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Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
It is one of the great themes of fantasy, maybe even the theme: that some art or technology of incredible power has been lost, lost for ages--and just now, just in the present, it has been resurrected. We seek awakening, we seek renewal--I don't know, we seek something, because from The Lord of the Rings to The Wheel of Time to Stargate, this theme resonates.
In Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrel, the lost art is magic. This is England as the Nineteenth Century opens, and magic--founded in this country by a king who was once its strongest practitioner, a king who reigned three hundred years--is not practiced any longer. Oh, hundreds of magicians still argue vigilantly over its customs and methods and history, but the casting of actual spells is beyond them.
Enter Gilbert Norrell, a strange little recluse of a man, who hoards books and does his damnedest to end the career of any magician he can find. Who is also, by the way, the first Englishman to do magic in centuries. Mr. Norrell's purpose is to restore magic to England, provided it is studied and practiced under his terms, and preferably by no one but him.
Jonathan Strange, a young man who stumbles upon magic on a whim, who is to become Norrell's colleague, student, and adversary, has something slightly different in mind.
The subject here is not good versus evil, but a clash of ego and philosophy. The novel's villains are driven by fear, weakness, and self interest; its heroes by ambition and wonder. This complexity is what makes the novel a work of serious fiction, what prevents it from being an epic. Epics are fate-driven and rarely concerned with shades of motivation. Characters act because they must act, they must save the world or all is lost, etc., etc. Strange and Norrell want with everything they have to restore magic to England, to found a school of thought, to--well, many other things that I won't spoil--and even if the whole story has been foretold, even if it is fated, it is a story that stems from their intentions.
This is not my complaint. That it is not epic I find refreshing. That it is character-driven I find engaging. In a book about magic, about the re-awakening of mysticism, my complaint is that there is so very little that is spellbinding. Jonathan Strange in particular seems to be driven by his own imagination, and yet he seems limited and his spells tend to do little more that move things about.
The novel takes place during the Napoleonic Wars, and not long after the magicians present themselves to society, they become employed in fighting back the French. This leads to a scene suggesting great imagination, a port blockaded by ships, sails, and even a crew, all made of mist. Yet once on the ground, Mr. Strange finds himself mostly occupied by making roads and then tearing them up again. This may be useful, but for a magician it seems petty.
That said, Clarke handles the particulars of spell-casting rather well. As a matter of plot, the novel's magic must follow certain rules: Spells must have limitations, bad results must be possible and irreversible, there must be no "take-backs." This is why, in the classic short story "The Monkey's Paw," the father isn't allowed to wish never to have made any wishes--we as readers don't accept stories that "cheat" that way. In Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, Clarke skirts on the edge of cheating (she allows resurrection), but never really falls in. There is also the danger that spell-casting will devolve into a game of Mornington Crescent, which is to say a conspiracy among the magicians to pretend each isn't speaking complete gibberish. This Clarke nearly overdoes.
You may have heard that this novel is, well, Harry Potter for adults. Don't believe it. It's true that Clarke shares a publisher with J.K. Rowling, and that Rowling's success almost certainly affected the publisher's interest in pushing this novel, but the two authors share very little in terms of style. Clarke's work is witty but cold, while Rowling's prose is anything but subtle and a great deal warmer. I'm not the first, I'm sure, to make this comparison: I can think of few writers Clarke's work more clearly resembles than Jane Austen. Considering the setting of this novel, however, that's probably deliberate.
The main task of a writer of fantasy is to construct a new and different world, and in this Clarke has succeeded. Her overwhelming footnotes, the dozens of side tales told by one character or another, the books and customs and politics of an England not quite as it is, but wholly consistent unto itself--these build a believable whole, they tell an engrossing story, they suggest perhaps something more.
There is talent here, a great deal of it. I believe, on the evidence of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, that Susanna Clarke does have some great books in her. But for the time being, with this, her first novel, we'll have to settle for simply "good."
You can purchase Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell from bn.com. Slashdot welcomes readers' book reviews -- to see your own review here, read the book review guidelines, then visit the submission page.
-erick
http://www.busyweather.com/
What, you mean like the Bible?
> The main task of a writer of fantasy is to construct a new and different world
E.g., one where supermodels chase after Slashdotters in hopes of learning Linux and having their babies.
Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade
Not only was this an excellent review (thank you for submitting it), but I found the above passage very encouraging on a personal level. I am writing a fantasy novel (or series of novels) based on what I, as a teen, found personally was my only real complaint about LoTR: I wanted more in-depth characterization. No, that's not entirely fair, for LoTR certainly has some in-depth characters, but you get the idea. I wanted to not write yet-another-fanboy-saves-the-world epic, but to explore on an adult level the sorts of emotions you or I would find ourselves if we were in that situation.
