Northanger Abbey is a classic, and we generally purchase these in hardcover. The colors and illustrations on the cover are beautiful, and perfect for a young adult collection, although I don't love the font. This would make a lovely gift for a young teen new to Austen.

One of my favourite Austen novels! Northanger Abbey' possesses all of Austen’s trademark self-awareness and wit. This, however, being the earliest of her works, is not the most subtle or well-crafted examples of this. Instead Austen as narrator is outright sarcastic in her observations, and while maybe not as sophisticated when compared to subsequent offerings, I literally laughed out loud several times throughout reading this novel.
The reason I enjoy classic literature is because I’m curious for an insight into popular culture of the age in which it was written, and Austen provides this in abundance by the very fact that Northanger Abbey is essentially a parody of the popular works of it’s time, satirising British upper class society and the ostensibly romantic gothic novels that they consumed (but shh... don’t tell anyone).

Catherine, our ‘unlikely heroine’ is extremely lovable; our 'unlikely hero' seems like an actual real guy; it’s secondary characters are well-rounded and distinct in themselves; and I was entertained from beginning to end, unable to put it down. What more could I ask for in a reading experience?

4/5*


“The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid.”
- Mr Tilney, Northanger Abbey.

What else can be said about Jane Austen? Northanger Abbey, while not my favorite work of hers (that honor goes to Pride & Prejudice) is a thoroughly enjoyable book and witty deconstruction of the gothic romance. I'll admit that the appeal of this book seems to be the new cover - in which case, I'm unsure what my review of the digital edition has to add to the conversation - but those who are on the fence about reading Austen's lesser-known works should consider picking up this warm and witty satire.

I've read and loved several of Jane Austen's novels, and I was curious to see how I would feel about Northanger Abbey. For any who may be wary to try out one of Austen's lesser-known books, Northanger Abbey was as enjoyable as the rest. I loved the character of Catherine Moreland as she whisked me away on her adventure. Highly recommended to any fans of classic literature or Jane Austen.

Also, this updated cover is absolutely stunning.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This was another lovely novel by the wonderful Jane Austen! I found this one a little bit different than her others. Jane Austen has some humor throughout - you can almost call it sass! I absolutely loved the character of Catherine Moreland. She is wonderful & so different from what I expected from Jane Austen. Catherine is a lover of gothic novels, and has some very entertaining adventures where her mind runs away from her. I enjoyed the uniqueness of this novel & will definitely be returning to it in the future!

Northanger Abbey is my favourite of all of Austen's novels.

Fanciful and headstrong Catherine Moreland is drawn into the very type of gothic romance she loves to read when, on a trip to Bath to experience society, she meets the charming Henry Tilney, who lives at Northanger Abbey. Caught up in her own romantic imagination, Catherine cannot help but imagine what secrets the gothic house holds, leading to a series of mishaps which would ring true to any young woman coming of age.

As a satire of the gothic, this book is the perfect combination of dark imaginings and comic relief. Austen's witty narrative entices the reader, much in the way Catherine is enticed by her own books. The direct address Austen uses makes the narrative accessible and refreshingly modern, ideal for a younger audience as they delve into the classics.

This new edition is a wonderful way to appeal to younger readers, with bold colours and a striking illustration which really captures the period and style of the works, yet in a youthful manner.

It would have been great to have an introduction - even just a couple of pages to give younger readers some context about Austen's life and how the book works as a satire.

***Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***
I have always loved every Jane Austen book and I'm excited with the new designs and illustrations. I really think this will appeal to a younger audience!

Northanger Abbey ties with Persuasion as my favorite Jane Austen novel. I can't remember how many times I've read it.

This novel is truly delightful full with comedy and romance! I'm so glad they are reissuing with a cover that is bound to attract a younger audience. And even though some part of it is a satire of Gothic novels, you don't need to read any (though it makes Northanger Abbey even more enjoyable).

I only wish this edition had an introduction or something of that sort.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.

Jane Austen is one of my absolute favorite classical authors, and Northanger Abbey has always been a favorite of her novels. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to reread this classic and I love the new cover design. I think the bold and colorful cover art will help entice a new, younger generation to read the Jane Austen collection.

I do wish there was an introduction in the book, to illuminate some themes in Northanger Abbey that persist to this day in our modern retellings of YA fiction. Something to help young readers realize that much of the plots of their contemporary reads stem from the classics.

