Susan Hated Literature

Author: Susanna Clarke
ISBN: 0747570558 DDC: 823.923

A fantastic story about the two magicians who returned magic to England, set in the Napoleonic era, this book is written in a wonderfully dry, humourous fashion. Mr. Norrell arrives on the scene first, he is withdrawn, selfish and more than a little unpleasant. Above all, he desires to bring about the return of magic, yet among his first acts in the book is to put a stop to the theoretical magician’s society of York.

Again and again he attempts to gain respectability, eventually he comes to the attention of the government, after bringing Lady Pole back from the dead.

Jonathan Strange is a very different character. In almost all aspects he is the opposite of Mr. Norrell, save that he shares his desire to return magic to the land. And especially the magic of the Raven King. He accompanies the English army to the continent and helps in their battles against Napoleon.

The plot move slowly, and the voice of the narrator stands out in the book. Normally, the two things I look for in a book are characters and plot. Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell feature needer to a great degree, instead it is the descriptions and occurances that stand out. Written in a similar style to Jane Austen books, complete with asides to the reader. These, together with the footnotes add to the atmosphere and Clarke has succeeded in creating a wonderfully readable book.

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