Gothic romances were all the rage in the late 1700s and early 1800s -- sprawling, eerie melodramas full of sublimated sex and violence. 
 And rather than her usual straightforward comedies of manners, Jane Austen once wrote a mellow satire of the very mockable genre -- think a parody of "Twilight" or "50 Shades of Grey" as written by one of the greats. "Northanger Abbey" is a clever and slightly tongue-in-cheek little novel about a girl who needs to learn the difference between fantasy and reality... and yes, there's some love tangles and deceptions too. 
 Catherine Morland is an innocent young country girl with a love of gothic romances, and has lives an unremarkably life in a country parish. But then the wealthy Allens invite her to Bath during their vacation there, and of course she accepts -- and through balls and old acquaintances, she becomes friends with two pairs of siblings. One is the Thorpes, the uncouth dandy John and his manipulative sister Isabella, and the more mysterious Tilneys, the charming Henry and sweet Eleanor. 
 When the Tilneys decide to leave Bath, Catherine is invited with them, to the vast stone manorhouse of Northanger Abbey -- which is as gloomy, eerie and remote as her gothic-loving heart could wish for. What's more, she believes that there are dangerous secrets in Northanger Abbey, related to the suspicious death of the late Mrs. Tilney. But Catherine has some lessons to learn about reality and fantasy: that everyday world is not nearly as melodramatic and twisted as her novels, and that it has its own dangers and deceptions. 
 Unlike all the other books Austen wrote, "Northanger Abbey" is a careful balance of two different styles -- a parody of all the lurid excesses of classic gothic novels (she even lists a bunch of real-life gothic novels!), and it's a subtle coming-of-age tale about a young girl who needs to figure out the difference between reality and fantasy. There's big spooky manors, sinister noblemen, mysterious deaths... you do the math. 
 And Austen clearly had a lot of fun with this book, enhancing her usual formal style with a bit of satirical melodrama ("A thousand alarming presentiments of evil to her beloved Catherine from this terrific separation must oppress her heart with sadness"). And while the plot is sprinkled with sinister pseudo-gothic hints, Austen also takes the time to sketch out some romantic deceptions and tangles, as well as some deliciously arch dialogue ("I was not thinking of anything." "That is artful and deep, to be sure..."). 
 The only part that falls short is the climactic encounter between Henry and Catherine... which is completely skimmed over, and related only in a distant vague style. "I leave it to my reader's sagacity" is not a satisfying way to handle that sort of romantically-charged scene. 
 Austen also has fun with Catherine as the unlikely heroine of the piece, especially since she makes it clear that Catherine comes from a very mundane, undramatic background. She's sweet, naive, wide-eyed and essentially good-hearted, but she has a lot to learn about reality (especially about the golddigging family that befriends her). And Henry is an oddity among Austen's heroes, being a clever silver-tongued charmer with a heart of gold who likes to gently tease Catherine. 
 Quick, light and full of teasing humor, "Northanger Abbey" is an oddity in Jane Austen's string of brilliant novels -- but being a clever, well-plotted spoof doesn't make it any less charming. A delight.