Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell

Starred review from July 12, 2004
A starred or boxed review indicates a book of outstanding quality. A review with a blue-tinted title indicates a book of unusual commercial interest that hasn't received a starred or boxed review.

JONATHAN STRANGE & MR NORRELL
Susanna Clarke
. Bloomsbury
, $27.95 (800p) ISBN 1-58234-416-7

The drawing room social comedies of early 19th-century Britain are infused with the powerful forces of English folklore and fantasy in this extraordinary novel of two magicians who attempt to restore English magic in the age of Napoleon. In Clarke's world, gentlemen scholars pore over the magical history of England, which is dominated by the Raven King, a human who mastered magic from the lands of faerie. The study is purely theoretical until Mr. Norrell, a reclusive, mistrustful bookworm, reveals that he is capable of producing magic and becomes the toast of London society, while an impetuous young aristocrat named Jonathan Strange tumbles into the practice, too, and finds himself quickly mastering it. Though irritated by the reticent Norrell, Strange becomes the magician's first pupil, and the British government is soon using their skills. Mr. Strange serves under Wellington in the Napoleonic Wars (in a series of wonderful historical scenes), but afterward the younger magician finds himself unable to accept Norrell's restrictive views of magic's proper place and sets out to create a new age of magic by himself. Clarke manages to portray magic as both a believably complex and tedious labor, and an eerie world of signs and wonders where every object may have secret meaning. London politics and talking stones are portrayed with equal realism and seem indisputably part of the same England, as signs indicate that the Raven King may return. The chock-full, old-fashioned narrative (supplemented with deft footnotes to fill in the ignorant reader on incidents in magical history) may seem a bit stiff and mannered at first, but immersion in the mesmerizing story reveals its intimacy, humor and insight, and will enchant readers of fantasy and literary fiction alike. Agent, Jonny Geller.
(Oct.)

Forecast:
A massive push by Bloomsbury has made this one of the most anticipated novels of the season. It's convenient to pigeonhole it as Harry Potter for grownups—and grown-up readers of J.K. Rowling will enjoy it—but its deep grounding in history gives it gravi
tas as well as readability. 200,000 first printing; rights sold in 14 countries.

Starred review from January 3, 2005
There may be no better marriage of talents than that of Clarke and Prebble. The former spins an enchanting, epic tale of English magic in the age of Napoleon, and the latter brings it to life—footnotes and all—with a full-bodied voice, skill and aplomb that rivals that of noted narrator Jim Dale. Set in a world where the study of theoretical magic is common, but the practice of it is unheard of, this sweeping narrative follows the exploits of England's only two practical magicians, the bookish Mr. Norrell and the affable Jonathan Strange, as they struggle to revive the country's magic in very different ways. Mr. Norrell is content to publish opaque, opinionated pieces on magic's uses and misuses, but Strange is fascinated by the legend and lore of the Raven King, the so-called father of English magic. The voices Prebble lends these two disparate characters nicely reflects their personalities—Norrell's voice is brittle and sometimes shrill, but Strange's is pleasant and ironic. As the two magicians labor together to defeat Napoleon and then separately to pursue their own ends, an elusive faerie known only as the "gentleman with the Thistledown hair" watches and schemes. Clarke's novel likely contains close to 100, if not more, characters, and Prebble juggles them all with ease. Although the heavy price of this audiobook may deter some listeners, there's no better way to experience the material than to hear it performed by such a consummate actor. Based on the Bloomsbury hardcover (Forecasts, July 12, 2004).

Starred review from March 1, 2025

When two men vie to be England's greatest magician, there will be casualties--and footnotes. Fans of V.E. Schwab will love her whimsical introduction to this 20th-anniversary recording. She recounts her inescapable love of Clarke's weighty tome before Richard Armitage takes over the narrating duties to reinterpret this beloved story. The actor is well known for his rich voice and has a talent for accents that he employs to great effect. More important, he instills Mr. Norrell's voice with an undercurrent of shaky timidity and Jonathan Strange's with a booming, indifferent self-assurance that highlights the caution-versus-pride conflict that tears the two apart. Armitage also noticeably changes his delivery when he reads the numerous footnotes, giving them a scholarly air. New listeners are in for a treat as they meet the deeply flawed protagonists who manage to be lovable despite how irritating they often are. Anyone with experience in academia will recognize the clash of opposing theories that somehow tends to neglect real-world ramifications. VERDICT Armitage's ability to manifest Clarke's (Piranesi) subtle ridicule of her characters makes this faux-scholarly fantasy a joyful and comforting listen.--Matthew Galloway

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