as Northanger Abbey did is praiseworthy. It's an easy read once you get the hang of the language. I really enjoyed Austen's tongue-in-cheek lambasting of novelists whose heroines never read novels - "Yes, novels; for I will not adopt that ingenerous and impolitic custom so common with novel-writers, of degrading by their contemptuous censure the very performances, to the number of which they are themselves adding-joining with their greatest enemies in bestowing the harshest epithets on such works, and scarcely ever permitting them to be read by their own heroine, who, if she accidentally take up a novel, is sure to turn over its insipid pages with disgust." Her derision for the flights of fancy of the Gothic novelists of the day are readily apparent throughout the novel. Catherine imagines herself in romantic, mysterious situations (found in her favorite novel, Udolpho), as when she first thinks of her upcoming visit to the Abbey: "To see and explore either the ramparts and keep of the one, or the cloisters of the other, had been for many weeks a darling wish, though to be more than the visitor of an hour had seemed too nearly impossible for desire." Yet when she arrives she is disappointed in its modernity and normalcy - something that wouldn't be tolerated in a Gothic tale! If the ends of books are like desserts, then the end of Northanger Abbey could be compared to Jell-O rather than Cherries Jubilee, but the readers should focus on the meat and potatoes instead. All in all, an enjoyable read.
Rating: 
Summary: A hilarious sendup of the Gothic novel
Review: I used to love Gothic novels. I collected out-of-print Victoria Holt paperbacks, I had stuffed animals named after characters in Charlotte and Emily Bronte novels, but ever since I've read Northanger Abbey, I can't read a Gothic novel with a straight face. Jane Austen does a marvelous job of sending up convoluted scary novels (and melodrama in general) in this book, and creates her most masculine and fascinating hero, Henry Tilney. Don't think that Catherine Morland, the heroine, is just a naive kid. Her naivete is a necessary component of the novel, as it allows her to see the wider world with fresh eyes, provide a foil to the more worldly characters, and ultimately capture the heart of the hero. And then there's Henry...he teases, he teaches, he forgives Catherine's regrettable fancies, knowing that he had a hand in encouraging them. He's witty, he's charming, he's kind of a slob, and he wears his greatcoats so well! As in all her novels, Jane Austen provides a great host of hilarious supporting characters, in particular John and Isabella Thorpe and Mrs. Allen. I defy anyone not to laugh at John Thorpe's nonsensical and contradictory comments. One wonders how many such "rattles" wearied Miss Austen's attention to provide such a character study. Great writing, great story, great characters...come to Northanger Abbey with a sense of humor and you will not be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: A clever send-up of Gothic fantasy
Review: One of Jane Austen's best attributes as a writer is her rapier wit and sense of humor, which especially shows itself in her earlier novels, "Pride and Prejudice" and "Sense and Sensibility". "Northanger Abbey", which preceded both of them but was published only after her death, is a clever parody of the Gothic novel as written by Anne Radcliffe: full of dark, stormy nights, ancient castles with secret passages and locked rooms hiding unspeakable crimes, damsels in distress, and all the rest. Austen's heroine, Catherine Morland, has read a few too many such books, and we meet her at the age of seventeen, emerging from the chrysalis of adolescence as a passably pretty young woman with her head full of romantic notions and not much else. When she meets the hero of her dreams, Henry Tilney, a surprisingly level-headed young man, Catherine realizes that life as melodrama is a poor second to life in reality. Catherine is fascinated at the prospect of visiting Northanger Abbey -- what mysteries and horrors must be waiting to be discovered -- only to be brought up short by the pedestrian intrusion of real life (a locked cabinet which might have held vials of poison or, even better, a skeleton, turns out to hold nothing more dangerous than a laundry list). "Northanger Abbey" is a good first novel but it is by no means Jane Austen's best, and Catherine is not as interesting a heroine as Elizabeth Bennet, Emma Watson or Elinor Dashwood; she's a somewhat shallow, undeveloped young lady who lacks their depth and their intelligence. But she's a likeable heroine; unlike Fanny Price, Catherine doesn't try to be perfect nor judge others for failing to be so, and unlike Emma Watson, she's not meddling in everyone else's business. She can admit when she's at fault and she has a generous spirit. We like to imagine her as the tomboy Austen pictures her in her childhood, rolling down hills and chasing her brothers and sisters. Austen provided a number of interesting supporting characters: Henry's amiable sister Elinor, his insufferably snobbish and narrow-minded father General Tilney, and the artful, heartless flirt Isabella Thorpe. By the book's end, Catherine has grown up a bit; she sees life as it is and realizes Henry's steady common sense is infinitely preferable to the histrionics of any Gothic hero. Jane Austen's first book was a promising introduction of better things to come.
