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Karsa Orlong

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    Steve's Bookshelf 2014

    in Past Book Logs

    Posted

    # 4

     

    Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke

     

     

    post-6588-0-56962400-1390156834_thumb.jpg

     

    2004 - Tor paperback - 1,006 pages

     

    From Amazon:

     

    At the dawn of the nineteenth century, two very different magicians emerge to change England's history. In the year 1806, with the Napoleonic Wars raging on land and sea, most people believe magic to be long dead in England--until the reclusive Mr Norrell reveals his powers, and becomes a celebrity overnight. 

    Soon, another practicing magician comes forth: the young, handsome, and daring Jonathan Strange. He becomes Norrell's student, and they join forces in the war against France. But Strange is increasingly drawn to the wildest, most perilous forms of magic, straining his partnership with Norrell, and putting at risk everything else he holds dear.

     

     

    Thoughts:

     

    This book does so much that I don't like.  It has no plot as such, but instead meanders along from episode to episode at its own leisurely pace; it insists on telling rather than showing, meaning I felt like I was at a distance from the events, rather than immersed in them; it never really gets inside the characters's heads, so I'm not sure that they actually develop at all from beginning to end; it addresses the reader directly at various stages (which always kicks me out of the experience); it uses exclamation marks like there's no tomorrow, giving me the impression that everyone is constantly shouting(!); and it has footnotes coming out of its backside.  Footnotes! (<-- yes, I shouted that  :giggle2: ).  Clarke was obviously trying to write an homage to 19th century authors (there's a distinct whiff of Austen about certain aspects of the book) and yet she fuses it with a quaint fantasy and re-writing history at the same time.  I should hate this book.

     

    But you know what?  I'm damned if it doesn't work.  Somehow.  I mean, I'm not a fast reader, but I've just read a 1,000 page book in eight days.  That's not something that would happen if it hadn't grabbed me.  A lot of this has to do with Clarke's writing.  For a debut novel, her use of language and the confidence and consistency of her tone is something that some writers who've written far more never seem to achieve.  It is incredibly easy to read and I never once felt confused or bored (okay, there was one section when Norrell first got to London that had me wondering if I was going to survive another 900 pages, but it didn't last long, fortunately) and, for all its leisurely pacing, there was never a time where I didn't want to pick it up and read it.

     

    Clarke also has a wonderfully dry sense of humour.  I've seen this called 'smug' in some reviews, but I don't agree with that.  It's almost like she's poking fun at her own story at times, in a self-deprecating and enjoyable manner.  And the footnotes . . .  Well, colour me stunned if the footnotes don't provide some of the best parts of the book.  Generally, there will be a reference to someone or something magical from history, or maybe even just a throwaway comment, which the footnote then elaborates on with clarity and wit.  Sometimes these footnotes become short stories in themselves, and spread over pages and pages.  And the thing that really surprised me was that I'd finish reading these footnotes, jump back into the main text, and I don't think I lost the thread of what was going on, even once.  I don't know how long she worked on this book, but Clarke's inventiveness leaps from almost every page, and this is possibly the most entertaining and exciting aspect of the book for me.  Of course, maybe she pushes it a bit far when she starts referencing her own work ("See Chapter 21, footnote 3" etc  :doh: ) but, by and large, this aspect was a revelation.

     

    What of the characters, though?  Well, I have to admit that, whilst I found them likeable and enjoyed the shades of grey, I never really felt involved with them to a degree where I either loved or hated them (apart from a couple of Norrell's associates, perhaps).  I think this may be down to the nature of Clarke's chosen style.  As mentioned at the start, I felt like I was at a remove from them, rather than in there with them.  It's not a dealbreaker, in this case, for all the other reasons mentioned above.  If I had to pick a favourite, it would probably be Childermass, but the proof of what I've said is that I probably couldn't tell you why.  Certainly, for all the life-changing events that happen during the novel, I don't think even one of the characters has changed by the end from how they were at the beginning.  Ultimately, I think this book is more about the style than it is about the story, which seems odd in such a long novel.  What, ultimately, was the point of it all?  I don't think there was one, other than for it to be an entertaining and absorbing read.

     

    I didn't note anything down whilst I was reading, so this is coming straight off the top of my head.  But one thing I mustn't forget is that this was a Christmas present from Sari, so I must repeat my thanks - thank you, Sari - I loved it  :thankyousigna2:   :friends0:

     

     

    9/10

    Your Book Activity - January 2014

    in General Book Discussions

    Posted

     

    I've just started Moonfleet by J. Meade Falkner which I downloaded recently after seeing a poster advertising a new Ray Winstone TV production of it... only to discover it's already been broadcast, and was on Sky, which we don't have.  :rolleyes:

     

    I recorded that over Christmas, and finally got to watch the first episode last night - it wasn't very good, you didn't miss much, Janet  :smile:

    The Gaming Box

    in General Chat

    Posted · Edited by Karsa Orlong

    Karsa that No Man's Sky looks amazing! Any idea what platform('s) it's expected to be on?

     

     

    It's for PC, Hayley, although that may change, I suppose   :smile:

     

    Bad news, though.  It's being developed by Hello Games in Guildford, and their office was flooded during the storms over Christmas/New Year.  More here.

     

     

    ETA:  this looks good, too: Star Citizen

    The Bridge - BBC4

    in Music / TV / Films

    Posted

     

    Hmm, I wonder who`s behind it all - the husband of the Green company woman who`s so obviously having an affair with the sister ? :blink:

     

    You mean the sister who tried to get her sister to have sex with a male escort whom she'd had sex with herself?  Nothing worrying about that at all . . . :unsure:

     

    Plus, wasn't the sister Brix's girlfriend in The Killing?  She's got no shame! :lol:

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