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For a book about magic this is the most uninspired writing I have ever read. How can anyone make an exciting toping such as magic and turn it into an extreemely boring book is beyond me. The style and language is archaic. At least when Victorian writers wrote in that style they were modern, even ahead of their times. If you like the style, read Jane Austen or better yet read Charlotte Bronte or Fanny Burney. They may not contain magic but make for a much more interesting read. At least when they have footnotes, they are not put in to give ambiance of a classic novel and are not full of bogous history. And if you are interested in magic, read Kelley Armstrong's Industrial Magic, Robin Hobb's Farseer triology, or Anne Bishop's Black Jewel triology. You would definitely find better developed, exciting, interesting fantasy as well as a more fluid narration. If you enjoy a modern writer writing a historical, you'll find Diana Gabaldon's work more interesting. But if you are suffering from insomnia, this is definitely the choice for you. For a book written by a woman, the female characters in this book are very uninspired and completely under developed (almost barely there). I am amazed anyone would give good reviews to this book let alone a literary award. Oh well ...Read full review
"Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell" by Susanna Clarke has gotten great reviews and won a few awards, but I did not like this book at all, mainly for 2 reasons. First of all, the book is written in a style that's difficult to read. But that could be overlooked if not for the second thing, which is, while there are a few good parts, overall the story/plot is uninteresting. Not only is the book long (alomst 800 pages), but most of the chapters are long as well. There are several times when I finish a chapter and then think to myself this one chapter could have been broken into two or three chapters. The only reason why I managed to finish the book was because I was in the "I have to finish what I started" mindset. Utimately, maybe I'm in the minority, but this book was just not for me. Perhaps if I was to pick it up years from now and give a second look, I might like it. After all, I didn't like most of J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord Of The Rings" trilogy when I first read it and thought it was boring and uninteresting, but then about ten years later I read for the second time and loved it. (Of course, you should take into consideration that I was only 11 the first time I read LOTR). To sum up, while "Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell" is not for me, perhaps you might want to give it a try, since it did get many good reviews. Maybe pick it up from a local library. Maybe you'll like it. However, "Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell" does not get a recommendation from me.Read full review
I'm not the type of person to take on an 800+ page book, but Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell was well worth the effort. Susanna Clarke's entire book is extremely well-written and entertaining. The engaging story focuses on the efforts of two magicians to bring magic back to England in the 1800s. Clarke succeeds in crafting her own mythology, complete with footnotes, well-developed characters, and incredible imagery -- ranging from Strange helping the English fight Napoleon's army in Spain to detailed descriptions of fairy kingdoms. Although the first 180 pages start out slow, as a whole the novel leaves you longing for more. I wouldn't be surprised to see a movie adaptation in the future.
I love this book and the film! I have seen it 4 times, read it once, and about to read it again. Susanna Clarke is an outstanding writer.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Fans of adult magic will love this. Filled with satire, great characters and a fine plot. Good to read with DVD version available. A+++++
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
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