Rating:
Summary: A beautifully written satire of the Gothic novel
Review: Jane Austen was arguably one of the best writers of her time; however, only she took the bold leap into poking fun at the books of her time. Northanger Abbey brings Catherine, the heroine (on whom, among other things, Austen periodically comments from afar) through the joys and troubles of being an eligible young lady with a probing mind and endearing naivete, acquired from none other than the countless novels she has read. The elegance, and at some points speed, with which Austen plays out and then reconciles her young heroine's difficulties is at the very least extremely amusing. The foolish suspense and embarrassed relief which center around the Abbey are no less entertaining when one considers this book against darker novels where the papers in locked drawers have slightly more bearing. Catherine's friend Isabella, her vain (and in-vain) suitor John, and Mr. and Miss Tilney are brilliant foils for her character's development. Overall, I think this book rates as one of the true gems of the 19th Century.
Rating: 
Summary: just not good
Review: Many of the references Austen made in Northanger Abbey were meant to be satirical towards the gothic writing style prevalent in her time. Certain elements of wordplay in her characters' dialogue will also sound dated to a modern reader. For example, Catherine describes a popular gothic novel as being "Horrible", which can be taken as "Awful" or that the book was scary, which is a way the word was used in the author's time. Having said this, the book is slow, and is not as easy and interesting to read as her other novels, which can be explained by saying that this is her first attempt, and improvement was inevitable. The characters were not well-developed; I didn't understand the love-interest and I didn't believe that these two people were suited for each other. Again, she improved later. If you choose to read this book, try to get an edition with notes on the text.It will help a great deal in clarifying that which is now a centuries-old inside joke.
Rating:
Summary: A clever send-up of Gothic fantasy
Review: One of Jane Austen's best attributes as a writer is her rapier wit and sense of humor, which especially shows itself in her earlier novels, "Pride and Prejudice" and "Sense and Sensibility". "Northanger Abbey", which preceded both of them but was published only after her death, is a clever parody of the Gothic novel as written by Anne Radcliffe: full of dark, stormy nights, ancient castles with secret passages and locked rooms hiding unspeakable crimes, damsels in distress, and all the rest. Austen's heroine, Catherine Morland, has read a few too many such books, and we meet her at the age of seventeen, emerging from the chrysalis of adolescence as a passably pretty young woman with her head full of romantic notions and not much else. When she meets the hero of her dreams, Henry Tilney, a surprisingly level-headed young man, Catherine realizes that life as melodrama is a poor second to life in reality. Catherine is fascinated at the prospect of visiting Northanger Abbey -- what mysteries and horrors must be waiting to be discovered -- only to be brought up short by the pedestrian intrusion of real life (a locked cabinet which might have held vials of poison or, even better, a skeleton, turns out to hold nothing more dangerous than a laundry list). "Northanger Abbey" is a good first novel but it is by no means Jane Austen's best, and Catherine is not as interesting a heroine as Elizabeth Bennet, Emma Watson or Elinor Dashwood; she's a somewhat shallow, undeveloped young lady who lacks their depth and their intelligence. But she's a likeable heroine; unlike Fanny Price, Catherine doesn't try to be perfect nor judge others for failing to be so, and unlike Emma Watson, she's not meddling in everyone else's business. She can admit when she's at fault and she has a generous spirit. We like to imagine her as the tomboy Austen pictures her in her childhood, rolling down hills and chasing her brothers and sisters. Austen provided a number of interesting supporting characters: Henry's amiable sister Elinor, his insufferably snobbish and narrow-minded father General Tilney, and the artful, heartless flirt Isabella Thorpe. By the book's end, Catherine has grown up a bit; she sees life as it is and realizes Henry's steady common sense is infinitely preferable to the histrionics of any Gothic hero. Jane Austen's first book was a promising introduction of better things to come.
