Northanger AbbeyNorthanger Abbey
Score Classic
What it's about
Jane Austen's entertaining coming-of-age story, often called her 'Gothic parody.'
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It's Austen at her most playful.
You'll love it if you liked
Sense and Sensibility
Emma
Jane EyreGood to know
It pokes fun at Gothic novels, so it's light and funny.
By the numbers
- Readers31 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics30 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller31 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
Why it made the list
Reads as
Dark, Moving
More by Jane Austen
Pride and PrejudiceEmma
PersuasionSense and SensibilityIf you like this, read next
The Great Gatsby
My Cousin Rachel
The Go-Between
Doctor Zhivago
I Capture the Castle
Tess of the D'UrbervillesExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Northanger Abbey worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It ranks #2,383 of the 3,057 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 61.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Northanger Abbey about?
Jane Austen's entertaining coming-of-age story, often called her 'Gothic parody.'
How long does it take to read Northanger Abbey?
About 8 hours (322 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Northanger Abbey?
If you liked it, try Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen, Emma by Jane Austen or Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë.