Northanger Abbey tells the story of a young girl, Catherine Morland who leaves her sheltered, rural home to enter the busy, sophisticated world of Bath in the late 1790s. Austen observes with insight and humour the interaction between Catherine and the various characters whom she meets there, and tracks her growing understanding of the world about her. In this, her first full-length novel, Austen also fixes her sharp, ironic gaze on other kinds of contemporary novel, especially the Gothic school made famous by Ann Radcliffe. Catherine's reading becomes intertwined with her social and romantic adventures, adding to the uncertainties and embarrassments she must undergo before finding happiness.
简.奥斯丁一七七五年生于英格兰汉普郡斯蒂汶顿教区长家，是家中六个兄弟、两个姐妹中的小妹，排行第七。这是一个生气勃勃的和睦家庭，父亲是牛津大学的毕业生。奥斯丁从小就在父亲鼓励下大量阅读各类书籍，并学习写作，家中文学气氛浓厚。简？奥斯丁六部长篇小说如下：《理智与情感》（1811年），《傲慢与偏见》（1813年），《曼斯菲尔德庄园》（1814年），《爱玛》（1816年），《劝导》（1818年），《诺桑觉寺》（1818年）。