gab_in 's review for:

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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in general, I like this, but it is only a little more than ok or good. I love the concept of academical magic and the way I perceived its construction - a severe chaos which is an antithesis to society and industrialization that hinders when tried to be contained/retrained under such limitations of refinement and respectability -, I love the distinction between theoretical and practical magic and how it slowly gets torn appart, I love the building of the characters, especially of the women and of Stephen. on the other side, the war segments, while it is possible to see their relevance in the overrall story through the impact on Strange's character and in serving as a way of exploring this magic, they are so boring, almost insufferable (maybe I just don't like reading about wars, they're always a slop for me in fantasy). the ending in itself as also underwhelming (perhaps because I read the last 200 pages in one day and that was somewhat exhausting; I'm planning on rereading the last 4 or what chapters). it has its pacing and developing flaws that I did not feel were really rewarded by the end, with not the story left open but the worldbuilding left vague (which, some might argue, is a positive aspect), and is, nevertheless, a really interesting book with an unique approach, at least with my baggage hitherto. it took me a long time to finish because I stopped reading for months a little after the start of volume 2 but when I picked it up again (with audiobook help) it flowed and became increasingly more pleasent to follow, even more when it begins to be possible to grasp the general picture the author is trying to make.