Gracious Does it Take These Folks a Long Time to Say Anything of Importance

or I read my first Jane Austen novel and I ADORED it!

Don't kill me! Or worse, don't revoke my English degree. You did indeed read that title correctly : my FIRST Jane Austen novel.

Hello my name is Jennifer. I'm 46 years old, earned an English degree with honors and I have NEVER read Jane Austen … until now.

There is a huge community of Austen-ites out there and I adore them. Truly. I love the passion you all have, the way you debate who is the quintessential Mr. Darcy and how you'll even dress up in Edwardian attire and tour around Bath wearing bonnets and cravats. I. LOVE. IT! And I wanted to understand it, wanted to be a part of it.

I've never watched a movie based off an Austen novel either because I wanted to read the novels first. I never made the time to read one until now and I'm really kind of sad that it took me so long to park myself on my chaise lounge and swoon.

Now. Let's play a game.

What Jane Austen novel did Jen read for her first foray in the realm of the Queen of Classic Swoon?

Go on....

guess.....

You're wrong.

I didn't read the ubiquitous P&P. Nope. I didn't procure a copy of Emma and I ignored Sense & Sensibility completely. The novel that called my name was her least known work, one where she played with the Gothic Romance trope. And in my opinion she had a LOT of fun with it!

Northanger Abbey was the first novel Austen ever completed for publication. A publisher purchased it but never put it into print. Austen asked repeatedly for an excuse but one was never given. Sadly, Austen never lived to see it published and it was published in 1818 by her brother after her death the year before.

The general summary is this:

Catherine Morland turns 17 and is ready to go out into the world. She longs to be the heroine of one of the Gothic terrors she enjoys reading but is pretty unremarkable in terms of heroines go. Family friends take her to Bath with them for a few months and while she's there, Catherine is presented with fashionable society, meets new friends and falls in love with the Dashing Hero.

I've read Edwardian fiction before. I've read Regency fiction, Middle English and Old English. As with any manner of writing not in line with contemporary speech, it takes a bit for me to find the right ears to hear with. I confess : it took me a few chapters before I really fell into the rhythm of Austen's language but what really threw me was the circuitous manner in which everyone speaks! Good heavens! These people talk in Celtic knots! It's hilarious. Especially our Dashing Hero, Mr. Henry Tilney and let me tell you this right now : HELLO MR.TILNEY! I know, I know : we're all supposed to save ourselves for Mr. Darcy but – ahem – I'm a little head over heels for this gent. And he is HILARIOUSLY sarcastic but so charming and so good-natured that the readers (as well as our unassuming heroine) is quick to forgive him. Oh and bonus points for his being interested in Catherine almost as soon as she's interested in him.

But of COURSE, like all good romances, things can't be easy. Oh no. Enter the New Best Friend who happens to be in love with Catherine's brother who happens to be in Bath as well and is best friend's with HER brother who – lo! - ends up falling for Catherine! And of course, he's a jerk.

Like, lying to force her to go driving with him in a carriage so he can continue talking her ears off about his blasted horses jerk. Like forcibly attempting to drag her out the next day so that she'll go riding with him again AND having his sister Isabelle (Catherine's “New Best Friend”) help in the attempt!

OK. Blerg. The first half of this book stressed me out so much because of all the “but you MUSTS!” and, “Oh, don't be ridiculous, just tell them something came ups” and the misunderstanding! YIKES! I was literally yelling at the book, “NO! NO! Catherine, don't go! John is a creep!” and something along the lines of , “But what about HENRY! HENRY, HELP!”.

Yeah, my husband thinks I'm a bit off. But he's used to me so it's OK * big grin *

Elevated stress levels aside, the first half of the book is a hilarious look into the societal norms and niceties and ridiculous rituals of fashionable society in England during the late 1700s. But the real story kicks in when Catherine is invited by her friend, Eleanor Tilney and her father, Colonel Tilney, to spend a few weeks at their home, Northanger Abbey.

And of COURSE Henry will be there!

* swoon *

Oh Friends! My how things progress! On the ride to the Abbey, Henry constructs such a delightful tale of horror that Catherine's young mind is impressed beyond imagining. All manner of things occur to her that must be true and therefore color her weeks at the Abbey in very humorous ways. In fact, the story Henry tells her in pure jest is the absolute crowning achievement of the book and I had to reread it several times.

The story progresses as I imagine most novels of this day. There's misunderstandings and odd correspondences from supposed friends and ultimately the revelation of a deception that's been going on throughout the book, quite under the readers' (and the characters') noses. It's one of those endings that's hastily constructed but greeted with relief with the happy reminder that the next time you read it, you'll know how everything turns out and you can focus on the language instead of getting to the point.

My absolute favorite thing about this novel is Austen continually brings the reader back to the fact that they are reading a story and how the heroine is being treated in regards to being the heroine of her own, particular story. It’s cheeky and sly on Austen’s part because it takes that Gothic Romance trope and turns it inside out with hilarious consequences.

I enjoyed this novel. A lot. I didn't expect to laugh out loud as much as I did and I certainly didn't expect to be completely and totally charmed by one Henry Tilney. As for the main character, Catherine Morland is lovely. She's exactly the way a young, naive girl out and about on her own for the first time should be. There's a lot of jostling for affections and some advantages taken by some pretty disgusting individuals but nothing terrible. Nothing tragic. Everything is summed up nicely and neatly in the end.

But I won't tell you any more. Go grab yourself a copy of Northanger Abbey as soon as you can. Prepare to be delighted, prepare to be thrilled, prepare to be disgusted by displays of manipulative humanity. Oh, and prepare to give Mr. Darcy a run for his money (which I understand, is quite considerable).

Happy Reading x