I just got back from a gorgeous vacation in Mexico, and aside from a great deal of adventure and swimming in caves (which comes highly recommended, unless you’re afraid of bats or the dark), I read a door-stopper of a book.
1,006 pages of awesome.
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke is a beautiful novel set in an alternate (and quite magical) history of early 19th century Britain. In the world Clarke has created, powerful magicians that ruled over England in the Middle Ages have all but disappeared by the time of the Napoleonic Wars. So when two practicing magicians (Strange and Norrell) step forth to help bring England to victory, they become celebrities all over the world. Of course things start to get crazy because Strange has a habit of mixing himself with Black Magic, coming to strong disagreements with Norrell over their views on their craft.
Now before I start recommending this book to everyone, there is one thing a reader should know: if you’re looking for a fast-paced, Harry Potter-style fantasy, this isn’t it. Jonathan Strange is modelled after the same style as 19th century classics, so it definitely takes its time bringing you into its world before it really takes off. For me, this wasn’t an issue because the world of Jonathan Strange is so fascinating; for those looking for a fast, plot-driven novel, this might be too slow.
Since I’ve been writing a lot more fantasy lately, I’ve learned a lot about the importance of world-building. This is something that Clarke has mastered. All of her characters are incredibly unique, and some, such as the Duke of Wellington and King George, are famous historical figures. She does an excellent job of blending facts with fairytales and creates a thorough history of magical scholarship to accompany the plot.
Also, I loved the contrast between the somewhat catty social atmosphere of 19th century London and the mysterious, wild, and often extremely dark world of magic, particularly in the Northern parts of England.
I would say more, but I wouldn’t want to given anything away. If you’re looking for a new fantasy world to live in for a while and you don’t mind the book’s length, then Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell is definitely worth a try.
