Northanger Abbey

By: Jane Austen

Narrated by: Juliet Stevenson

Length: 8 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

When Catherine Morland, a country clergyman's daughter, is invited to spend a season in Bath with the fashionable high society, little does she imagine the delights and perils that await her. Captivated and disconcerted by what she finds, and introduced to the joys of "Gothic novels" by her new friend, Isabella, Catherine longs for mystery and romance. When she is invited to stay with the beguiling Henry Tilney and his family at Northanger Abbey, she expects mystery and intrigue at every turn. However, the truth turns out to be even stranger than fiction.

©2006 Naxos AudioBooks (P)2006 Naxos AudioBooks

For heroines in training

This was a fun, light-hearted romp, but not one of Austen's best works. It had her characteristic humor, and I love the way she delivers both approbation and condemnation in such wry, genteel turns of phrase. Austen's world is a Regency fairyland where nothing truly violent or horrific ever happens, which makes Catherine Morland, the 17-year-old heroine of Northanger Abbey all the more endearing. Catherine reads lots of gothic novels, and would like nothing better than to be trapped in a haunted house, discover that the local baronet is hiding his mad wife in an attic, find a mysterious orphan on her doorstep, uncover a wicked poisoning plot, etc. Sadly, no such dramatic events occur during her stay in Bath, but she does make friends with the Allens, the Thorpes, and the Tilneys, leading to a typical Austen comedy of manners with misunderstandings, deceptions, attachments, broken engagements, etc.

Catherine is a sweet former tomboy who still has a vivid imagination and a taste for adventure. She grows up over the course of her little adventure, making friends, figuring out that not everyone can be taken at face value, and that she shouldn't try to fit real people into the plots of gothic novels. Also, Austen has a lot of fun name-checking fellow authors, honoring some and making fun of others, and defending the novel as a legitimate work of art.

However, the ending was rushed and had none of the humor or wit of the first part, like Austen had a fun time writing about her overly-imaginative heroine and her adventures for the first part of the book, and then said, "Oh, well, I guess I'd better write the happy ending now." So all misunderstandings are cleared up and Catherine is suitably settled in the last chapter, mostly through a lot of exposition. So, an enjoyable but a lightweight book without the depth of some of Austen's other works.

The best narrator for Jane Austen!

I love Juliette Stevenson's characterizations. She really brings each character to life for me. I could listen to her performances repeatedly and. It grow tired.

A Must-Listen for Austen Fans

Juliet Stevenson is the perfect narrator for Jane Austen's works. She understands who the characters are, and gives each one the perfect voice to suit their unique personality. She did an incredible job bringing the story and characters in Northanger Abbey to life. I especially enjoyed her rendition of Isabella Thorpe! An exceptional, five-star performance in every way.

Perhaps Austen's most entertaining novel.

Entertaining and beautifully read, this story reminds us that every 17-year-old can be a heroine if she but reads her life rightly.

Brilliant narration!

Would you listen to Northanger Abbey again? Why?

There are too many great books to listen to books again. That said, if I were to listen to it again, it would be primarily for the brilliant work that Juliet Stevenson did in not only narrating the novel, but in giving life to the various characters in a very believable manner. She showed amazing range in her voice, from the naive, young Catherine to the worldly Henry to the self-absorbed and arrogant Thorpe, the imperious General Tilney, and others.

What other book might you compare Northanger Abbey to and why?

Any of the classic English period pieces.

Have you listened to any of Juliet Stevenson’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I cannot recall offhand if I have listened to any of her other performances. I have listened to over 50 audio books and either her others did not make as much of an impression on me as her excellent work in this one or, more likely, I pay more attention to the narration now than I did in my earlier listens.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

No particular moment, it's just a good story of the period. I do appreciate how Jane Austen attempted to convey through her characters the difference between having an aristocratic title or background, and having admirable character.

Any additional comments?

I cannot say enough about Juliet Stevenson's narration and voice acting in this one. I was so impressed with it that I will actually be seeking out other books that she has narrated. In terms of the book itself, it's a good novel but I did find that there was a section around the middle in which it seemed to devolve from the standard courtship story with insight into various kinds of characters and motives into a sort of Gothic light horror as Catherine explored Northanger Abbey. That part only lasted for a short time and did not play any lasting part in the novel, and seemed an odd digression from the main plot. Without any background in Austen on my part, it almost seemed like an experiment on her part in this genre that she placed in the middle of a novel to try it out.

Fantastic narration.

Juliet Stevenson managed to capture just the right voice for each character. The variation in tone, pitch of every character, which also gave hints to their personalities was done to perfection by Stevenson.

Amusing early work of a budding talent

One of the earliest novels written by Jane Austen, this work was not published until after her death.

It is a lighthearted comedy of errors, in which Austen’s trademark wit is very much present, that plays with the established conventions of the gothic romance novel... if there’s one thing that makes it a bit less accessible than her other works it is that Austen makes reference to popular novels of the time that aren’t all that well known today. Still, these aren’t so prevalent that the main story is unintelligible and in the character of Catherine Morland, Austen has created a distinctive, endearingly flawed heroine.

Juliet Stevenson’s narration is calmly assured and she clearly relishes in delivering the snarky authorial asides to the reader.

Classic Austen, well read

Catherine is not Austen’s most compelling heroine, but the story is bouncy and fun, with a little edge of snark. Reading was excellent, and aiding in the development of characters and understanding of prose. Recommended.

This is the only Jane Austen book I hadn’t read

I enjoyed the story and the reader. I always find the language and the amount of detail in Austen’s writing to be quite delightful. There were some funny moments as well.

the first anti-Goth

What did you love best about Northanger Abbey?

Very fun - Jane Austen writing about the sweetest fan of Gothic tales yet who is the perfect antiGothic heroine.

What other book might you compare Northanger Abbey to and why?

Northanger Abbey complements the oh-so-tragic tales of such figures as Heathcliffe and Kathy. However, it oh-so-not such a tale. Only Austen's narrative can make one chuckle at the difference.

Which character – as performed by Juliet Stevenson – was your favorite?

Stevenson's portrayals are easily understood, well formed, and never condescending.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Very fun novel. I enjoyed talking to friends about this book and hearing what they'd thought when they'd read it.