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3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I picked up this book in 2023 and put it down because it wasn't the right time. I picked it up again in 2025 and started over.
I think that Susanna Clarke has successfully written the most amazing facsimile of a early 1800s novel I have ever seen (and I've read a lot from that era). The writing style, the pacing style, and character arcs, the footnotes: all of it so completely places you in that time and type of writing. As far as what she set out to do, Clarke hit a home run.
However, I just didn't like it. I quite enjoyed the beginning (just about the first quarter) but as it wore on, my goodwill shriveled away and I found myself thinking "I just don't care" in the depths of a novella length footnote. About halfway through, I found that I really hated Mr. Norrell and I didn't want to know what he was up to. His selfish, arrogant instincts made me hate every moment he was on the page. Then I thought that he was simply meant to be the 'brain' contrast to the 'heart' of Mr. Strange, but that didn't really end up happening either. I liked Strange at first, but has he consistently neglected everything else to pursue his studies, I found that I didn't really care for him either.
Now, with no one left to root for and 300 pages to go, I had to turn my attention towards the plot. Unfortunately, the plot was full of fae fuckery. I rarely like fae plotlines and this one had everything I hate the most.
I think that this book was well made and incredibly accurate to the time period, but I didn't connect with the characters and I didn't feel like the plot deserved its ending emotionally. I very complicated 3 stars from me.
I think that Susanna Clarke has successfully written the most amazing facsimile of a early 1800s novel I have ever seen (and I've read a lot from that era). The writing style, the pacing style, and character arcs, the footnotes: all of it so completely places you in that time and type of writing. As far as what she set out to do, Clarke hit a home run.
However, I just didn't like it. I quite enjoyed the beginning (just about the first quarter) but as it wore on, my goodwill shriveled away and I found myself thinking "I just don't care" in the depths of a novella length footnote. About halfway through, I found that I really hated Mr. Norrell and I didn't want to know what he was up to. His selfish, arrogant instincts made me hate every moment he was on the page. Then I thought that he was simply meant to be the 'brain' contrast to the 'heart' of Mr. Strange, but that didn't really end up happening either. I liked Strange at first, but has he consistently neglected everything else to pursue his studies, I found that I didn't really care for him either.
Now, with no one left to root for and 300 pages to go, I had to turn my attention towards the plot. Unfortunately, the plot was full of fae fuckery. I rarely like fae plotlines and this one had everything I hate the most.
I think that this book was well made and incredibly accurate to the time period, but I didn't connect with the characters and I didn't feel like the plot deserved its ending emotionally. I very complicated 3 stars from me.
adventurous
funny
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
800 page tale of two 19th century English magicians.
adventurous
dark
funny
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
If you’re coming from quick, 500 page cute lil fantasies this book will feel like watching paint dry.
Maybe it’s different if you’re a connoisseur of the epic tome, but honestly things didn’t get epic here until over halfway through and epic is a generous adjective.
It’s cool how things resolved themselves but the detail we had to absorb along the way rivaled Dickens’ longest work.
A+ comeuppance for villains and some humor and wit.
F for absolutely tanking my time to completion average.
Maybe it’s different if you’re a connoisseur of the epic tome, but honestly things didn’t get epic here until over halfway through and epic is a generous adjective.
It’s cool how things resolved themselves but the detail we had to absorb along the way rivaled Dickens’ longest work.
A+ comeuppance for villains and some humor and wit.
F for absolutely tanking my time to completion average.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Violence, Murder, Classism
Minor: Blood
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I know I read this in 2006, because it was one of two English-language books I found in a Czech bookshop while I was studying abroad, but the only thing I remembered about it was Lady Pole's situation. I guess I wasn't able to concentrate on it properly at that time. At this different point in my life I was completely engrossed by this; I was particularly amazed by how layered, complex, and realistic the characters were.