A Perfectly “Horrid” Sequel to Northanger Abbey

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Source: Gift from Mom 🙂

Gather your wits about you, dear readers, and be on the lookout for secret passageways, ghostly apparitions, mysterious pieces of furniture, and all things Gothic!

What a delight it is to once again be in the company of Henry and Catherine and to see them so accurately rendered! Our hero still has his habit of teasing and provoking his beloved, and enjoys fabricating thrilling tales to tease or frightening his wife. However, due to past (ahem) misadventures, our heroine has come to the realization that her life is not a Radcliffian romance and usually does not fall for Henry’s ploys. In fact, even though she truly is surrounded by mystery and mayhem in this novel, Catherine often believes it all to be contrived and merely the orchestrations of her husband! Talk about ironic! I simply loved Ms. Snyder’s representation of Henry and Catherine! Their playfulness and teasing was fun to witness, and their tenderness and affection towards each other was most gratifying.

“What could she have done? She was a heroine, and with it came certain obligations.”

“Another strike of lightening – now accompanied by the deep-bellied rumble, and the horse reared, incidentally setting Henry very picturesquely against the inconstant moon. Alas, Catherine was deeply engaged in her argument with Old Edric and this missed entirely the melodramatic display. But we may assume that, possessing so strong an imagination, Catherine had often pictured Henry thus…”

“Such a narrative as this demands some sort of physical consolation for its spiritual tribulation. Our heroine received it in one last cup of tea. The reader may be advised to do so likewise.”