Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen... is Jane Austen's first completed novel. It was written over an extended period of time, as she began writing it around 1794 and finished it between approximately 1798 and 1799, but the novel was not published until after her death in 1918. It is one of those novels that follow the development and maturity of the heroine, and it is also considered a parody of the Gothic horror novels that were popular at the time. , where dilapidated castles, mysterious chests and closets, and enigmatic letters give the novel a strange, supernatural atmosphere, but it has a clear satirical touch. The novel's unconventional heroine is Catherine Morland, a remarkably naive seventeen-year-old country girl. While spending a few weeks with family friends, Catherine meets and falls in love with Henry Tilney. Henry's family invites her to visit them at their home, Northanger Abbey. Once there, Catherine gives in to her fantasies influenced by the Gothic novels she is addicted to reading, and lets the mysterious atmosphere of the old palace fill her mind with horrific doubts. What is the mystery surrounding the death of Henry's mother? Is the family hiding a horrific mystery within the walls of the elegant palace? Can she trust Henry, or is he part of the malicious plot? Catherine imagines the most horrific signs and omens in simple, ordinary events, until Henry convinces her of the dangers of mixing novels with real-life events.
