A most delightful read. This is Austen’s first book written and it is (therefore) the most unpolished. And it shows in her style. It is less diplomatic and styled than her later works. And that is exactly what I liked.
It is an up-beat, happy story about Catherine Morland, who travels with her neighbours to Bath, where she meets Henry Tilney. For her it is love at first sight, but his intentions are not clear. The intentions of John Thorpe, the brother of Catherine’s new found friend Isabella, for Catherine however are quite clear, only not to her. When her brother meets them in Bath and he seems to hit it off with Isabella, Catherine is happy to have such a crowd to hang out with. But still, if only Henry could join in the fun. All is well until Henry’s sister Eleanor comes into the picture and Catherine has to chose between with whom she wants to be and what is expected of her. Eventually Catherine is invited to come to Northanger Abbey with the Tilneys. Her happiness couldn’t be more complete, if only it could stay that way.
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[…] visiting Bath. Here is where the literary part of the vacation begins. Most of Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey takes place in Bath and I’m determined to follow in the footsteps of Catherine Morland, the […]