Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell

782 pages

English language

Published Oct. 30, 2004 by Bloomsbury, Distributed to the trade by Holtzbrinck Publishers.

ISBN:
9781582344164
OCLC Number:
54372887

View on OpenLibrary

4 stars (34 reviews)

Published in 2004, it is an alternative history set in 19th-century England around the time of the Napoleonic Wars. Its premise is that magic once existed in England and has returned with two men: Gilbert Norrell and Jonathan Strange. Centred on the relationship between these two men, the novel investigates the nature of "Englishness" and the boundaries between reason and unreason, Anglo-Saxon and Anglo-Dane, and Northern and Southern English cultural tropes/stereotypes. It has been described as a fantasy novel, an alternative history, and a historical novel. It inverts the Industrial Revolution conception of the North-South divide in England: in this book the North is romantic and magical, rather than rational and concrete.

18 editions

Magical History Tour

5 stars

I have literally had a copy of this book since it came out and was finally able to read it through the magic of audiobooks. The narrator is very good and does distinct character voices that made it much easier to follow and digest. The book itself was very enjoyable, as long novels often are, once you really get into them. There is A LOT of world building and detail, and the characters were mutlifaceted and interesting and the language surrouning faerie and magic was very evocative. Highly recommended.

My Favorite Novel

5 stars

I first read Susanna Clarke’s masterpiece when it first came out. I still have the lovingly worn hardcover US edition, with frayed edges and we’ll-thumbed pages. Considering how important ancient and lost texts are to the story, this somehow makes my copy even more authentic somehow. It is a remarkable piece of world-building as well as a literary analysis of early 19th century English Literature. Part Jane Austen, part Patrick O’Brien, and part Ann Radcliffe, this novel feels like the most thoroughly explored world that I’ve ever seen communicated in a single work.

Review of 'Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

This is a masterpiece.  Five stars is not enough.
 
(BTW, I HATE SPOILERS, so you will NOT find any here.)
 
Forget everything you think you know about how a novel should be written.  Ms. Clarke makes her own rules and the result is astounding.  I think it is best to approach Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell without any expectations, and to surrender and be led on its sublime odyssey.

In this brilliantly written epic literary historical fantasy (I suppose that is its sub- sub- sub-genre), we are transported to the early 19th century where we meet some very engaging magicians and follow them on their paths, and we explore English magic and its history.‎

I was swept away by the style in which this is written, which is very much like a British classic,‎ so it flawlessly captures the time in which it takes place.  The prose is magnificent …

Review of 'Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

This book is amazing. I listened to it after listening to Dickens's Christmas Carol (which was excellent) and the first two books in the Bartimaeus Trilogy (which are enjoyable). This was like the perfect mix. The imagination of Stroud with the writing skill of Dickens. It also reminds one of Neil Gaiman's American Gods. Brilliant. I will certainly pick up an illustrated copy and read it in the years to come.

Review of 'Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

This was enchanting. I have heard very good things about this book (as well as some not so good things). After reading it, I think I will have to agree with those who loved JS & MN. It was long (782 pages), though it didn't feel that way, despite the relatively slow pace of the narrative. The writing is much slower than most books nowadays and the plot points were revealed one by one throughout the book; it wasn't until the last 100 pages or so that I finally had an inclination about how everything would resolve itself, and even then, Clarke still provided a number of interesting twists. Clarke's written a world in which magic is a divisive political issue, a passion, and in vogue. Her characters are flawed and there were times I found myself intensely disliking the main characters, only to have them redeem themselves by the …

avatar for mattamatic
M

rated it

4 stars
avatar for NC
NC

rated it

4 stars
avatar for robd

rated it

5 stars
avatar for curtdubya

rated it

5 stars
avatar for jellybeyreads

rated it

4 stars
avatar for kibrika

rated it

4 stars
avatar for MaryKat

rated it

4 stars
avatar for arkhi

rated it

4 stars
avatar for arkhi

rated it

4 stars
avatar for arkhi

rated it

4 stars
avatar for arkhi

rated it

4 stars
avatar for Ulrich

rated it

4 stars
avatar for Amerdale

rated it

4 stars
avatar for clayoat

rated it

4 stars
avatar for inga-lovinde

rated it

4 stars
avatar for Tenzin

rated it

2 stars
avatar for Tenzin

rated it

2 stars
avatar for chris_st

rated it

5 stars
avatar for TnSb

rated it

5 stars
avatar for wetdryvac

rated it

4 stars
avatar for ngs
ngs

rated it

5 stars
avatar for mttktz

rated it

5 stars
avatar for unfortunatalie
Nat

rated it

4 stars
avatar for ArchivalOwl

rated it

3 stars
avatar for theo_the_artist1

rated it

4 stars
avatar for LuisVilla

rated it

2 stars
avatar for MaryKat

rated it

4 stars

Subjects

  • Teacher-student relationships -- Fiction.
  • Magicians -- Fiction.
  • Fairies -- Fiction.
  • London (England) -- Fiction.
  • York (England) -- Fiction.

Lists