It took me a while to get around to reading this book but the wait was well worth it. Susanna Clarke conjures up a wonderful depiction of a 19th century England in which magic co-exists with modernity and comes to greatly enhance it. The characters are masterfully drawn and the plot is absolutely riveting. The ending was the only part that I didn't absolutely love and even then, it didn't ruin the whole book for me. Can't wait to see what Clarke writes next! ( )

This book (a doorstop really)took me a little while to become really attached to it, but once I put the effort in, it really came alive. Clarke has created an alternate Victorian England where magic is a still practiced and is even a part of the very country itself. I love the subtle humor and all the footnotes that Clarke includes to give you insight in to the world of Magic. What a great book! ( )

Set in an alternative version of 19th century England- a period in which the art of magic has languished for decades until Mr. Norrell, a quiet, scholarly gentleman, determines that he alone can restore English magic to its former glory. He tries influencing government and high society, while at the same time squelching other magicians' aspirations. Then along comes Jonathan Strange, a daring adventuresome man quite unlike Norrell, who seems to have a natural talent for magic and makes himself Norrell's pupil, later becoming his worst rival. When one of them raises a woman from the dead, a malevolent fairy fixes his attention on them, and it quickly becomes apparent how little these esteemed men actually know about magic. I loved how the fairy world was depicted, as existing side-by-side with England, accessible through mirrors and pools, shifting just under the surface of things. The plot is complex, introducing scores of characters and numerous little stories on the side that add flavor and flair to the main narrative. All these just as interesting as the main events. This book feels as much a historical fiction novel as it does an epic fantasy. An amazing read! It kept me intrigued and reading day after day, almost reluctant to finish the last chapters because I didn't want it to end.

from the DogEar Diary ( )

What a remarkable book! I began listening to this as an audiobook - the reader for it is excellent, but it's just such a looooong book I really couldn't stand the amount of time I was putting into reading it. So I picked up the paper copy halfway through and plowed through it, loving every page. Clarke writes with the wit and attention to small interpersonal details of Austen. The book is about magicians, but I was struck by the ordinariness of her characters - fallible, sometimes petty men and women with agendas of their own that have little to do with the casting of spells. Absolutely charming, without ever feeling twee. ( )

At almost 900 pages in length, this book is quite a feat to read, but I think it's well worth the effort. I'm not usually fond of fairytale fiction with magic as the main theme, but the style of writing drew me in, and the plot had enough action to keep my interest. I look forward to reading other works by this author (though at present there is only one other book, a collection of short stories). ( )