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A review by genteelblackhole
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
3.0
It feels like an achievement just to finish this mammoth of a book! How can I rate it fairly? I enjoyed it well enough - it's full of memorable characters, and the plot comes to a satisfying conclusion that connects all the seemingly disparate threads. There are some scenes that are truly enchanting, and some delightfully creepy moments too.
But it's just so bloody long! There were days when I found reading more of a chore than a pleasure. I'm not convinced that the sheer length was entirely necessary, but then I'd be hard pressed to indentify which bits should've been pruned. Maybe it's the prose style (a pastiche of 19th century authors) that adds to the excessive length. I had a much better time with Susanna Clarke's more recent novel [b:Piranesi|50202953|Piranesi|Susanna Clarke|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1609095173l/50202953._SY75_.jpg|73586702], which has a much more concise plot and writing style while evoking similar feelings of awe and mystery. I look forward to re-reading Piranesi, but I doubt I'll attempt Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell a second time.
But it's just so bloody long! There were days when I found reading more of a chore than a pleasure. I'm not convinced that the sheer length was entirely necessary, but then I'd be hard pressed to indentify which bits should've been pruned. Maybe it's the prose style (a pastiche of 19th century authors) that adds to the excessive length. I had a much better time with Susanna Clarke's more recent novel [b:Piranesi|50202953|Piranesi|Susanna Clarke|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1609095173l/50202953._SY75_.jpg|73586702], which has a much more concise plot and writing style while evoking similar feelings of awe and mystery. I look forward to re-reading Piranesi, but I doubt I'll attempt Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell a second time.