Hooray! You have added the first book to your bookshelf. Check it out now!
[−]
  • Search Digit-count Valid ISBN Invalid ISBN Valid Barcode Invalid Barcode
Blog this item

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell

A Novel

By Susanna Clarke

(306)

| Hardcover | 9781582344164

Like Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell?
Join aNobii to see if your friends read it, and discover similar books!

Sign up for free

Book Description

English magicians were once the wonder of the known world, with fairy servants at their beck and call; they could command winds, mountains, and woods. But by the early 1800s they have long since lost the ability to perform magic. They can only write long, dull papers about it, while fairy servants aContinue

English magicians were once the wonder of the known world, with fairy servants at their beck and call; they could command winds, mountains, and woods. But by the early 1800s they have long since lost the ability to perform magic. They can only write long, dull papers about it, while fairy servants are nothing but a fading memory. 
But at Hurtfew Abbey in Yorkshire, the rich, reclusive Mr Norrell has assembled a wonderful library of lost and forgotten books from England's magical past and regained some of the powers of England's magicians. He goes to London and raises a beautiful young woman from the dead. Soon he is lending his help to the government in the war against Napoleon Bonaparte, creating ghostly fleets of rain-ships to confuse and alarm the French.
All goes well until a rival magician appears. Jonathan Strange is handsome, charming, and talkative-the very opposite of Mr Norrell. Strange thinks nothing of enduring the rigors of campaigning with Wellington's army and doing magic on battlefields. Astonished to find another practicing magician, Mr Norrell accepts Strange as a pupil. But it soon becomes clear that their ideas of what English magic ought to be are very different. For Mr Norrell, their power is something to be cautiously controlled, while Jonathan Strange will always be attracted to the wildest, most perilous forms of magic. He becomes fascinated by the ancient, shadowy figure of the Raven King, a child taken by fairies who became king of both England and Faerie, and the most legendary magician of all. Eventually Strange's heedless pursuit of long-forgotten magic threatens to destroy not only his partnership with Norrell, but everything that he holds dear.
Sophisticated, witty, and ingeniously convincing, Susanna Clarke's magisterial novel weaves magic into a flawlessly detailed vision of historical England. She has created a world so thoroughly enchanting that eight hundred pages leave readers longing for more.

Critics

  • Book Review: Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke Share

    Yes, I've read a magic book. Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke is a fictional book about magicians set in 1800s England. “The walls of the parlour were ornamented with cheap engravings — portraits of famous criminals of the last centur ... (read full critics)

    blogcritics published on Fri, 23 Dec 2011

  • Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell By Susanna Clarke

    What kind of magic can make a nearly 800-page novel seem too short? Whatever it is, debut author Susanna Clarke is possessed by it, and her astonished readers will surely hope she never recovers. Her epic history of an alternative, magical England is ... (read full critics)

    bookpage published on Fri, 17 Sep 2010

30 Reviews

Login or Sign Up to write a review

  • 5 people find this helpful

    Yes, I took a while to finish this as I found the beginning of this book V-E-R-Y S-L-O-W. Nevertheless, with patience and my friend constantly insisting that this was a really good book, I'm glad to say it's gothic, dark and very well worth the read if you can get past the shit-boring introduction w ... (continue)

    Yes, I took a while to finish this as I found the beginning of this book V-E-R-Y S-L-O-W. Nevertheless, with patience and my friend constantly insisting that this was a really good book, I'm glad to say it's gothic, dark and very well worth the read if you can get past the shit-boring introduction which lasted over 100 pages.

    Is this helpful?

    shazzpezzazz said on Feb 23, 2008 | Add your feedback

  • 4 people find this helpful

    I first picked up this book because the back cover described it has having elements of both Jane Austen and Tolkein. How could you not be intrigued by that? This book takes dedication to read--not only is it massive, but it's also not exactly what I would call a page turner. That said, I would de ... (continue)

    I first picked up this book because the back cover described it has having elements of both Jane Austen and Tolkein. How could you not be intrigued by that? This book takes dedication to read--not only is it massive, but it's also not exactly what I would call a page turner. That said, I would definitely encourage anyone interested in historical fiction and/or fantasy to give it glance. It's very interesting, meticulously researched, and well-written.

    Is this helpful?

    Amanda said on May 24, 2006 | Add your feedback

  • 1 person find this helpful

    Slow, long and not worth the effort.

    As a high school British Literature teacher, I normally enjoy prose written in the Victorian style the author pitifully tried to re-create. The only reason this novel avoided a 1 star rating was the hilarious portrayal of Napoleon Bonaparte and Lord Byron. That is it. Those were the only things I ... (continue)

    As a high school British Literature teacher, I normally enjoy prose written in the Victorian style the author pitifully tried to re-create. The only reason this novel avoided a 1 star rating was the hilarious portrayal of Napoleon Bonaparte and Lord Byron. That is it. Those were the only things I even remotely enjoyed. The ending was very quick and horrible. The characters were flat and uninteresting. I basically wasted 2 weeks of my reading life forcing myself through the 846 pages of overrated jargon.

    Is this helpful?

    shanetucker said on Aug 13, 2009 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback

  • A Wonderful Read

    Susanna Clarke here creates a charming and believable alternative to Regency England. It's the sort of book that makes you want to curl up with a cup of tea and read it straight through. The plot is captivating and full of twists, and the alternate history is endlessly entertaining. Really, every ... (continue)

    Susanna Clarke here creates a charming and believable alternative to Regency England. It's the sort of book that makes you want to curl up with a cup of tea and read it straight through. The plot is captivating and full of twists, and the alternate history is endlessly entertaining. Really, everything about this book is wonderful.

    Is this helpful?

    currerbell said on Oct 28, 2010 | Add your feedback

  • I think this seems to be a love it or hate it book. Personally I loved it.

    Jonathan Culverhouse. Author of Underkingdom: Disco Goblins vs The Machine, a fantasy novel for children.
    www.underkingdom.co.uk

    Is this helpful?

    Jonathan Culverhouse said on Jul 20, 2010 | Add your feedback

Book Details

Improve data of this book

Margin notes of this book

Prices Change currency & sellers

ISBN Edition List Sale Seller
9781582344164 Hardcover $27.95 $23.89 bn.com
$27.95 $17.49 The Book Depository
Other editions →
+ 4 copies tradable: 1 in USA →
Added to Shelf Added to Wish List

Inline Translation Mode

Left click to navigate, right click to translate.

inline translation guide

or close

Inline translation is not ready for this page yet.

Inline translation mode.

Share this page with your friends.

The viewport has not loaded.