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adastrame's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Confinement and Emotional abuse
nefariousbee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
the imagery and some moments were really strong. I can't deny that and I don't want to. but I just can't figure out why there needs to be so much of it.
Graphic: Confinement, Murder, Racism, Animal death, Sexism, and Classism
Moderate: Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Death of parent, and Drug use
Minor: Gore, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
_david_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The language, though challenging at times, never becomes overwhelming. In contrast to other books attempting a dry, academic style, this one strikes a balance that I found surprisingly enjoyable. The story unfolds like an epic legend and I liked the historical fantasy setting combined with the magic. Something in the way that magic was written as something that old grumpy men discuss like modern academics do to science appealed to me. It's a daunting book to pick up, but I am glad I've read it.
Graphic: Death, Classism, Confinement, and Murder
Moderate: Racism, War, and Sexism
Minor: Slavery
pvbobrien's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: War, Racism, and Murder
Moderate: Grief, Gun violence, Violence, Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, Animal death, Mental illness, and Kidnapping
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, Sexism, and Slavery
nicolleschumacher's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Moderate: Slavery, Racism, and Gore
Minor: Sexism, War, and Confinement
andromeda_1998's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
The plot
Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell is about England in the 19th century. The book is an alternative version of our own reality.
Once upon a time magic used to be strong and overflowing in England but over the centuries magic has slowly been disappearing all over the country. But while practicing magicians have disappeared, theoretical magicians have lived on. Mr Norrell is determined to change the magical foundations at which his reality is based. He becomes the first practicing magicians in centuries and tries to make the job respectable again. He travels to London to show England what real magic looks like but everything changes when he meets Jonathan Strange. He takes Jonathan on as his pupil and together they try to bring magic back to England, even thought they both have different views on what this means precisely.
The book has a slow start since a lot of different stories are being told throughout the book and it takes some time for them all to fit together. After 200+ story’s the pacing becomes better and around 700+ pages the story takes flight and every storyline gets connected. I enjoyed the book, a lot, but I feel like the book could have been told in less pages with the same effect. And that’s just a shame, in my opinion.
Writingstyle
The author chose to write the book in a more classical writingstyle reminiscent of the time the story takes place in. This makes the book a bit heavier to read but it does set the mood. The writer uses a lot of footnotes to further explain plot points and to deepen the worldbuilding. I did sometimes enjoy them but sometimes it did give the book sla stiffness that I associate with schoolbooks and research papers. Again it sets the tone but it does make the pacing of the book slower and the story heavier.
Characters
This book has some wonderfully complicated characters that I really enjoyed. I did find it a bit disappointing that the focus between pages 600-800 of the book was more on Jonathan, it felt like Norrell disappeared for a bit. It was especially disappointing since Norrell did do important things in that part of the book that happens largely of screen. I would have like a more 50/50 view of the characters since it felt to me like I was reading a different book in the same universe. I cannot explain it better.
Worldbuilding
The worldbuilding in this book is incredibly detailed and I’m my opinion it’s the best aspect of the book. Yes, there is a lot of it to go through but it makes for a very believable world.
Recommendations
I would recommend this book to more seasoned readers. It can be a bit of a challenge but it’s worth reading it.
Graphic: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Toxic friendship, War, Colonisation, Classism, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, and Death
carrionkid's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Grief, and War
Moderate: Chronic illness, Forced institutionalization, and Racism