Northanger Abbey

This is the Austen novel that I've read the least, as it is a parody of Gothic novels which were popular during Austen's lifetime. They were about wild and dangerous goings on, and usually set abroad. However, Catherine Morland, the heroine is a rather shy girl of 18, who lives with her mother and her clergyman father, and several siblings. Mr Morland is not rich nor is he poor. Catherine gets an invitation to go to Bath for a holiday with Mrs Allen a middle aged neighbour. She is very excited but Bath proves rather dull and there is no sign of having adventures. She meets a young clergyman called Henry Tilney and his sister Eleanor. Henry is lively and witty and Catherine who is shy and naive, finds it hard to understand when he is joking. But she likes him and Eleanor. However she also meets a young lady called Isabella Thorpe who is an experienced flirt, not very well off but who shares her passion for adventurous sensation novels. THey become close friends and Catherine is very fond of her, but through Isabella, she meets her loutish brother John, who tries to pay court to Catherine in a clumsy unattractive way. James, Catherine's brother comes to Bath for a visit, and he becomes infatuated with Isabella, who thinking the Morlands are much richer than they are, encourages him.