First, you know me and covers, and don't you just love this one! I think it is beautiful. Abigail Reynolds' daughter, Rebecca, did a fantastic job on it! Congratulations to Rebecca and Diana.
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
A happier
heroine than Catherine Morland does not exist in England, for she is about to
marry her beloved, the handsome, witty Henry Tilney. The night before the
wedding, Henry reluctantly tells Catherine and her horrified parents a secret
he has dreaded to share - that there is a terrible curse on his family and
their home, Northanger Abbey. Henry is a clergyman, educated and rational, and
after her year’s engagement Catherine is no longer the silly young girl who
delighted in reading “horrid novels”; she has improved in both reading and
rationality. This sensible young couple cannot believe curses are real...until
a murder at the Abbey triggers events as horrid and Gothic as Jane Austen ever
parodied - events that shake the young Tilneys’ certainties, but never their
love for each other...
AUTHOR BIO:
Diana Birchall
worked for many years at Warner Bros studios as a story analyst, reading novels
to see if they would make movies. Reading manuscripts went side by side with a
restorative and sanity-preserving life in Jane Austen studies and resulted in
her writing Austenesque fiction both as homage and attempted investigation of
the secrets of Jane Austen's style. She is the author of In Defense of Mrs.
Elton, Mrs. Elton in America, Mrs. Darcy's Dilemma, and the
new The Bride of Northanger. She has written hundreds of Austenesque
short stories and plays, as well as a biography of her novelist grandmother,
and has lectured on her books and staged play readings at places as diverse as
Hollywood, Brooklyn, Montreal, Chawton House Library, Alaska, and Yale. Visit Diana
at her Austen Variations author page,
follow her on Twitter, Facebook and Goodreads.
THE BRIDE OF NORTHANGER BLOG TOUR BLURB:
The Doyenne of
Austenesque fiction, Diana Birchall, tours the blogosphere October 28 through
November 15 to share her latest release, The
Bride of Northanger. Thirty popular bloggers specializing in historical and
Austenesque fiction will feature guest blogs, interviews, excerpts, and book
reviews of this acclaimed continuation of Jane Austen’s Gothic parody, Northanger
Abbey.
My share in the conversation...
A Book Review: The Bride of Northanger by
Diana Birchall
The book begins with a quick history of the relationship of
Catherine Morland and the Tilney’s, especially Henry. The author does not get
bogged down in the retelling of Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey, but
gives just enough information to set the stage for her own story.
On the evening before the wedding, Henry is preoccupied and
a little troubled. He must relate to his soon-to-be bride and her parents, a
secret that involves his family and their home, Northanger Abbey. As stated in
the book description, there is a curse on the family. This curse has troubled
all the first-born sons for many centuries. After much discussion, it is agreed
that curses do not exist, and all retire for night with pleasant thoughts of the
much-anticipated wedding.
The newly married couple arrive at their home in Woodston
and begin a happy time as newlyweds. Before their required trip to visit
General Tilney and the Abbey, we get glimpses of their life and a few clues of foreboding.
During their second week of marital bliss, the couple leave
for Northanger Abbey. Thankfully, Eleanor and her new husband, Charles, will
also be there. That reunion is a joyful one, although the one with Henry’s
father and his brother, Frederick, is not so nice. The General also has other
guests coming and from this point, much begins to happen. It is quite scary at
times and kept me reading and wondering what was coming next. Catherine proves
herself as a true heroine throughout, and the love she and Henry share only
strengthens.
This is a beautifully written book. Diana Birchall has an
almost uncanny way of writing Jane Austen. I could nearly believe I was reading
Jane’s own words. It was a treat in of itself. The book and its story were the
icing. The Bride of Northanger is an excellent book and one I highly
recommend. It is a love story continued, an awakening of the past, and uncovered
secrets. There are some original characters revisited and some new ones
introduced. All are well-developed and their role is significant to the story. Yes,
it is a Gothic novel and is eerily spooky at times, but it is delightful to
read. One part of the story brought a few tears to my eyes. Well done, Diana
Birchall. Thank you for sharing your talents with us.
PURCHASE LINKS:
- Amazon Paperback Link: https://amzn.to/35uV0KB
- Amazon eBook Link: https://amzn.to/2IM6Eao
- Barnes & Noble eBook Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-bride-of-northanger-diana-birchall/1133647214?ean=2940163715497
- Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48205456-the-bride-of-northanger
- Publishers Page: https://whitesouppress.com/the-bride-of-northanger-by-diana-birchall/
· Twitter
handles: @DianaBirchall, @WhiteSoupPress
Thank you to everyone for stopping by. I hope you will share your thoughts on The Bride of Northanger and/or my review or both. :) If you haven't read this book, I do so hope you get the chance to read it soon. I highly recommend it.
Best wishes to you with your new book, Diana Birchall. Thank you, Laurel Ann Nattress, for organizing this blog tour and for including me and my blog. It has been a pleasure.
If you have missed any of the previous stops on the blog tour, the full schedule is below.
THE BRIDE OF NORTHANGER BLOG TOUR
SCHEDULE:
October 31 Jane
Austen’s World (Review)
November 15 Scuffed Slippers and Wormy Books (Review)
Lovely review Janet. I am glad you enjoyed Bride too. Diana has an amazing grasp or Austen speak! Her Catherine and Henry are delightful, and I loved the cheeky Gothic tropes.
ReplyDeleteI did too, Laurel Ann. It was delightful in a Gothic way and I loved her Catherine and Henry! Diana does have Austen speak well in her grasp. It was amazing to read.
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A wonderfully written review, Janet! You have definitely made it sound interesting. Your praise for Diana's writing makes the book even more appealing. I shall look forward to reading this one! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you. I hope you get to read it soon, Kelly. It is a great book.
DeleteI loved this one too both as a sequel and as a gothic fiction. Engaging review, Janet :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sophia Rose. I'm glad to hear you loved it too. It hit the mark on both, didn't it!
DeleteGreat review, Janet! I have long been in awe of Diana’s writing, and this book sounds like it will not disappoint. Oh, and I love the cover!
ReplyDeleteI can see why you have been in awe of her writing, Jan. It is amazing. I hope you will get to read it soon. I think you will love it, and yes, the cover is gorgeous!
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