Friday, July 25, 2008

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell

This is a book that I've been meaning to read for ages, but only just recently finished. Reason for the former being that it got good reviews, promised to deliver a good fantasy in an English setting, in a more serious and sombre vein than Harry Potter and was nice and thick, thereby promising to keep me occupied for a pretty long length of time.

The book has been on my shelf for a year now, and I've only got to the end now. Not because it's a dull read, in fact the story becomes more engaging as one progresses. I had difficulty persisting past the 1/4 mark, but once past the middle, it was easy going.

The story focuses on the practice of magic in England, but not in the wand-waving, incantation-casting fashion that we've all become familiar with over the past years. Instead, magicians, such as they are portrayed, read books, study obscure texts and brood on the theory as much as the practical. Making it slightly more believable is the premise that practical magic, for the most part, has long since disappeared from England, leaving many magicians content to practise in theory only.

Until the arrival to Mr Norrell, who proceeds to bring about a revival of English magic with a display of practical magic. None can match him, until the discovery of another gentleman, Jonathan Strange. Soon the two learn from one another, and their exploits and the implications of their experiments form the bulk of the story.

What I found enchanting was how historical facts, such as the battle of Waterloo, and figures such as the Duke of Wellington were woven into the story. There is a awful lot of backstory going along here. Along the chapters, footnotes abound; telling tales of magicians long past, referred to briefly in the text, sometimes a whole short story in itself.

I also liked the way the book describes little things, almost quaintly, then brushes its own descriptions away as if embarassed at inflicting them upon the reader in the first place. And although most of the writing doesn't bode action in a thriller-ish sort of way, I found myself turning the pages faster towards the end.

The writer responsible is Susanna Clarke, of which this is her debut novel. As there already seems to be mention of a movie adaptation of her book, I think she's a pretty satisfied lady at this point:-)

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