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A review by jmoxley
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is an epic time and has been sitting on my To Read shed for more than 10 years as it needs a fair chunk of reading time and isn’t portable enough to take on holidays train journeys etc (unless you go to the dark side and get a Kindle).
Wasn’t sure if I’d have the stamina to get though this as although I like magical realism im not a fan of most fantasy genre book (except Tolkien) but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Susanna Clarke has created a meticulously detailed parallel version of England during the Napoleonic Wars which blends into the mythology of a dark age kingdom in northern England.
As an English person living in Scotland I thought a story about specifically English magic by an Oxbridge author might end up as another London-centric piece, but the story is so linked to the patina England that it couldn’t have been set anywhere else and the legacy of the Raven King’s kingdom in northern England removes the risk of a focus on the Home Counties.
Clarke use of language reinforces the creation of the worlds of polite Georgian society and dark age Yorkshire/Northumberland although I suppose some might find the occasional odd hyphenation or variant spelling irritating.
The characterisation is good- Norrell and Strange are both complicated characters and other apparently minor characters such as John Childermass, Arabella Strange, Vinuculus, Messrs Lascelles and Drawlight are convincing and at times peppered with humour.
The book cleverly weaves historical evehts snd fictional happenings together to create a unique and hugely enjoyable tale.
Wasn’t sure if I’d have the stamina to get though this as although I like magical realism im not a fan of most fantasy genre book (except Tolkien) but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Susanna Clarke has created a meticulously detailed parallel version of England during the Napoleonic Wars which blends into the mythology of a dark age kingdom in northern England.
As an English person living in Scotland I thought a story about specifically English magic by an Oxbridge author might end up as another London-centric piece, but the story is so linked to the patina England that it couldn’t have been set anywhere else and the legacy of the Raven King’s kingdom in northern England removes the risk of a focus on the Home Counties.
Clarke use of language reinforces the creation of the worlds of polite Georgian society and dark age Yorkshire/Northumberland although I suppose some might find the occasional odd hyphenation or variant spelling irritating.
The characterisation is good- Norrell and Strange are both complicated characters and other apparently minor characters such as John Childermass, Arabella Strange, Vinuculus, Messrs Lascelles and Drawlight are convincing and at times peppered with humour.
The book cleverly weaves historical evehts snd fictional happenings together to create a unique and hugely enjoyable tale.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death