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Northanger Abbey

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Northanger Abbey

By: Jane Austen
Narrated by: Mary Sarah Agliotta
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About this listen

In Northanger Abbey, a young woman's penchant for sensational Gothic novels leads to misunderstandings in the matters of the heart. Austen's first, this is considered by many to be among her most charming novels.

Public Domain (P)2012 Trout Lake Media Classics Heartfelt
All stars
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Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Well, yes. It's interesting to hear one of her less prominent novels

What other book might you compare Northanger Abbey to, and why?

Don't know - it's different to other Austens and isn't a "horror" book.

How could the performance have been better?

Sorry, but the American voice doesn't work. Mama and Papa are not the same as Momma and Poppa. Austen is quintessentially English and needs an English reader. (No offence intended).

Could you see Northanger Abbey being made into a movie or a TV series? Who would the stars be?

Not really, it doesn't translate IMO.

I'd forgotten how varied Jane's voice is!

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I know this story well, but fancied an Austen fix. I'm afraid the narrator jabbered on at speed and rattled my brains! Apologies if she reads this review and is offended 😕

Oh dear.......

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What would have made Northanger Abbey better?

Nothing would have made the story better - it is my favourite Jane Austen and is funny and clever. The reading is appalling.

What did you like best about this story?

The story is a spoof - a send-up of the currently popular (in JA's day) scary stories of old castles and spooky goings on, plus the social life of Bath. It is very funny (especially when you know the main subject of the spoof which is the Castle of Udolpho by Ann Ratcliffe), and very clever in the words she puts into the characters' mouths.

Who might you have cast as narrator instead of Mary Sarah Agliotta?

ANYONE who could speak and pronounce English. This reader's American accent is annoying concerning such a very English book, but I could live with that. The dreadful mispronunciation, not only of English words, but particularly of English place names is atrocious. Just a little research beforehand might have cured this problem.

What character would you cut from Northanger Abbey?

I wouldn't. This narrator?

Any additional comments?

This is such a shame. I have been enjoying the other Audible Jane Austens very much indeed, and I was so looking forward to this one, which is totally spoiled for me. I am barely half way through and cannot listen to any more.

A sad reading of this book

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Would you try another book written by Jane Austen or narrated by Mary Sarah Agliotta?

Austen yes, agliotta... no. Her pronunciations are all over the place and the story is riddled with editing mistakes and repeated lines. It's the most unprofessional audiobook I've ever heard.

Incredible pronunciations

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Northanger Abbey is an important work for scholars of English literature and is one of the shortest of Jane Austen's novels. This version rendered the book shorter still as it is narrated at a rapid pace. There are mistakes in pronunciation too.

Rapid run through

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I really enjoyed this version of Northanger Abbey. However, I did note that in the middle chapters the narrator gets a little tongue-tied.

Very enjoyable

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Why have someone not acquainted with English place names and an American accent read a most traditional English novel. Irritating and spoils Jane Austen’s prose

Annoying accent

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Not Austen’s greatest I’m sure and for me as a reader who’s not wild about The Great Jane Austen, this was a chore. The audiobook helped me get through it ( I read as is my next book group selection) and I truly had hoped with this being her “gothic” work I would enjoy much more.

Perhaps I am doing this a huge disservice but it felt a tad Young Adult for me. I did enjoy the descriptions of Northanger Abbey before our heroine arrives there but other than that I’m afraid I struggled. Yet another Jane Austen novel I’ve read (the third) which is all about young women finding a suitable husband. Perhaps I’m just not romantic enough........

The production is ok for the price. American Reader couldn’t pronounce Place names correctly and a couple of sentences are repeated within. Doesn’t detract from overall production. Not bad for the cheap deal it is on audible.

Not A Great Story, Production OK for price

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Is it really appropriate to feature an American narrator reading classic British literature? Her mispronunciation of British place names really jars.

American narrator

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I don't wish to be too negative, but on this occasion I will just have to be. I am not sure why, but the narrator for this book seemed, in my opinion, totally unsuitable for this story. A very 'odd' accent didn't help as it clashed with the rather 'old-fashioned' style of writing and language used, indeed in some of the passages she seemed to become totally tongue-tied. If you can, I would recommend trying another version of this book before this one.

Northanger Abbey

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