“The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid.”
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I don’t consider myself a Jane Austen reader. In fact, I don’t even consider myself a classics reader.
However, I find the drama of old English society so fascinating, which is why I really enjoyed Northanger Abbey.
(Plus, it makes me look smart if I say I’ve read all the Austen novels.)
This coming-of-age satire follows Catherine Morland, lover of gothic novels and naïve to the standards of good society.
I went into this novel not having heard much about it, which makes sense as it was published after the author died and quickly overshadowed by her other notable works. However, I quickly found Catherine a great protagonist.
Weirdly, I could relate to her. Her love of gothic novels means she glides through life with an expectation that everything will turn out like her books, which of course isn’t the case. I mean, aren’t we all guilty of thinking everything will turn out fairy-tale perfect?
Like I mentioned earlier, I love the old-timey drama of society. It’s so fun to feign mock horror at things like a woman being ungloved when it wouldn’t even cross my mind now. It’s nice to do away with the stress of modern womanhood and lose myself in the Victorian time period.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m very thankful to be able to vote. And earn my own money. And be able to keep the money I earn. (You get the gist).
I also loved exploring the theme of misunderstandings, which of course added to the satire element. Catherine time and time again misinterprets situations and often doesn’t explain herself well enough which spirals into terrible situations. It was so fun to read!
Something I struggled with, which is common with me and classics, was the language.
Austen is a genius with words, but I often found myself really engrossed in a section, only for the writing to spiral off into descriptions about teapots or tapestry. I would often be left thinking, ‘how is this relevant?’
I’m sure an Austen fanatic would tell me that the teapots represent status and the tapestry how a character’s true feelings are covered by how they present themselves to society. If so, great! But could I get back to my 19th century drama please?
There were also obvious anti-Semitic phrases and even though they were said by a villainous character, they still made me quite uncomfortable. It’s definitely a common theme throughout the few classics I have read, so be warned before you delve into any.
All in all, this was still an enjoyable read. If you’re trying to get into classic literature, I’d recommend Fitzgerald’s ‘The Great Gatsby’ or Lucy Maud Montgomery’s ‘Anne of Green Gables’ before you dive into the world of Austen.
Trigger warnings can be found on The StoryGraph.
Amina Ali Journalism 