Rating:
Summary: A well-read heroine in Bath.
Review: Jane Austen enthusiasts (Janeites) tend to re-read "Northanger Abbey" less often than they do her other novels. It nevertheless has several merits. One distinction is that the voice of Jane Austen the narrator is perhaps picked up more clearly here than in her other novels. Here you will find, for example, her minor dissertation in praise of the novel, "... work in which the greatest powers of the mind are displayed, in which the most thorough knowledge of the human nature, the happiest delineation of its varieties, the liveliest effusions of wit and humor are conveyed to the world in the best chosen language". A second quality is the strong sense of location that emanates from its pages. Jane Austen is rarely a travel guide, but here she conducts the reader around the small English city of Bath. A third excellence is its depiction of its "heroine" Catherine Moreland, a 17 year-old who gradually learns that reality is not the same as it's depicted in Mrs Radcliffe's novels. And so it is great fun to read of the novel-reading heroine Catherine finding mortifications and infatuations in Bath. It is fun also to see if "something must and will happen to throw a hero in her way".
Rating: 
Summary: ZZZ ZZZZZ ZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZZ
Review: That's right, this book will put you to sleep. This has to be one of the most excruciating novels I have ever read. There is hardly any conflict in the plot. If you would like to read about people going to balls and other formal occasions every night, then you will like this book. ****Spoiler Ahead Don't read if you don't want to know.****** The climax of the novel is when Catherine finds out the General kicked her out of the house because she was not rich. BORING!!!!! This book is extremely overrated. The novel is also hard to follow at times since Jane Austen jumps from one time frame to another time a lot longer down the road in only one sentence. If your teacher or professor makes you read this book, then good luck. I would pass on this book if you are looking for an intellectual stimulation or just plain old good story.
Rating:
Summary: Much Better Than Expected
Review: This book was a hard one for me to start. Not in the tradional sense of being a difficult begining. Truthfully I thouroughly enjoyed the book from the start. (The opening paragraph was brilliant in my opinion). No, I had done something very wrong. I watched the movie first. Not that this is always wrong,(altough should be avioded when possible), I have watched some movies that have left me looking foward to the inspiring lituarature such as PRIDE & PREJUDICE or DAVID COPPERFIELD. But this movie punched me, left me reeling, never wanting to read a book that could produce a film like this.
Flash foward a few years. My wife being an avid Austen reader was also hesitant about reading it. But she took the plunge and gave it a go. While it was not her favorite book, she enjoyed it enough to recomend it to me, saying it was almost completly different from the book.
So with a little less trepidation I eventually decided I would read it. Amazing. I really liked this book. Why had I never wanted to read this book? How could they make a movie like that from this kind of material to work with? Why don't they get the people who did the PRIDE & PREJUDICE mini-series to do this?
My only problem with it was that it ended way to fast for me. Everything seemed to be resolved and finished in the last two or three pages, with very little of how thier lives turn out in the end. But if that is the only thing you can truly critize in a book, then I think your holding an excellent book.
Rating:
Summary: Wishbone
Review: When I was a kid, I loved to watch Wishbone, the terrier that used Classic Literature as a kind to life. One episode centered around Northanger Abbey. It was my favorite episode. I would play with my friends, that I was Wishbone, and my friend was the heroine, Catherine. That left me with a longing for the real thing. Well, the real thing is much better than the Wishbone version. Some may be surprised, but this is my favorite Jane Austen novel. Emma is second, and the P and P. I dunno, maybe it is that it is funny, or the suspense, but it is highly recommended.
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