As I was making my struggle updates, people kept telling me that it was SATIRE see and that maybe I wasn't understanding how SATIRE it was because get it? SATIRE.

Like, y'all. I get it. One of the things that I love about Austen is her humor, her wit and how she builds cutting commentary into her plots. It's funny that the assumption is that I'm missing the parody in Northanger Abbey because Austen isn't subtle here. I don't have to have read Udolpho in order to understand that Austen is riffing it and others like it. In reading this, I think I've just found that I more appreciate her irony and commentary when it is less exaggerated. I know that would make this story less like a parody, but alas...

Catherine sometimes came across, by virtue of what this story is, as more of a caricature than a character. I spent most of the story wanting to shake her. At her best, she's caring and kind if naive. At her worst (and most), she gave me such second hand embarrassment, this took me way longer than it should've to read. I appreciate her growth towards the end, and this idea of having a good-natured heroine who is bad at reading people, but there was materially less to endear me to Catherine than other of Austen's heroines. By design, too, for Austen is that mix of caring and slightly patronizing to Catherine that Henry arguably is.

Overall, it was fine. Definitely not my favorite Austen, and I probably won't take any pains to reread this, but there is humor enough here to enjoy, especially for fans of Austen.