This Is Why I Don't Like Jane Austen

I've recently finished reading Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen and I find myself filled with the same frustration I usually am after reading a Jane Austen romance. It's all the same: pretty girl finds guy who likes her. pretty girl marries that guy. story ends.

Funny that she never goes into describing their marriage. To be fair, I've only read three of her novels, Emma, Persuasion, and now, Northanger Abbey. I've found them equally useless, although I'll admit some more respect for Persuasion since the main character had actual obstacles, flaws, and actual characterization. I don't get how some women worship her and encourage their daughters to read her books as an example of romance and "courtship". As far as I see you might wanna you know, get to know your guy for over a year before tying the knot, making sure that he knows you so you can communicate in marriage, etc.

Here's the passage that got to me:

"The advantages of a beautiful girl have been already set forth by the capital pen of a sister author;-- and to her treatment of the subject I will only add injustice to men, that though to the larger and more trifling part of the sex, imbecility in females is a great enhancement of their personal charms, there is a portion of them too reasonable and too well-informed themselves to desire any thing more in woman than ignorance. But Catherine did not know her own advantages--did not know that a good-looking girl, with an affectionate heart and a very ignorant mind, cannot fail of attracting a clever young man, unless circumstances are particularly untoward." (pg 118 on nook barnes and noble classics edition)

This makes me angry. It's more jealousy than anything else. In some points, this is true, don't most girls mourn the fact that all the good guys are dating idiotic, giggling, sluts who wear too much makeup and too little clothing? I'll confess that I have been guilty at one time or the other at trying to woo a guy by smiling and pretending I don't know anything but from what I noticed I put him off more than attracted him (good for him). Maybe that just says something on my ineptitude at flirting?