REVIEW: Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell (Susanna Clarke)

Book: Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell

Author: Susanna Clarke

Premise: The year is 1806. Only one practical magician remains: the fretful Mr Norrell, whose displays of magic send a thrill through the country. Yet Norrell is soon challenged by the emergence of another magician: the brilliant novice Jonathan Strange. So begins a dangerous battle between these two great men.

This is one chunky book and not one to be entered lightly. The story can be broken into parts: the rise of Norrell, the emergence of Strange, their fall out and the final climax. The style reminded me of old Victorian classics, with slow pacing but a focus on atmosphere. There are a lot of characters and plot threads going on, all masterfully interwoven. I liked the villain, with his childish, fairy whims. I also enjoyed the humorous parts. I think the only thing I ignored were the footnotes, which probably added more to the story but I found distracting.

Overall, a good book. However, given the length and slow pace, I'd recommend breaking up the reading or reading it alongside something else.