Well, this is sweet: Lev Raphael fell in love with Northanger Abbey.
I find this charming. When Austen n00bs ask me where to begin, I always point them to Pride and Prejudice, with a chaser of either Sense and Sensibility or Emma—best to start with the big guns, I figure, and follow up with something of approximately equal sparkle, if not quite equal stature. I recommend that they leave Persuasion for later—not because it’s worse, but, paradoxically, because it’s better. Persuasion strikes me as requiring a certain maturity, from standpoints of emotion, reading, and specifically the reading of Austen. Nobody, I figure, recommends Mansfield Park.
But then there’s Northanger Abbey. I love Northanger Abbey. It’s a weird, funny book with weird, funny characters. I like it because it’s full of straight-up jokes instead of the sly humor of her later works, and I suspect it’s what Jane wrote probably because she lived before the age of epic fanfiction novels (or maybe it’s her ageless response to the future spectre of epic fanfiction novels?). In my mind, she’s both mocking and identifying with Catherine. Surely Jane herself read a Gothic novel or two? Regardless, I assume nobody wants to start with Catherine Morland and her overactive imagination. Don’t we all want to read the good stuff? Elizabeth and Darcy and their union of hard-won mutual respect and affection? Elinor losing it, after all that stoic endurance, at the end of Sense and Sensibility? Emma just being Emma? And yet, I get that there’s something about growing into Austen by growing with Austen—about seeing the world through her eyes as she grows up, personally and professionally. And there’s nothing wrong with a good joke now and again, even if it isn’t the model of subtlety.
So: it’s nice to meet you. Can I introduce you to Catherine Morland?
austenacious 
I must protest!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE Mansfield Park and while I once thought Persuasion my fav Austen book, I have started to think that I actually prefer reading MP.
Okay, the first time I read it, I hated the smug character of Fanny Price but through many re-reads, I’ve come to adore that novel. I think I’ve come to appreciate and understand Fanny more over time.
You must reconsider and give MP another chance!
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Lisa Dee, thanks for chiming in. I’ve read Mansfield Park a couple of times and I haven’t particularly liked it. I need to give it another try. I don’t dislike Fanny. I think what I don’t comprehend is the sitting around and planning a play. I guess that’s what people who had time on their hands did, but I can’t relate!
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I LOVE Northanger Abbey. How ironic that I just did a Northanger Abbey makeup tutorial today! I’ll link it. Catherine is so adorable and Henry is F.I.N.E especially the movie version. J.J. Feild. HOTTIE!
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