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Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell
- KateHubbs
- Feb 9, 2017
- 2 min read
Author: Susanna Clarke
Pages: 1006 Length: 32 Hours
Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy
Recommended: If you like long rambling books with no central plot and smatterings of magic.
Because it tries to be creepy but is just weird.
Rating: Longest disappointment ever. 0 Stars
Dust It Off
This book was published eleven years ago, but it's written in the style of the time period in which it takes place (1806 - 1817). That's right, the events occur in the span of a decade, and this book makes you feel every single year.
Not that I hate this style. It fits writings of the time period, and I expect it from Charles Dickens; not from a contemporary author. It's been over 200 years, and there's a reason writing has changed. That being said, Clarke does a great job taking on that style, and I like her descriptions of people ("his skin was the color of old milk").
It's A Long One
I'm not one to diss a book on its length. Some of the best books I've read are lengthy ones. Sometimes it takes awhile to get into a long book, but in the end I expect it to be worth the investment I'm putting into it. This one never once grasped me. I ended up throwing the audiobook on 2X speed to get it over with.
Two Main Problems
1. No central plot. This book tried to focus on too much. I didn't know if it was about the relationship of two "magicians", the exploration of dark magic, the influencing of the Napoleonic Wars, made up magical history or magic being restored to England.
1.5 - Mr. Norrell is a stuck up old fogey
2. No emotional connection with characters. As much as I tried, I just couldn't identify with the main characters. Admiral Nelson was the only person who stuck out, and he was a depiction of a real person. Mr. Norrell is an old conventionalist. Jonathan Strange is obessessed with boring magical history. No one had depth. No one had anything colorful to say.
Audiobook
The narrator is good and has a great english accent. No one had different voices, which did not help.
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