My JA Challenge progress

I'm still hanging in there with the Austen Challenge. This morning I finished the third of my six challenges. I had finished Udolpho a couple of days ago and this morning I finished Northanger Abbey. Now its a mystery to me why I didn't like either one the first time I read them in college. Udolpho was written in an era when people had the time to enjoy a leisurely, meandering story. The plot took a turn I didn't expect, but it was good. I expected to be bored by the descriptions of the scenery, but instead, this book was incredibly visual, like watching a film. And it was a good idea to read it right before Northanger Abbey, because it made that novel so much more enjoyable. Catherine starts reading Udolpho after she gets to Bath. There is a scene where she mentions the Black Veil, and I thought, "Ha ha, Catherine, I know what's behind the Black Veil and its not what you think!" I love the part set in Bath. Those Thorpes were horrible! The story got a little tame when Catherine went to Northanger with the Tilneys, but it was still good. Can you imagine an Austen mean girl clique - Isabella Thorpe, Lucy Steele, Mrs. Elton, Caroline Bingley, Maria Bertram, and Mrs Clay. Talk about your scary stories!