Henry Avila's Reviews > Northanger Abbey

Catherine Morland is your typical seventeen -year- old -girl, of the turn of the century (19th, that is). She reads too much, an illness that is sadly terminal, Gothic books are her passion and the rage of the era . Any ancient home that is eerie , ominous or sinister the young lady would enjoy seeing, if there were any in the area. She lives in a quiet English village, (too quiet) where everyone knows each other, which keeps the populous from misadventures. Her parents have ten children and surprisingly, her mother is alive and healthy. Miss Morland's father is a well to do clergyman, but with all those kids, nobody would know especially Catherine. Mrs. Allen a wealthy neighbor is going on a six -week vacation to Bath, with Mr.Allen ( he has the fashionable gout ), the most famous resort in England. Mrs. Allen needs an agreeable companion to talk to, she's rather silly, asks Catherine. Her chief interest is clothes, still how long can you speak about fashion, before it gets tiresome? The fatigued husband doesn't stay in her presence very long. Arriving in town is exciting and daunting, soon people start to notice Miss Catherine Morland particularly young men, a new experience for her. She grew up a tomboy playing outside with the boys, not inside with dolls. Yet the last three years her homely awkwardness has vanished, a pleasant, pretty appearance she acquires that even her astonished mother, acknowledges. Catherine soon forms a friendship with Isabella Thorpe a beautiful, deceitful, gold digger, her family has little, but she has ... at 21, time is running out for her to catch a rich husband. It doesn't take long to discover that Catherine's brother James, and Isabella's brother John, are best friends, so naturally the two ladies also become too. Then the brothers of the girls come to town, unexpectedly. Catherine loves her plain looking older brother, and you can imagine the shock that she feels, when James and Isabella become engaged! Yes, it's the first time Catherine has been out of her insulated village, of Fullerton. Still true love has a rocky road to travel, when it isn't. Henry Tilney a wealthy man's son, meets the charming Catherine at a dance. She has eyes for him, but so does Isabella's annoying brother John, for her (he's always talking about his horses). However Henry's older brother Captain Frederick Tilney, arrives too, very popular Bath is for romance and starts flirting with Isabella, which she doesn't mind but James does. He has more money than Catherine's brother. The resort is famous for the miraculous waters, though most go there for the dancing, plays, card games and walking around in the Grand Pump Room and meeting the rich... Showing everyone who's interested they're in town, nobody is... Later Catherine is invited by General Tilney the father of Henry, to go to Northanger Abbey, his home. Amazingly a real Gothic house with his son, and daughter Eleanor, another friend of Catherine 's and stay a few weeks. The girl with a wild imagination is thrilled, finally, all Catherine's dreams have come to pass ...