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

Loved the Narrator

This book kept my interest even though the plot moved very slowly at times. The narrator did a great job with the old english way of speaking and I even laughed at her haughty interpretation of a couple of the wealthy charactors.

Great Drama

Listening to Jane Austin's books has brought me to a new level of appreciation of the drama and excitement in her novels.

A Jane Austin Fan MUST READ

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I have read every other Jane Austin novel, but always overlooked this one - A MISTAKE! This is by far my favorite novel she wrote.

Early Jane Austen Presents

This is a great book for lovers of romance novels, and Jane Austen in particular. According to Wikipedia (I know) this was her first novel, but was not published until after her death. The heroine is even more normal than other Austen heroines, so that's fun. The best part (aside from the story) is that the narrator/novelist has a voice and speaks at length about her views on novels/novelists/readers.

The narrator was solid, and non-aggravating, though occasionally her Exclamatory Catherine voice startled me rather more than I thought necessary.

Overall a very enjoyable listen.

The Incomparable Jane Austen

Beautifully read, as Jane meant it to be. The biting social commentary had me laughing so hard I had to pull off the road. Who today could compare?

fun "thriller*

Juliet Stevenson did a great job! As far as the story goes, it's written like a gothic parody. It has some moments where the heroine is scared (by circumstances she creates in her mind with her own imagination, but that's besides the point). It's a fun "thriller" with some romance thrown in.

There are few things I like better than Jane Austen read by Juliet Stevenson

Sad as it was to have finished listening to Juliet Stevenson reading Middlemarch, there is still Juliet Stevenson reading Jane Austen. I love this so much. I plan to listen to all of Stevenson’s readings. She is wonderful.

Enjoyable story!

The story was so full of humor, and shocking turns of event -- I love Jane Austen's style so much! My only complaint was the obnoxious, over eager voice the reader gave the heroine. All other voices were performed so well, but I came to really detest hearing the heroine speak by the end of the story. It is a pity, because everything else was tops.

Utterly brilliant narration

I've been enjoying the roster of A-list English actresses who narrate Austen audiobooks. Rosamund Pike did a terrific job with "Pride and Prejudice," as did Greta Schacchi with "Persuasion." But wow, Juliet Stevenson towers above both of them. "Northanger Abbey" is, by a long way, Austen's snarkiest novel, and Stevenson doesn't miss a single snarky little nuance. (She played the horrible Mrs. Elton in the Gwyneth Paltrow movie version of "Emma," so she knows a thing or two about how snark works.) Her voices are varied, easily distinguishable, and perfect, most definitely including the male ones. Her Jack Thorpe is a particular delight; I wanted to slap the guy the moment Stevenson spoke a word of his dialogue. I laughed so hard during Mr. Tilney's description of the over-the-top Gothic horrors Catherine was likely to encounter at Northanger that I damn near crashed my car. Stevenson is the best Austen narrator ever, and I'd have to say maybe even the best narrator, full stop, that I've heard on Audible.

The story, well, it's Austen. If you love Austen, you'll love it. If you don't, you'll probably think "dang, those are a lot of very long and unnecessarily complicated sentences, and it's perfectly obvious who's going to marry whom and besides I don't care" and move on to something else. But for a Janeophile like me (though not quite a Janeite), this is a little piece of audiobook heaven.

Glad I Tried Again with Ms Stevenson

An avid Jane Austen fan, I have never much liked "Northanger Abbey". Given the right reader, however, it can be a lot of fun! Juliet Stevenson, I thank you! In this version, I saw the humor and the charm of NA in a way I never had before.
Still not the best Austen book but definitely the best narrator of Austen's work.