Rereading this delightful novel, I was again pleasantly surprised by Austen's beautiful writing, her use of comedic elements, and a more modern feel in addressing the audience directly. Catherine Moreland continues to be a timeless heroine, and I quite enjoy that her love interest isn't as big of the core importance of the novel as in some of her others.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sweet Cherry Publishing for the advance copy of their new edition of Jane Austen’s "Northanger Abbey" in exchange for an honest review.

My thanks to Sweet Cherry Publishing for making available a digital copy via NetGalley of their new edition of Jane Austen’s ‘Northanger Abbey’ in exchange for an honest review.

This is part of the publisher’s Jane Austen Collection, in which they are reissuing her novels in paperback for Teen/YA readers with bright, attractive cover art.

I first read ‘Northanger Abbey’ about five years ago and was surprised by how well it held up and its comedic elements. In it Austen satires the fascination with Gothic literature in her own day, which is reflected in the modern day interest in paranormal romance and vampire fiction. As such, Catherine Morland has proven a timeless heroine.

I also found Austen’s breaking of the fourth wall another modern touch as she often addresses her readers directly. Overall, while the romance didn’t feel as prominent as in some of her other works, this has proven to be one of my favourite Austen novels and very enjoyable to reread.

My only slight disappointment is that there was no Introduction for new readers to provide context for the themes of ‘Northanger Abbey’ and where it features in terms of Austen’s body of work.

This is my first Jane Austen novel and honestly, I'm quite peeved with myself that I waited so long to read one.

I adored Catherine, and especially the dynamic of her friendship with Isabella. The writing is utterly beautiful, and it's a great parody of gothic writing from the 18thC.

I'm so glad to have had the chance to read this. I can't wait to explore Jane Austen's other works.

I read this many years ago, and couldn't wait to dip in as soon as I downloaded it this afternoon. This book is truly a delight. I'd forgotten just how much I adore Jane Austen's writing. Even though I knew what happened I still couldn't put it down. Read in one sitting. May go back and read it again a bit slower to savour the language.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a re-read for me, a different edition and a beautiful colour attracted my eyes. Its a novel which comprises of a young girl journey as she imagines herself to be the heroine of her story, she goes out to Bath a place, with her neighbours, falls for a guy, gets invited to Northanger Abbey and then is returned back. She learns a lot about friendships and frenemies. The story has a happy ending for her.

What I loved the best about the book is her innocence in worldly matters, while she is at her home she is convinced that she is well acquainted with all the required knowledge she needs, its only when she ventures out, meets new people, she realizes she has to learn a lot.

She is pretty unsure through the entire story not only about the strength of other people's relationship but even her own friendships and relationships. She is vulnerable to mostly till the end of the story. There was absence of opinion when it came to her character.

In all I loved the writing style. Jane Austen is my favorite author and Northanger Abbey my first classic read in a long long time.
Rating is 4 stars out 5

This edition of a well loved and yet underappreciated Jane Austen Classic, is fabulous! I cannot even tell how many times I have re-read this beloved classic from my favorite Jane Austen. I love this edition cover and I believe that this will bring in a lot of the young adults and young readers to this story of our lovely heroine, Catherine Morland. This wonderful book about is a coming-of-age story of about Catherine who is from a very large household - 1 of 10 children. Catherine is a true heroine and I love her character so much - who is devoted to devouring her gothic novels, a tomboy, a positive disposition with a hint of sarcasm in her sense of humor. It was a true delight to revisit this book again, like seeing an old friend.

thank you to NetGalley and Sweet Cherry Publishing for the ARC copy of this amazing book.

Not at all new to me, this is my umpteenth read of Northanger Abbeyand every time I read it I love it more, this is a new edition with a bright appealing cover I imagine to draw new readers in, but it’s the same great story inside. A wonderful classic you can return to constantly.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Thanks to Netgalley and to the publisher for sending me an e-galley of this book!

In my humble opinion, Northanger Abbey is one of Jane Austen's best pieces and one that truly transcends time. There is so much within these pages that newer readers, especially YA readers would appreciate. It's a period piece but is still relatable.

Catherine Morland is all of us. She's obsessed with books and not just any books, the gothic novel filled with drama and swooning ladies, dashing morally grey heroes and sword fights. She's deep in the fandom to the point that she starts seeing the framework of her fancies in the real world among he friends and the mysterious Tilney Family, whose son Henry (who shares a similar love of fiction, how perfect is that?) has caught her eye.

There's a lot to be found in here. One character talking about his gig (open carriage) reminded me so much of listening to my friend talk about his car. There's the boy crazy best friend who can't seem to keep herself from trouble and even a (sort-of) love triangle.

