Marisha Pessl: Friend of Jane (and Da Man!)
Alert Janeite DeeDee sent us a scan of an article from The Week in which novelist Marisha Pessl names her best books–a list that includes Northanger Abbey.
This underestimated work of Jane Austen deserves a second look.
And a third, and a fourth, and so on, and so on…
The story follows Catherine Morland during her visit to Bath, England, with family friends. Part parody of gothic fiction, part social satire, the book probes how the books we read shape our reality, help us fabricate illustions–which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as Austen so delicately, and humorously, points out.
(But what about the Great!Coat? She didn’t mention the Great!Coat.)
August 24th, 2006 at 7:01 am
But what about the Great!Coat? She didn’t mention the Great!Coat.
I do so adore a Great!Coat. I actually think, regimentals are nothing to a Great!Coat.
[insert a very P&P2-Lydia-and-Kitty-when-talking-about-surprising-Lt.Denny-in-the-morning-like: "Ahmmmm!" here]
August 24th, 2006 at 5:18 pm
Especially when Booted and Great!Coated…
August 25th, 2006 at 4:52 pm
I believe I’m missing something. Though I adore NA and have from the first chapter.
August 27th, 2006 at 10:51 am
Oh, good!!
Happy to see that Marisha Pessl included Northanger Abbey in her list.
I have always thought the same.
Northanger Abbey is the most relevant of all JA’s novels today, as it deals with ‘reading’ and readers’ attitudes then, and more so ‘now’ (with much much more material to read and react to). And one could encompass TV and computer too.