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

Unlikely heroine

Where does Northanger Abbey rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Its a great classic and I'm loving revisiting the classics through the medium of audio books. Northanger was a favorite as a young girl as I shared Catherine's love of old buildings. Its not as polished as Austens other novels but i love the rawness and the hurried ending.

Which scene was your favorite?

Where Catherine explores her room her imagination takes over. Its relatable and the emotions experienced shared by many a teenage girl in the 18th and the 21st Century.

Any additional comments?

Juliet Stevenson reads flawlessly yet again. Shes my favorite narrator and brings life to every charachter

Enjoyable

Loved the humor, phrasing, and the narrator is excellent. The heroine's youth and obsession with horror makes for a good contrast with actual difficulty and new awareness

It was ok

The voice that the narrator gave the main character was soon insipid and irritating, that in parts with long conversations, I even turned it off a couple times. Besides that, the narration was ok. Personal opinion is that this is the weakest of Jane Austen's work.

Whimsical and Amusing Classic

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

I would state that it is definitely a good way to enjoy the original work of Jane Austen and has merit in its own way. The book is fantastic in this format.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Isabella Thorp, 'friend' to the heroine
She is appalling and in your face selfish even though the heroine is innocent in the way of people and doesn't realize it until much later. Her flaws are just so pronounced that she was a source of high amusement.

What about Juliet Stevenson’s performance did you like?

What was not to like! She channeled her inner Jane Austen and her own sense of tone, timing, emotion, and wit so that the 'narrator' was as well beloved as the rest of the cast of this story.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

If I could, I would have. As it was, I set aside other things to listen.

Any additional comments?

For those who are first coming to the classics or Jane Austen, this story is a light, bit of whimsy that makes a good place to start. It is told tongue firmly in cheek and has some laugh out loud moments along with sweet ones, too.

A great reading of a great work

As the novel has stood the test of time—written in 1798/99 and originally titled Susan—it does not need my review to attest to its greatness, but I will say the the reader added to the experience. This is one of the best performances I have heard on this novel

A+

Juliet Stevenson is my favorite reader for Jane Austen novels. She has a pleasing alto voice, and gives a very lively reading. Ms. Stevenson gives all of Jane's characters distinct voices and personalities. I recommend this audiobook highly!

Jane Austin- now I know

I have never "read" a Jane Austin book before, but listening to this one was quite entertaining as well as historically interesting. A light book, full of fun.

Great narrator

I’m not sure I would have made it all the way through this book if I were to have read it myself, but the narrator is excellent. She gives all the right nuance to the conversation. It was not my favorite Austen story because I can’t say I loved the heroine. She was too silly. But I did enjoy Austen’s humor and satire.

It is Jane Austen, need I say more?

A sweet and twisting tale of love, misunderstandings and the excitement of youth. I always feel elevated after a Jane Austen novel, like I did something good for myself!

Delightful!

Juliet Stevenson is marvelous. Her reading brings this witty and humorous tale to life. Absolute perfection. And Austen is brilliant as always.