This is one of those books that’s been on my reading list for a number of years and has never made it to the top because it’s so long! After playing a couple of games of Silver Bayonet this year I decided the time had come to get stuck in, but because of its length it would have to be an audio book.
After downloading it I was a little overwhelmed to see that it came in with a running time of 36 hours. I’m pretty sure this is the largest single book I’ve consumed, and it did make me wonder just whether the story really needed all those pages? Surely there would be a bit of repetition or redundancy in there. Of course, I’ve read some pretty weighty trilogies in the past and they were very enjoyable, but coming in three books made them feel a little more manageable.
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell is a historical fantasy about two magicians wanting to return practical magic to England. Set during the early 1800s it provides an alternative history of England where magic has been practiced extensively in bygone times, and the worlds of men and fairies have been as connected as any of the various counties of the country.
At its heart it is a book about relationships, wrapped up in a lavish fairy tale world that imposes and integrates itself so perfectly into a period of highly structured societies and global conflict. The detailed and thoughtful portrayal of the human history provides a solid scaffolding around which Clarke has layered magic and mysticism to present something truly engaging.
The main characters are meticulously crafted, and their conflicting personalities lay the foundations for a relationship that carries the story from the very first to the very last page. The other protagonists are equally well presented and support the delivery of this tall tale. What I like most about this book is the beautiful balance between comedy and horror. There are some truly twisted moments in this story and yet there is a dark humour that manages to soften the excesses of certain characters and allow others to be adopted by the reader despite their devious natures.
In addition, a series of footnotes and short folk tales help to bring the history of magic to life and entrench it firmly into everyday life. Give much of the story is centred around Yorkshire one of the pieces of folk lore I particularly liked was the tale of the King and the charcoal burner, and there are many more scattered throughout the book to enjoy.
All in all, this is an absolutely brilliant read which I would recommend everyone who loves a good fairy tale, or historical fantasy, take 36 hours out of their day to enjoy.
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