I
have always admired Eleanor Tilney. Though a minor character in Northanger
Abbey, I believe she is one of the most intelligent women in 19th century
literature, right up there with Marian Halcombe. In this short novel, Sherwood
Smith recognises Eleanor's intelligence and good sense. She also develops some
depth in her, showing her to be caring and sensitive, and deserving of a good,
loving marriage.
While
Eleanor demonstrates a strong, yet gentle, nature, she did strike me as being
rather idle, unlike, say, Emma, who is always trying to do good, or the
Bennetts who are always busy with needlework, helping each other or working in
the family kitchen. Now, it would not be right for Eleanor to work in the
kitchen, but she does not even pick up a pair of secateurs. She is not musical
either, though she dances well enough.
Smith's
depiction of Catherine Moreland is almost indistinguishable from Austen's and
she fits into this pastiche with admirable ease. There is a clever device of
having Henry Tilney teasing Catherine with stories and gothic attributes to be
found within Northanger Abbey, which feed her imagination and give a stronger
motivation and context to Catherine's subsequent imaginings and actions.
The
descriptions of the Thorpes are perfectly in tune, as are those of the gentle,
generous Allens. However, Smith shines with her development of General Tilney.
Though not as potentially sinister as in the original, his mercurial behaviour
and snobbery are well portrayed but do not go over the top. Indeed, the General
in this book is wholly consistent with Robert Hardy's brilliant portrayal of
him in the 1987 BBC/Screen Two production.
Sherwood
Smith's plotting is clever, paralleling and supplementing Northanger Abbey
admirably, but not duplicating the narrative. Seeing things from Eleanor's
point of view also makes the familiar scenes fresh. Jane Austen is guilty of
using Deus ex Machina endings, so Smith cannot be criticised for that, but the
ending is rather abrupt.
On
the other hand, the book maintains a modern pace and is highly entertaining.
The language, apart from a few anachronisms (no Jane Austen character ever
would have "gifted" anything to anyone), the language pays
appropriate homage to Jane's 18th/19th century vocabulary, and may send the
reader to the dictionary once or twice. (A further proof that the reader is not
wasting his time!)
I
would have liked to have seen more extended dialogue and perhaps some more
physical descriptions of the surroundings - especially Northanger Abbey itself
- but this a personal preference and not a failing of the book.
Lovers
of Northanger Abbey (the book has something of a cult following) will not be
disappointed at revisiting the abbey and its inhabitants in this amusing novel.
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