I wanted to like this book—I really did. But, I never got drawn into the story and I thought it was kind of boring and ridiculous. I know the plot was meant to be a parody of the gothic novel, but I didn't think it was very funny. I loved The Mysteries of Udolpho and There Must Be Murder by Margaret C. Sullivan, but I didn't like this book. I thought Edric was way over-the-top and the Will/Lucia/Fortuna story didn't interest me at all. I also thought it was really unnecessary for Will to kiss Catherine, even if he did it by mistake. My favorite parts of the book were the scenes with just Henry and Catherine; the whole gothic part really bored me. I haven't seen anything less than 5-star reviews, so I'm disappointed I didn't enjoy the book more. ( )

I hadn't thought I would enjoy an Austen sequel but this turned out to be a fun, light read. Following on from the events in Northanger Abbey, Henry Tilney decides to tease Catherine a little by taking her on a European tour with the intention of visiting some Radcliffe inspired gothic castles (Catherine, of course, takes her beloved copy of The Mysteries of Udolpho with her). In the course of their travels the Tilney's receive an invitation to stay at Nachtsturm Castle which promises to fulfil Catherine's wildest gothic dreams.

Emily Snyder is obviously a lover of gothic literature in general as well as Jane Austen's novels and I think this worked well as a homage to gothic novels in general as well as to Northanger Abbey. Whilst I don't think it was as good as Northanger it was a very enjoyable read, frequently funny and I thought Synder had captured Jane Austen's style well. ( )

Pride and Prejudice gets all the attention, and Northanger Abbey deserves more!

Like many young ladies today who take their sparkly vampire stories just a little too seriously, Catherine Morland loved The Mysteries of Udolpho not wisely but too well, and learned a lesson from the experience. In this sequel to Northanger Abbey, Catherine is married, settled, and ready for and deserving of a proper heroine's adventure.

As the story begins, the newlywed Tilneys prepare for a trip to the Continent, following the same path traveled by Emily St. Aubert in Udolpho. Mr. Tilney, we learn, has continued his delightfully teasing ways, even going so far as to dress as a gypsy and deliver a "fortune" to his bride. Catherine sees through the deception, even as she enjoys it (as does the reader).

In Paris, an encounter with a real gypsy, as well as a real Englishman, sends the Tilneys to Nachstürm Castle, high in the Alps and as windswept and mysterious as any heroine could wish. A series of strange occurrences there are not as confusing to Catherine as one might expect, as she assumes, not unnaturally, that Henry has planned the whole thing for her enjoyment. Henry, meanwhile, has some adventures of his own, and the reader cannot be so sanguine as to whether our heroes will prevail. Who is the mysterious Donna Fortuna, whose portrait looks so much like Catherine? What is the mystery surrounding Young Will, whom everyone says is the former master's natural child, but who claims to be the legitimate heir? And what is up with the oh-so-creepy Edric, steward of Nachtstürm?

Like the recently-published P&P sequel, Mr. Darcy, Vampyre, Nachtstürm Castle is an homage to the Gothic novels, with all the expected conventions: a half-ruined castle, creepy servants, a mystery to solve, and a touch of romance. Ms. Snyder, clearly as well-read as her heroine, skillfully uses archaic spellings, language, and structural conventions, which serve to increase the charm of the work; we were particularly fond of the chapter subheadings, which have a truly 18th-century ring to them. Like the original Gothics, there are occasional asides for descriptions of picturesque landscape, and digressions into didactic commentary for the benefit of the reader. Those familiar with the original Gothics, and who appreciate the fun of them, will get a few giggles out of these digressions.

Many Austen paraliterature writers pander to the Darcy fans, turning Darcy into a brooding action hero, shooting rapists and becoming a ninja warrior or a distinguished statesman and whatnot; we were delighted that for once our own favorite Austen hero, Henry Tilney, has been elevated to truly heroic proportions, all the many capes of his great coat flying as he performs his own stunts. If even the most hardened Darcy-lover doesn't swoon at least a little bit over ActionHero!Henry, then you are just made of stone and that is all there is to it.

While Nachtstürm Castle is at times fantastic and other-worldly, it never takes itself too seriously; like the novel which inspired it, it is delivered very much tongue-in-cheek, and engages to entertain the reader not only with a series of thrills but with a knowing, literate humor, and fortunately without the cringe-inducing earnestness of much Austen paraliterature. If you love Northanger Abbey and its adorable heroine and witty hero, we think you will find Nachtstürm Castle to be a very "nice" story indeed. ( )