Tuesday, July 3, 2012

First Thoughts on Northanger Abbey

Hello, Readers!  


This summer we are embarking on our 5th novel, and it quite possibly may be one of the least-anticipated ones.  Poor Northanger Abbey.  So far it has not gotten the respect (I believe) it deserves in our Book Club, but I hope we will all enjoy it more than our last book.  


I'm only about four chapters along so far, though this is (amazingly) one of the three Austen novels that I had read prior to Book Club.  So, just remember, 
"If Betsy's read it, so can you!"  
I found some good discussion questions on this site, but the following thoughts in particular stood out to me as good ones to think about in these early stages:
"Northanger Abbey is a book about reading. Much of the plot has to do with the folly of confusing one's own life with the stuff of fictional adventure. But the book also contains a famous Austen defense of novels and novelists, particularly those read and written by women."

Happy Reading! 

Betsy


P.S. I am really confused why Blogger insists that I want a background color behind the text.  I can't figure out how to change it back, since our blog's background is not one of the "Text Background Color" options! If anyone has any ideas, please enlighten me.  Thanks!

4 comments:

  1. If I was reading this book without a cover, I never would have believed that it was written by Jane Austen- the style is so different than her other books.

    I also think that since this book is about Catherine's escape from reality into fiction, the four of us are going to have a lot to talk about!

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  2. You will love Mr. Tilney!

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  3. Thanks for the tip, Jessica! Katie, I have no idea what you are talking about. Us? Escaping from reality to fiction? You must have us confused with some other group of twenty-something, book-reading, blog-writing, recipe-and-craft-trying women...

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  4. I am confused by your comment, Betsy. Not us- Catherine, the "heroine," she has issues discerning between reality and fiction.

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