Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell dripped through my reading time over the last two weeks. This one has been on my list since October 2004, so it’s about time. Time, that is, for more fiction set in the early 1800s, during the Napoleonic wars.
The two magicians of the title help fight the war, too, with phantom fleets, helpful weather, and temporary roads for Wellington’s troops to chase the French north out of Portugal. Magic as a political tool, with society manners, Lord Byron, Venice, academic jealousy, and lots of footnotes. The footnotes are fun, ranging from little vignettes from “history” (the magical history of England) to a parallel publishing war amongst magical periodicals.
The website says the story has been optioned for a film. We’ll see. I bet a second novel (yes, this is Susanna Clark’s first) comes first. Metacritic score of 83 is deserved. More novels from Clark would be welcome.
2 responses so far ↓
1 Rex // Jan 18, 2006 at 11:22 am
I’m trying to slog thru this book right now and it has been slow going for some reason. I think it is simply too long. Yes it has been charming and the footnotes are often amusing, but there’s just too much of it.
2 Christine // Jan 26, 2006 at 9:25 am
I loved this book. It was one of the few I’ve read where I found myself consciously slowing down as I got closer and closer to the end because I knew I’d never get to read it for the first time again.
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