Monday, February 11, 2013

Teaser Tuesday 162: Northanger Abbey


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current book or recent read.
* Share a few "teaser" sentences from somewhere in the book.
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away. You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title and author so that other participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teaser!


I am nearly done with a reread of Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen, which is this month's classics group read for GR's The Next Best Book Club. While I liked the novel the first time through, I think I have enjoyed this second reading even more. Here's a sampling for you...



No one who had ever seen Catherine Moreland in her infancy would have supposed her born to be an heroine. Her situation in life, the character of her father and mother, her own person and disposition, were all equally against her.

(Opening lines)


~*~*~*~

“I did not think you had been so obstinate, Catherine,” said James; ‘you were not used to be so hard to persuade; you once were the kindest, best-tempered of my sisters.”

“I hope I am not less so now,” she replied, very feelingly; “but indeed I cannot go. If I am wrong, I am doing what I believe to be right.”

(Chapter 13, exchange between Catherine and her brother James)

~*~*~*~

“The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid.”

(Chapter 14, Henry Tilney to Catherine)




ABOUT THE BOOK
First published in December 1817 (posthumously).

Northanger Abbey is Jane Austen's amusing and bitingly satirical pastiche of the 'Gothic' romances popular in her day.

Catherine Morland, an unremarkable tomboy as a child, is thrown amongst all the 'difficulties and dangers' of Bath at the ripe age of seventeen. Armed with an unworldly charm and a vivid imagination, she must overcome the caprices of elegant society, encountering along the way such characters as the vacuous Mrs Allen, coquettish Isabella and the brash bully John Thorpe. Catherine's invitation to Northanger Abbey, in her eyes a haven of coffins, skeletons and other Gothic devices, does lead to an adventure, though one she didn't expect, and her misjudgement of the ambitious, somewhat villainous General Tilney is not wholly unjustified. However, with the aid of the 'unromantic' hero Henry Tilney, Catherine gradually progresses towards maturity and self-knowledge.




23 comments:

Vonnie said...

I need to read more Jane Austen books.

My TT

Heather said...

Vonnie: I need to reread more jane Austen books. I don't much care for Emma, but love all the rest. *g*

Shelley Munro said...

I've never read one all the way through. The language drives me nuts after a while. Good teasers though.

Beth said...

Well, I'll be adding this to my re-read list. I loved the last teaser! Here is my teaser for this week.

Laurel-Rain Snow said...

This is one of the Austen books I missed....now I must read it! Thanks for visiting my blog.

Beth F said...

How fun to reread Austen!

Lisa said...

It's good reading, just for the classic quote about novels.

My teaser is here.

Alice Audrey said...

I still haven't read it yet. Now I'm itching to get my fingers on it.

danicapage said...

This is one of the few Austen's I haven't read. Northanger Abbey and Mansfield Park. I really need to read those.

Thanks for sharing.

Here's my teaser from Strands of Bronze and Gold

~Danica Page@Taking It One Page at a Time

Maria said...

This is such a good book! The movie didn't do it justice.

Here's My TT

Heather said...

Shelley: As you've probably guessed, I love the language, lol.

Heather said...

Beth Starr: Heheh... Hope you find time to return to it soon. There are so many good lines throughout, though her brother and their friends were absolute beasts to her in the scene quoted here.

Heather said...

Laurel-Rain: Gasp! How could you have missed this one? It's actually a short and fairly fast read. I'm glad I picked it up again.

Heather said...

Beth F: It is indeed, and so fun to revisit her world, no matter which novel.

Heather said...

Lisa: Yes it is, and there are other passages about reading as well.

Heather said...

Alice: I hope those itchy fingers are satisfied soon! :)

Heather said...

Danica: I've read all six of her novels, but am still itching to read her shorter works, Lady Susan, The Watsons, and Sanditon. Must make a note to check the UBS for the 3-in-1 volume again.

Heather said...

Maria: I've only seen the movie once, ages ago, and don't recall it much--which probably means you are right. Some days I really feel like I need to open a Netflix account... *g*

Lady In Read said...

i have now read all of her books - after finally reading Pride and Prejudice (yes!) in December..i loved hte teasers

Lady In Read said...

mine is here: http://myrandrspace.blogspot.com/2013/02/yummy-tummy-tuesday-recipe-giveaway.html

Yvonne said...

I've only read P&P, but I do need to read more Austen.

Heather said...

Lady in Read: Looks like you saved the best for last! *G*

Heather said...

Yvonne: Yes, yes -- you should read more Austen, especially if you liked P&P.