Northanger Abbey is both a coming-of-age story and a playful parody of Gothic novels. It follows Catherine Morland, a naïve and imaginative young woman who enters the social world of Bath and later visits the mysterious Northanger Abbey. Influenced by the Gothic romances she devours, Catherine begins to see sinister plots and secrets where none exist.

Through Catherine's misadventures and gradual maturity, Austen gently mocks the sensationalism of popular fiction while also exploring themes of imagination, reality, and the importance of self-awareness. The novel is lighter in tone but rich in irony, celebrating youthful curiosity while gently critiquing romantic excess.