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

I Just Don't Get Jane Austen

Except as a BBC series with great actors. I'm sorry, I just couldn't finish this in spite of the excellent reader. Maybe I'll try again someday.

The young women are just too silly and dense (at least in the first hour) and the guys down right annoying.

5 Star Book, 5 Star Narrator, 2 Star Audio Quality

This may be my favorite Jane Austen novel, and the narrator is perfect. My only complaint is that once I downloaded the file and put it in iTunes, the audio quality wasn't nearly what it was in the sample on this website. I downloaded Audio Format 4. I had the same issue with Persuasion, also read by Juliet Stevenson, but I did not have this problem with Pride and Prejudice or Emma, both read by different narrators, which I downloaded about a year ago. This makes me think that the problem is with this file and not with my computer.

Another thorough enjoyment of Jane Austen's imagination.

Although quite different from Ms. Austin's later works, I thoroughly enjoyed this, her first. Her lyrical writing that allows her readers entry into the minds and hearts of her characters was enjoyed from the start. Other aspects of her writing that made her later works worthy of great literary significance were also present, but in less developed form. This assertion, however, did not detract one bit from the pleasure I experienced in reading "Northanger Abbey," with one exception. The ending was wrapped up much too quickly and I felt deprived of learning of and experiencing the particulars of an ending of which I can say no more, so as not to spoil it for those lucky people who are have not read (sadly) this, my last of Austin's books.

Enhanced experience of a familiar, favourite book

Would you consider the audio edition of Northanger Abbey to be better than the print version?

Yes, I would. I have read this book (in print) many times, but Juliet Stephenson's performance was a marvel, and it enhanced my experience of reading the book, and my understanding of the book and its subtle nuances, in a way that repeated reading of the print book had not. Brava!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Northanger Abbey?

It's hard to choose one of Catherine's foolish adventures based on flawed supposition, but I think I like the "ebony and gold chest" best. Or perhaps the story that Henry spins for her about what she expects to find at the Abbey, which is richly detailed even as it pokes fun at itself.

Have you listened to any of Juliet Stevenson’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I listened to her narration of "Persuasion". That's what prompted me to buy this one.

A nice love story

Here we have a woman without anything taken to live with a family with means. Jane likes to paint woman in either role and this time it fits. The young lady in question has to fight for what she wants even though she’s literally turned out in the middle of the night.

This is a great short story to read even though it’s broken down into two physical books. Listening to it makes it much easier.

Great Satire as well as Romance

I fell in love with Pride and Prejudice as a youth and have read all Austin's novels but I think this is my favorite.

Jane Austen + Juliet Stevenson = perfection!

Although this is not even my favorite Jane Austen, Juliet Stevenson's performance is so wonderful (as always) that it has improved the novel, in my opinion! This is a fun novel, though, and Katherine's naïveté is a delightful foil against the duplicitous and shallow characters she meets on her first trip into society. Henry Tilney's growing feelings for her are subtly expressed and make for a fun story as well. He really gets a kick out of Katherine! The well-summarized happy endings in Jane Austen books are a delightful departure from the usual hardships of real life. Sorry about that spoiler. Sorry if I am misspelling any names, as I often do after "reading" audiobooks!

Fantastic reader; book is basically great

Just like the title says!

Narrator did a fantastic job capturing the spirit of the time and of each character.

The story is pretty good--it's Jane Austen! I would say, however, that it's not as good as her other books.

Watch the PBS dramatization of it (with the actress from Rogue One), and see how they condensed and changed the storyline. They actually managed to make the movie better than the book, imho.

Either way, great listen here.

Great entertainment for Austen aficionados.

What did you love best about Northanger Abbey?

Juliet Stevenson's voices for each character were entertaining and amusingly portrayed. I prefer a single reader's voice and enjoyed this rendition so much I purchased Persuasion to listen to next.

Love love love & Juliet Steveson for the win!

I adored Juliet Stevenson's narration of this perfect Austen novel. Northanger Abbey is relevantly amusing - timeless humor and wit. I will listen again and again.