Typical Austen

I’m currently rereading all of Jane Austen’s books and yet again I’m amazed at how quickly a story goes from heartbreak to happy ending with incredible speed. In this one, however, I particularly enjoy the “authors comments” which offer gentle and mocking humour. Narration better than some but some times the speaker is unclear with little change of speech between characters

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2 people found this helpful

A delightful Satire that stands the test of Time

It has been decades since I read this book and had forgotten just what a treasure it is! Beautifully read, I enjoyed every syllable and frequently found myself laughing out loud. A light-hearted, tongue-in-cheek foray of a seventeen year old Catherine, addicted to gothic novels, having her own adventures and falling in love. An easy and thoroughly enjoyable
listen and likely to appeal to any woman who still remembers what it was like being just seventeen...

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Very enjoyable

Thoroughly enjoyed it, humerus
observations on human nature I would definitely recommend it to any Austin fan

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Good story but slightly variable voice sounds

I enjoyed the story but found some of the voices varied in volume which is difficult for me as I go to sleep listening to audiobooks. Some voices being louder than the others means I have to choose between not being able to hear the quieter voices clearly or being shocked slightly awake by the louder voices. The story is nice, but does go on a bit at times. I did quite like Austen’s musings throughout the book, which I thought were more direct than in other things I’ve read by her.

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elegant performance

a wonderful performance but for it being very high pitched in places which was uncomfortable

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As a major Jane Austin fan….

I’m a huge lover of Jane Austin and have re-read, and listened to and watched various adaptations and always considered Northanger Abbey to be a practice for the later written favourites such as Pride and Prejudice, Emma and Sense and Sensibility.
It’s style isn’t as polished, the characters not as rounded and the slight indiscretion and satire into Gothic horror feels out of character in comparison to all her other novels.
But the language and social observations are as vivid as ever.
The narrator for this version is clear and has befitting voice, but for me the voice she used for Isabella was very grating and to a first time reader may give a little too much of Isabella’s character away. But other than that, I enjoyed it so much I want to start all over again!

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Jane Austen at her most playful

With most Jane Austen stories you know what you’re going to get. Virtue is rewarded, youthful naivety acquires wisdom and everything comes out right in the end. In Northanger Abbey Austen toys with her readers. Is this a comedy of manners, or a simple romance, or is it, perhaps, a gothic melodrama? Great fun.

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A beautiful reading

The reader of this edition of Northanger Abbey is Juliet Stevenson, whose voice is perfect for Jane Austen. She brings out the character of each personality in the book and beautifully and subtly conveys Jane Austen's gentle irony. However this version is spoiled for me by the intrusive music at the end of each chapter, which breaks up the flow of the story. The music itself is beautiful and appropriate to the period of the book, but if I want to listen to music I will listen to a CD, and if I want to listen to a book I do not want to have the flow constantly and artificially interrupted.

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2 people found this helpful

Northanger Abbey

Never read this book but thoroughly enjoyed hearing it. The narrator was just perfect and I shall enjoy listening to it several times more.

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superb reading

I didn't enjoy reading this book myself, but this version is wonderfully read and really brought to life Jane Austen's superb dialogue and social commentary - this is now one of my favourites 😀

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