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3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
informative
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I would have read 1000 more pages of this book.
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I had a good time with this book, but there were some things that brought it down.
It's a really slow-paced read (personally don't mind it), but the old English-style of writing was a hurdle for the first eighth or so pages.
The main characters were interesting, but I didn’t find myself really liking them much. It was actually some of the side characters that caught my attention and kept me hooked.
Though the magic system wasn't explained much (only certain spells or concepts were given explanations through footnotes) I like the idea that magic had not been practiced for years, and that Norrell and Strange are only scratching the surface of the true potential of magic.
I enjoyed world-building, mixing real and alternate historical events, with intriguing depictions of the lands of faerie and fairy magic. The descriptions of the weather, buildings, and locations are so detailed that it's easy to visualize them or get the sense of the atmosphere.
As for the story, it was a bit of a hit or miss. The first hundred pages were tough to get through, but it does start to pick up after that.
It's a really slow-paced read (personally don't mind it), but the old English-style of writing was a hurdle for the first eighth or so pages.
The main characters were interesting, but I didn’t find myself really liking them much. It was actually some of the side characters that caught my attention and kept me hooked.
Though the magic system wasn't explained much (only certain spells or concepts were given explanations through footnotes) I like the idea that magic had not been practiced for years, and that Norrell and Strange are only scratching the surface of the true potential of magic.
I enjoyed world-building, mixing real and alternate historical events, with intriguing depictions of the lands of faerie and fairy magic. The descriptions of the weather, buildings, and locations are so detailed that it's easy to visualize them or get the sense of the atmosphere.
As for the story, it was a bit of a hit or miss. The first hundred pages were tough to get through, but it does start to pick up after that.
I could not get invested in these fancy Englishmen
adventurous
emotional
funny
reflective
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Objectively this is a five star novel but my enjoyment of it brought it down to three, at some points even two.
The setting is unique and enthralling, the period-style writing was a creative way to tell the story and the magic system was a lot of fun. Clarke has created an engaging world that I wish we had more of in the fantasy genre, namely magicians in early 1800s England.
However, this is a long and slow-paced novel. The two protagonists are interesting, quirky, and funny, but never truly engaging. Only by the very end did I really care about them.
The story itself had its moments, but as soon as I was invested, it would lose me again, and in parts become boring. The first few hundred pages were particularly uninteresting for me, and it was only when Strange became involved that I became invested in any of it.
All that said, this was a pleasant book to read - I would recommend it, but only if you like slow-paced books.
The setting is unique and enthralling, the period-style writing was a creative way to tell the story and the magic system was a lot of fun. Clarke has created an engaging world that I wish we had more of in the fantasy genre, namely magicians in early 1800s England.
However, this is a long and slow-paced novel. The two protagonists are interesting, quirky, and funny, but never truly engaging. Only by the very end did I really care about them.
The story itself had its moments, but as soon as I was invested, it would lose me again, and in parts become boring. The first few hundred pages were particularly uninteresting for me, and it was only when Strange became involved that I became invested in any of it.
All that said, this was a pleasant book to read - I would recommend it, but only if you like slow-paced books.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes