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A review by macliffe
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The 3 stars I gave this book are purely because Susanna Clark is a genius. I still can barely believe this book was written in The 21st Century. It perfectly captures the 19th or early 20th century British literary style, down to spellings and slang. The footnotes made the world feel so real, like a lost piece of history, grounded in reality yet fantastical. It could have been a perfect book.
The fatal flaw of this book is simply its length. If it had been about 300 pages like Piranesi, it would have been flawless. But 800+ pages of no plot, or at most a vague and confusing plot, does not work, at least for me. This book could have easily been condensed to half its size, and I have no clue why it’s so long and slow. I think she learned from this book because Piranesi is the perfect length while still maintaining the fantastical magic, worldbuilding, and plotless mystery that she does so well.
The fatal flaw of this book is simply its length. If it had been about 300 pages like Piranesi, it would have been flawless. But 800+ pages of no plot, or at most a vague and confusing plot, does not work, at least for me. This book could have easily been condensed to half its size, and I have no clue why it’s so long and slow. I think she learned from this book because Piranesi is the perfect length while still maintaining the fantastical magic, worldbuilding, and plotless mystery that she does so well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping
Moderate: Confinement, Death, and Racism
Minor: Antisemitism