Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey & Horror Classics Behind It

At the center of this collection is the novel Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen, the greatest macabre classic by the author. True to Austen's signature style, the novel also serves as a brilliant satire of gothic fantasies and society's infatuation with dark powers, a popular trend at the time. Other books in this collection are the so-called "Horrid Novels"—the very books mentioned in Northanger Abbey, read by the main protagonist, influencing her mental state, her actions and beliefs. These true bestsellers of the period, the real occult thrillers and gothic romances of the 18th century, served as inspiration for Northanger Abbey. Unfortunately, they ultimately became the butt of the joke after the legendary Jane Austen used them as subjects of ridicule in her novel.



For many years, people believed that the books mentioned in Northanger Abbey were purely made up by Austen. The realization that these books actually existed sparked a renewed interest in them and an appreciation for the chilling horrors of the 18th century.