Northanger Abbey, Jane Austen

I seem to be making my way through Jane Austen's works this year!  I began this book with few expectations other than a typical Jane Austen read, but it turned out to be a little different.  Northanger Abbey is Jane Austin's satirical take on Ann Radcliffe-style Gothic novels.  I found the novel's romantic conflict halfhearted; instead Austen focused on building suspenseful imaginings in the mind of her protagonist, Catherine Morland.  At seventeen, Catherine is sensible but very naive, and learns the hard way that some acquaintances are superficial and deceitful while others are generous and genuine.  And she learns that frank realities are sometimes worse than dark, romantic imaginings.

An enjoyable read.  It could almost qualify as a coming of age novel of sorts, regency England style.  I would perhaps recommend this book for a younger reader who's not quite ready to tackle the dark and more complex themes of works like Sense and Sensibility and Persuasion.