Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell
3 journalers for this copy...
It's certainly an original work and I did finish it but it took a long time as it was definitely a book I found easy to put down.
Journal Entry 2 by Tanamo at Sutton Cheney Church (former Official Crossing Zone) in Sutton Cheney, Warwickshire United Kingdom on Monday, May 29, 2006
Released 18 yrs ago (5/29/2006 UTC) at Sutton Cheney Church (former Official Crossing Zone) in Sutton Cheney, Warwickshire United Kingdom
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
I'm on a bookring for this one, I best duck out of it... It's been on my wishlist for a while, but once again it'll be a good while before I get to reading it!
Back cover
The year is 1806, England is beleaguered by the long war with Napoleon, and centuries have passed since practical magicians faded into the nation's past. But scholars of this glorious history discover that one remains: the reclusive Mr. Norrell, whose displays of magic send a thrill through the country. Proceeding to London, he raises a beautiful woman from the dead and summons an army of ghostly ships to terrify the French. Yet the cautious, fussy Norrell is challenged by the emergence of another magician: the brilliant novice Jonathan Strange. Young, handsome and daring, Strange is the very antithesis of Norrell. So begins a dangerous battle between these two great men which overwhelms that between England and France. And their own obsessions and secret dabblings with the dark arts are going to cause more trouble than they can imagine.
3rd April 2007
I found this book absolutely stunning. I'm going to have to get hold of another copy so I can read it alongside the free Reading Group Guide available from Bloomsbury.com!
The characters were fascinating, and well-developed from the start - Childermass is my favourite. Arabella Strange comes in a close second!
The plot is great, steady but never boring - it is the kind of book you can put down, but it's also very easy to pick up again with me. It's a very classy book, with such an intricate and detailed universe - there are even extensive and interesting footnotes that tie actual history with the history in this magical world!
Starring such personalities as Lord Byron and the Duke of Wellington, I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys classics and fantasy - there aren't many authors who can successfully combine the two so seamlessly.
This book shall soon be traveling to Sonia23 in GA, USA, in exchange for Hands of Light by Barbara Brennan. :) Enjoy!
Posted Wednesday 4th April 2007 - received Hands of Light soon after. :) Thanks!
Back cover
The year is 1806, England is beleaguered by the long war with Napoleon, and centuries have passed since practical magicians faded into the nation's past. But scholars of this glorious history discover that one remains: the reclusive Mr. Norrell, whose displays of magic send a thrill through the country. Proceeding to London, he raises a beautiful woman from the dead and summons an army of ghostly ships to terrify the French. Yet the cautious, fussy Norrell is challenged by the emergence of another magician: the brilliant novice Jonathan Strange. Young, handsome and daring, Strange is the very antithesis of Norrell. So begins a dangerous battle between these two great men which overwhelms that between England and France. And their own obsessions and secret dabblings with the dark arts are going to cause more trouble than they can imagine.
3rd April 2007
I found this book absolutely stunning. I'm going to have to get hold of another copy so I can read it alongside the free Reading Group Guide available from Bloomsbury.com!
The characters were fascinating, and well-developed from the start - Childermass is my favourite. Arabella Strange comes in a close second!
The plot is great, steady but never boring - it is the kind of book you can put down, but it's also very easy to pick up again with me. It's a very classy book, with such an intricate and detailed universe - there are even extensive and interesting footnotes that tie actual history with the history in this magical world!
Starring such personalities as Lord Byron and the Duke of Wellington, I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys classics and fantasy - there aren't many authors who can successfully combine the two so seamlessly.
This book shall soon be traveling to Sonia23 in GA, USA, in exchange for Hands of Light by Barbara Brennan. :) Enjoy!
Posted Wednesday 4th April 2007 - received Hands of Light soon after. :) Thanks!
Ack! I actually received this about 2 weeks ago. I thought I'd journaled it and today discovered I hadn't. I'm so sorry about the delay! I started it today and the story has already pulled me in. I'll journal again when I finish. Thanks for the trade!
Update: Wow! I loved this book. I can't believe it is the author's first novel. I found the story rich and engaging. Miraculously I never felt the narrative was bogged down, despite the copious footnotes and details. I really hope this isn't the last we hear from Strange and Norrell. Thanks so much for the trade!
A couple of my favorite lines from the book:
"For, though the room was silent, the silence of half a hundred cats is a peculiar thing, like fifty individual silences piled one on top of another."
"...Lord Sidmouth declared, "Even you, your grace, with all your partiality for this man must admit that a Shroud of Eternal Darkness does not bode well."
Update: Wow! I loved this book. I can't believe it is the author's first novel. I found the story rich and engaging. Miraculously I never felt the narrative was bogged down, despite the copious footnotes and details. I really hope this isn't the last we hear from Strange and Norrell. Thanks so much for the trade!
A couple of my favorite lines from the book:
"For, though the room was silent, the silence of half a hundred cats is a peculiar thing, like fifty individual silences piled one on top of another."
"...Lord Sidmouth declared, "Even you, your grace, with all your partiality for this man must admit that a Shroud of Eternal Darkness does not bode well."
