Publisher's Synopsis
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
Catherine Morland is a fairly insignificant 17-year-old who lives in a small village, Fullerton, with her nine siblings and her parents. Fortunately for Catherine, this boring state of affairs only lasts for one chapter. The Allens, a wealthy childless couple, invite Catherine to visit the resort town of Bath (a resort town in England) with them. Catherine is thrilled to leave her boring city. But Catherine's views on life outside her small town are very colorful by the gothic romantic novels she reads, as well as by her inexperience and naivety. This leads to many comedic setbacks during her time away from home.
While in Bath, Catherine meets and befriends two families: the scheming Thorpe and the wealthy and educated Tilney. She first meets the charming and witty Henry Tilney at a dance and quickly develops a huge crush on him. Luckily, Catherine also befriends Isabella Thorpe, so she has someone to discuss her crush with. Isabella and Catherine quickly bond and go to read gothic novels, gossip and participate in dances.
Isabella is also in love with Catherine's older brother James. And James is a good friend of Isabella's older brother John. So, of course, the Thorpes decide Catherine is the perfect match for John. They can all double the date. John is, unfortunately (and hilariously), rude and bossy. The Thorpe brothers spend their time manipulating both James and Catherine to secure profitable marriages for themselves. Although the Morlands are certainly not rich, they have more money than the Thorpes. Catherine remains largely oblivious to Thorpe's patterns and tends to assume that everyone is as honest as she and James are. This leads to a whole series of comic misadventures in which the naive Catherine continually manages to extricate herself from the situations orchestrated by the Thorpes.
Despite John's courtship attempts and Isabella's shrewd attempts at distraction, Catherine is still falling in love with wealthy Henry Tilney. She also befriends her polite and quiet sister Eleanor, who is the exact opposite of the artificial Isabella. As Catherine approaches Henry, Isabella becomes engaged to James. But, within days, Isabella meets handsome Captain Tilney, Henry's older brother, and she starts flirting outrageously with him.
Henry, Eleanor and their father, General Tilney, decide to leave Bath and invite Catherine to visit their home, Northanger Abbey. While she was at Northanger Abbey, Catherine's love of gothic novels and her tendency to confuse fiction with her reality come back to haunt her. Catherine makes some bad assumptions after learning of Mrs. Tilney's death, and she begins to suspect controlling General Tilney is murder. Henry calls her about it, and Catherine feels bad when she learns that Mrs. Tilney died of perfectly natural causes.
After this, Catherine also discovers that James has canceled his engagement to Isabella. Isabella had entered into an affair with Captain Tilney, but, unfortunately for her, Captain Tilney has no marriage plans. Isabella is socially ruined by this scandal and Catherine realizes that their friendship was a farce.
But things are going well with Henry and Catherine. But, before their relationship can progress to an engagement, General Tilney throws Catherine out of the house. Catherine is confused and returns home to Fullerton. But Henry follows him, explaining that his father learned that Catherine wasn't as rich as he had thought, which meant they could no longer socialize. Against his father's wishes, Henry proposes to Catherine. Eleanor, meanwhile, marries a wealthy man and General Tilney soon gives his approval to Henry and Catherine. Henry and Catherine then get married. End.
