Originally published in 2004, Susanna Clarke’s Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell remains one of my favorite magical fiction books. Its page count is close to 800 which I believe many find intimidating. However it’s a journey I’ve made many times.
One may ask why reread books especially when there are many new books published every month? For me, I find I discover things that I may have missed or forgotten in previous readings. Also I’m not the same person I was at the last read as I’ve had new experiences since then. It’s also a chance to revisit characters that I enjoy spending time with. All this is true with Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell.
Covering a span of 15 to 20 years in the early 1800’s, Clarke’s novel is a rich mix of truth and fiction. Historical events and people interact with the fictional characters. It is a well crafted magical world that’s slowly revealed. There’s fairies too.
In Clarke’s novel, magic has consequences – just as our actions do in our “real world.” This is not the mufti-fluffty world of Harry Potter or any number of other magical fiction books.
This magical world has two types of magicians: theoretical and practical magicians. The former read, study, discuss and argue about magic while the latter perform magic. The former has many in its numbers while the latter has few. Much like the experience of attending a “real world” magic club or convention.
I’ve recommended Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell to many although I’m not sure how many have made the full journey. If a long, rich novel intrigues you, then I highly recommend Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell.
