Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell in Into the Forest

Mar 01, 2008 mark monday rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: alpha-team, fog-and-gears, secret-histories

the hero of this novel, Mr. Norrell, is in many ways a stranger in a strange land, uncomfortable with base emotions and disappointed with the shabbiness and inadequacies of others... yet always yearning for true companionship. a dignified, erudite, and refined gentleman; quietly soulful and elegantly restrained; commanding in his encyclopedic knowledge of the magical arts.

the other character, a fey and unreliable sort apparently named "Jonathan Strange", offers fleeting friendship that is quick ...more

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Jun 10, 2011 Lacey Louwagie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, historical-fiction

I never could have finished this tome in just one month had I not had it riding around in my car on audio!

Admittedly, this book takes a while to get going, and about 20% of the book has passed you by before you even get to meet Jonathon Strange, one of the book's title characters. When the book began, I wondered, "Why does this book have to be so long?" When the book ended, I asked myself, "Did the book really have to be so long?" My answer, after I've distilled it all, is "probably not -- but i I never could have finished this tome in just one month had I not had it riding around in my car on audio!

Admittedly, this book takes a while to get going, and about 20% of the book has passed you by before you even get to meet Jonathon Strange, one of the book's title characters. When the book began, I wondered, "Why does this book have to be so long?" When the book ended, I asked myself, "Did the book really have to be so long?" My answer, after I've distilled it all, is "probably not -- but it was enjoyable nonetheless."

Susanna Clarke does several things in her first novel that really impressed me. One is the way she takes on the "tone" of British writers of the 19th century, when this book is set, while simultaneously poking a bit of fun at them and keeping the prose entertaining to the modern reader. Another is how she does a bit of "revisionist history" here, steeping the story as she does in the time of Britain's war with Napoleon, and weaving the possibility of magic into historical events (for example, may contend that France lost the Battle of Waterloo because of the rainy weather that night; in this book, "weather magic" is intentionally responsible for that loss.) While the book tackles some serious subjects (magical enslavement, raising the dead, dark magic), it manages to do so without ever feeling particularly dark -- although there was one scene that made me gasp. The writing has an understated humor that I enjoyed, and well-drawn, compelling characters.

The title characters, Jonathon Strange and Mr Norrell, provide a fascinating character study and are the reason that this book can get away with being as long as it is. Although very different from one another, both of them feel equally real, as does the inevitable tension that arises between them. Although there were moments when the book got a bit slow, and although I would have liked a bigger "bang" for my buck at the book's end, what Susanna Clarke does right here far outweighs where she falls short. I'm glad to have "read" this book -- and not having to take 6 months to do it! ...more

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Oct 28, 2008 Adriel rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

OMG, i finally finished this book. I enjoyed it, but it took 800 pages to build up to the suspense of the last 200. I enjoyed it, the writing style was interesting and unusual and the author did a lovely job of creating setting and emotion of the places where people were. i like magical stuff.

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May 02, 2007 MJ rated it liked it

Shelves: lit-fic, sff-fantasy-spec

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Aug 02, 2007 Sienna rated it liked it · review of another edition

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Feb 05, 2008 Delanie is currently reading it · review of another edition

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Mar 19, 2008 Michele rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

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Aug 24, 2008 Pamela Lloyd rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

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Oct 03, 2008 Netanella marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

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Oct 04, 2008 Katie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, fantasy, adults

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Oct 31, 2008 Christine rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-historical, diverse-and-women-authors, fair-folk

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Nov 02, 2008 Julia rated it it was amazing

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Nov 18, 2008 Davina rated it it was ok · review of another edition

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Nov 19, 2008 Bronwyn marked it as to-read

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Nov 30, 2008 Jaimie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: faerie

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Jan 23, 2009 Mariah marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: library-to-read, book-club-unread

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Mar 22, 2009 Reem marked it as to-read · review of another edition

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Jul 11, 2009 Rebecca rated it really liked it · review of another edition

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Jul 16, 2009 Danielle The Book Huntress marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: library-checkout, kindle-book, started-but-put-down, historical-fiction, faerie, epistolary-narrative, set-in-uk, fantasy, audiobook, metafiction

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