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Now this is one Austen novel that is too often forgotten. Our heroine, Catherine Morland, might be naïve, but she is no dummy. Catherine is more complex than scholars give her credit for. I admit, she can create ridiculous fantasies that get her into trouble, but her inner core of right and wrong, her own moral compass, never leads her astray. She can be remarkably determined and forthright. And it's refreshing to meet an Austen heroine who is so shamelessly straightforward in her interest for the man of her choice! This is Austen at her most hysterically funny. Northanger Abbey is an easy link between Shakespeare's comedies and Monty Python skits.