Review: Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell

I have just this morning finished reading Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke. I thoroughly enjoyed it.



It is a novel that takes place in early 1800s England. Imagine that England has a long history of magic, and that English magical history is taught in schools along with writing and arithmetic. Yet in the last few hundred years magic has faded from England to the point that no one can even pull off a spell anymore. But magic is destined to be restored to England by two men, and this is the story of how that happens (or doesn't).

It is an easy read, and a lot of fun. Neil Gaiman, of whom I am a tremendous fan, gives it this high praise:
"Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell is unquestionably the finest English novel of the fantastic written in the last seventy years. It's funny, moving, scary, otherworldly, practical and magical, a journey through light and shadow — a delight to read, both for the elegant and precise use of words, which Ms Clarke deploys as wisely and dangerously as Wellington once deployed his troops, and for the vast sweep of the story, as tangled and twisting as old London streets or dark English woods. It is a huge book, filled with people it is a delight to meet, and incidents and places one wishes to revisit, which is, from beginning to end, a perfect pleasure. Closing Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell after 800 pages my only regret was that it wasn't twice the length."

It is likely to be turned into a film by NewLine Cinema, but I have no idea how long that will take. I believe they are still writing the screenplay.