It's clear that this is a favorite of mine and I loved re-reading it. The formatting was beautiful and better than any other edition I've come across (Except Penguin, which offers a lengthy history and context for the story.) But I feel that for a younger reader that would make this feel more like a chore than something they'd enjoy. I can't wait for today's YA readers to discover this underappreciated novel by one of my favorite authors.

It was delightful to read Northanger Abbey again. As always, I appreciated all Jane Austen’s wit and gentle humour. It is particularly evident in this book, as it mocks the classic gothic novel.

I greatly enjoyed reading Catherine’s story again. It is not surprising that such a young girl, with such a vivid imagination, should get carried away within walls of an actual Abbey.

The new cover is very pretty, and shows how young Catherine is. Hopefully it will appeal to a new generation of young readers, allowing them to discover the enjoyment of reading Austen.

I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Catherine Morland, seventeen, and as painfully ordinary as a middle child of ten can be, longs for the excitement and passion that beset the heroines of her favorite Gothic novels, but has never even left home. However, she may soon have the chance for adventure - she receives an invitation to join her neighbors in Bath, and before long, has acquired a best friend, a second best friend, and maybe even a suitor! But, much to her delight - and pain - things aren’t as they seem...

In my opinion, Northanger Abbey is the gateway Austen - it’s a gentle, affectionate pastiche of the Gothic novel, with all the thoughtful, wry characterization and interest in the economic realities of a woman’s world in the early 19th century that characterizes Austen’s work in general. The Gothic element makes it accessible, and once you’ve fallen for Catherine Morland (you will, just like Henry Tilney does), you’ll want to go read more of Austen’s works.

Which makes this cover appropriate, more or less - it’s dressed up to be accessible and appeal to a younger demographic, and that seems to be Sweet Cherry Publishing’s goal in general. Get some public-domain books, hire a good cover artist to make them look fresh and appealing, hopefully watch them dance off the shelves. I’m not entirely into it myself - I think the cover is a little cutesy even for Northanger Abbey, and is very over the top for Austen’s other works - but if it gets more eleven year olds into Austen, I’m all for it!

What I wish this edition did have was some decent introductory or critical material. The story of Northanger Abbey is lovely on its own, but the humor of it is likely to fall by the wayside without a little bit of information on the Gothic novel, and the kind of girl looking to read Jane Austen as a preteen is also the kind of girl who wants to know about the sub rosa feminism of the female-dominated Gothic novel industry and its follow up genre, the sensation novel. One of the most interesting things about this period is how certain sectors of the publishing industry that had previously been male-dominated came to be female-dominated, and it’s interesting to be aware that Austen herself benefited deeply from the publication of the novels she affectionately ribs in Northanger Abbey. Northanger Abbey can stand on its own, but your reading experience will be much richer if you get the jokes and understand the context - and young reader-friendly introductory material for Austen would be wonderful.

On its own, it’s a story of a girl who wishes the world were more exciting than it is and in her wishing finds herself repeatedly embarrassed when the explanations are mundane. It’s also a be-careful-what-you-wish-for story - Catherine initially misses the intrigues that really exist in looking for the ones that do not, and when she recognizes what’s really there, she finds that intrigues mostly bring heartbreak and disappointment, not excitement. However, Catherine’s silliness is largely a factor of her youth and inexperience, and though it occasionally makes her ridiculous, it never makes her unlovable. Her zest for life and her generosity of spirit do win her true friends, even if it takes a little while for her to recognize who they really are. And that is ultimately a very good lesson for readers of any age.

tl;dr - classic introductory Austen gets a new cover to tart it up for a younger audience; really could use demographic-friendly introduction.

Beautiful Cover for a Gothic Classic

This is a new edition of Northanger Abbey that has been given a beautiful and colorful cartoon cover that I believe is meant to appeal to teenage girls. The text inside is Jane Austen's original. Since Jane Austen's writings are in the public domain, publishing houses can do things like this. In this case, I think this is a good idea because it would be awesome if Jane Austen could be discovered by the next generation. I myself found Jane Austen when I was around 13 or 14. Pride and Prejudice changed my life. I became interested in writing romances myself and wrote several as a teenager, and I have several ideas for my own Jane Austen-inspired fanfiction that I've written and one day hope to publish. I've also gotten to know amazing authors in the Jane Austen fanfiction universe, some of whom I consider friends. So I truly hope that young women discover Jane Austen through books like this one.

For those who don't know, Northanger Abbey is the closest that Jane Austen came to writing gothic fiction. She still has her wonderful insight into the human condition and the state of society and manners at the time. But the gothic twist adds a little fun to the story.