Northanger Abbey

Part coming-of-age classic, part parody, and part social critique, this 1818 novel remains one of Jane Austen’s lesser-read (and underrated) works. Inspired by popular gothic novels Austen read as a girl, this satirical story blends over-the-top drama and Austen’s sharp wit to great effect. The heroine, Catherine Morland, is a 17-year-old girl with an active imagination and a fondness for sensationalist literature. While visiting Bath with her friends, she falls in love with Henry Tilney, an upper class gentleman beyond her reach as a romantic match. Tilney rolls his eyes at Catherine's vivid imaginings as she allows herself to be swept up in gothic fantasies of her own making. Whether you aspire to be an Austen completist or simply love any novel featuring a sprawling gothic estate, this is a novel worth reading. Juliet Stevenson is a fan favorite narrator for all of Austen’s works, of course, but I like Emma Naomi’s youthful voice for this story as well.