Northanger Abbey, Lady Susan, The Watsons, Sanditon (Oxford World's Classics)

'...insuspectingGeneralTilneyofeithermurderingorshuttinguphiswife,shehadscarcelysinnedagainsthischaracter,ormagnifiedhiscruelty.'NorthangerAbbeyisaboutthemisadventuresofCatherineMorland,young,ingenuous,andmettlesome,andanindefatigablereaderofgothicnovels.Theirromanticexcessanddarkoverstatementfeedherimagination,astyrannicalfathersanddiabolicalvillainsworktheirevilonforlornheroinesinisolatedsettings.WhatcouldbemoreremotefromtheuneventfulsecuritiesoflifeinthemidlandcountiesofEngland?YetasAustenbrilliantlycontrastsfictionwithreality,ordinarylifetakesamoresinisterturn,andedginessandcircumspectionarereaffirmedalongsidecomedyandliteraryburlesque.AlsoincludingAusten'sothershortfictions,LadySusan,TheWatsons,andSanditon,thisvaluableneweditionexaminestheambitiousandinnovativeworkswithwhichsheinauguratedaswellasclosedhercareer.