Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey

I like Jane Austen for the development of her characters. I am not disappointed in this in Northanger Abbey, either. Though a quick-read, I enjoyed the tongue-in-cheek approach to the gothic tale. I find it refreshing to have her a bit more assured of her discourse than I find in other novels she has graced us with. The tone is immensely different as the author has a strong voice and is allowed to conjecture throughout on the actions and those events leading up to certain actions in the characters.
I find it interesting that so many of my acquaintances have disliked this particular novel but perhaps it is due to misunderstanding the genre which Austen both mocks and upholds. I felt that Catherine was very believable, having grown up in small communities and from a large family. I feel that I was, at once time, just as unaware of the social maneuvering one encounters in the social realm. I have been persuaded to make judgments of my surroundings and encounters based on the literature in which I have immersed myself. Who am I to deny wanting to find my own version of Rhett Butler (although, he was somewhat of a jerk, too...thank goodness I found a different version of man in my own husband!) or Mr. Knightly? In like manner, Catherine finds herself disposed to finding certain mysterious and intriguing possibilities in her surroundings during her stay in the Abbey.
Believable characters with a subtle agenda is why I feel Jane Austen has captivated such an audience over such a lengthy period of time. Northanger Abbey, being no lesser of a novel!