I absolutely love Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey - love, love, love it! I will admit that a fair bit of my affection comes from the fact that quite a lot of the novel is set in Bath, one of my favourite places in the world.
So, when AustenProse started the Go Gothic reading month of Northanger Abbey I was in! Any excuse to re-read a Jane Austen novel and to travel to Bath through fiction, particularly as I was actually in Bath a little over 12 months ago myself and I have been mourning the anniversary of my time there - wishing I was there again right now.
I do love Northanger Abbey for other reasons apart from the setting. I really like the heroine, Catherine Morland. For a start I can truly relate to a young girl obsessed by the world of books - particularly novels - I love reading about her immersion in the world of her reading and how sometimes this carries over (a little too far!) into her reality. I probably do exactly the same thing a lot of the time and I'm not 17 anymore!
I also love that there are characters to strongly dislike in Northanger Abbey too, John and Isabella Sharpe and Captain Tilney (although my strongest dislike is reserved for Isabella - what a horrid, horrid girl!).
My favourite Jane Austen novel after Persuasion (also set partly in Bath....).
9 comments:
A very good idea to go to some Austen after reading a something very good previously (re: your last post). I have only 2 unread Austrens - this one and Mansfield Park. It's like I am saving them up. If you like gothic you may be interested in Shirley Jackson - in particular We Have Always Lived in the Castle. I have just put it on my "to buy" list. I have heard some really good things about it. Librarything has some good info on it.
Also, have you read The Story of Edgar Sawtelle or The 19th Wife - the latter is one of my book club picks?
Austrens????? Sorry, a few typos in that comment!
I love Northanger Abbey and Persuasion. I think Anne Elliott is one of my favorite Austen heroines.
is it any surprise to tell you that I adore Catherine also? I have not had the pleasure of visiting Bath, so am pea green with envy.
Thanks for the link to Go Gothic and joining the group read.
Cheers, Laurel Ann
Hi Nutmeg - thanks for those great sounding suggestions, I will definitely look them up.
I haven't read either The Story of Edgar Sawtelle or The 19th Wife - I have been tempted by both of them lately but am just not sure that they are really my cup of tea. Would love to hear what you think of them.
Hi Holly - I definitely agree with you about Anne Elliott!
Hi Laurel Ann - many thanks for hosting the Go Gothic reading group - I really enjoyed the chance to revisit Northanger Abbey.
Persuasion is also my favorite Austen novel. I read this at the end of last year/beginning of this one after reading The Mysteries of Udolpho. I'd like to read some of the other "horrid novels" that Catherine reads, too.
Hi Danielle - I have The Mysteries of Udolpho here right now waiting to read!
So funny, I was just mentioning this book to a friend. I love it too. I read this one while in Bath several years ago... Perhaps that's also what helped make this so memorable. Isn't Bath beautiful - oh I wish I could go back.
Hi Iliana - Bath is completely divine isn't it?? I'm sure if I actually lived there all of the time it might lose some of its magic but I would be willing to take that risk!
Post a Comment