LITERATURE REVIEW
‘Northanger Abbey’: Austen’s ‘Gothic Parody’ What Happens…? Up until Catherine Morland turns seventeen, she has had a fairly sedate life. Neither noticeably stunning, nor extremely unattractive; not wealthy yet by no means struggling financially, Catherine’s entire existence sits on a fence.
However, when family friends, the Allens, invite her to stay in Bath for a month, how can she refuse? What follows is a tale of first friendships, romance, and even a bit of gothic storytelling!
Never before had I struggled so much to put down an Austen! What Went Well:
Accessible, exciting prose Hugely entertaining depictions of Regency era social etiquette Engaging characters Satisfying romantic pacing Defies being defined by any one genre
Small Complaint:
A slight sense of unfinished-ness about the novel, and quite a rushed ending
My Rating: 4 / 5
About the Author: Jane Austen was an author alive from 1775 - 1817 whose novels drew attention for centring around the lives of early 19th Century women. One of eight siblings, Austen published all of her work anonymously as women of the gentry were not expected to pursue a profession. She died at forty two years old, likely due to Addison’s disease (a disorder of the adrenal glands). Her novels include: ‘Sense and Sensibility’, ‘Pride and Prejudice’, ‘Mansfield Park’, ‘Emma’, ‘Northanger Abbey’ and ‘Persuasion’, the last two being published posthumously.
Reviews: ‘Northanger Abbey is more broadly satirical and less finely nuanced than Austen's acknowledged masterpieces’ - Alfred Hickling, The Guardian. ‘This satire laughed at the idea that all young girls were beautiful and good-natured and all large buildings imposing and full of mystery.’ - Kim Bunce, The Observer
Polly Symes, Year 12 Watt House