I've written and edited the first book, over 400 pages, and now have started in on book two. I've queried a dozen literary agents who specialize in fantasy fiction, but I've yet to find one who is willing to even read a sample. They all sent back rejection notes that were remarkably similar: Too busy, best of luck with someone else.
Oh well, I will keep trying. In the meantime, I'm very glad to hear that someone likes complexity, shades of motivation, adult-level emotional responses. That's been my exact goal, and if there is a market for a Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell book, there should be one for mine as well (I hope, anyway). Thanks for the encouragement, jmweeks, even though you didn't know that's what you were doing!
For once, it was a well-written review, devoid of either childing errors or put-on verbiage.
However, I think his final grade for the book ("good") is too harsh. Having read the description that he gave before that, I'd have gone for somewhere between "very good" to "excellent".If you've been in any chain book store this month, you've seen its emblem--the raven in flight, the big swirling ampersand.
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Screenshot of book cover below:
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J/K...:)
actual image here: http://images.amazon.com/images/P/1582344167.01.L
An Indian-American Hindu committed to non-violent thought/speech/action alarmed by the global explosion of radical Islam
When you say there is a black and a white edition, you're not saying textual differences like in The Dictionary of the Khazars, right?
Anyone else ever have that problem? An idea you thought was yours, and a year later it ends up on the screen?
The funniest one for me was it turns out a story I wrote is VERY VERY, and I mean frighteningly similar to a book written in the 1950's... stupid time-travelling literature thieves.
I like to place meaningful quotes in my sig, so people will know that I know what meaningful quotes are.
I like the idea of a lost art or power that is waiting to be discovered and used by a current generation. It's been said that there is no new art, and that it's all a reflection of the past. Still, the constant striving towards a new way to express ones self seems to be an ongoing theme in everyones' life; it gives them purpose.
This reminds me of stories like Indiana Jones, to The Blues Brothers! Truely a universal ideal.
ACB
free ipod and free gmail!
"Mr. Norrell's purpose is to restore magic to England, provided it is studied and practiced under his terms, and preferably by no one but him. Jonathan Strange, a young man who stumbles upon magic on a whim, who is to become Norrell's colleague, student, and adversary, has something slightly different in mind. " Speculation here - I haven't read the book... but this almost sounds like proprietary versus open source type of argument???
This book is very good, but is almost Dickensian in its density and heavy-handed in its treatment of the major themes. It requires a LOT of energy to get through this one properly. Worth the read, but only if you ignore the critics and take it for what it's worth. NOT Harry Potter for adults-this is something altogether different.
I just heard some sad news on the Sci-Fi - the beloved Ancient Arte of Ye Magick was found dead in its Maine home this morning. There weren't any more details. I'm sure everyone in the Slashdot community will miss it - even if you didn't enjoy its Great Work, there's no denying its contributions to genre fiction. Truly a universal ideal.
Breakfast served all day!
I know this is off topic, but my iPod just fell in the friggin toilet!! There's some condensation on the screen and now it won't boot up at all.
Should i just let it dry for a day or two and try again or take it apart and dry everything out manually? Or let Apple service it for whatever ungodly amount they charge?
But maybe you would have better success if it wasn't a fantasy novel. If you really want to explore on an adult level the sorts of emotions you or I would find ourselves if we were in that situation. you need to place us in a position that isn't difficult to grasp. What I'm saying is that often in fantasy or scifi books the superfoulous crap thats put in (Technological devices in scifi, wizards and magic in fantasy) gets in the way of exploring those emotions.
Well.. maybe. Or Maybe not. But Definitely not sort of.
In an interview by KPCC-FM, the NPR station in Pasadena, California, the author said that she was in Southern California to give a book reading at "Book Soup." She admitted that she deliberately emulated the style of Jane Austin, and set the novel in exactly the time period that Austenites are used to. She did say that more happens in it, world-wise, than in Jane Austin. She also denied any interest in doing her own screenplay, or even meeting any Hollywood people. "My agent handles that." She said. She wants to concentrate on writing her second novel, which is not a sequel or prequel. -- Professor Jonathan Vos Post
http://magicdragon.com
over 15,000,000 hits/year
My mom always said, "Jim, you're 1 in a million." Given the current population, there are 7000 of me. God help us all!
I work at a small bookstore in a local mall part-time, and we had three copies of this book. Personally, I had never heard of it before, and the cover is very nondescript. The book itself is rather large, and every one came shrink wrapped (which I thought was bizarre). My manager put them out on the shelf this way.
:P
One week after we got them, all three had been stolen. It would be a task, to say the least, to get that book in particular out of the store without anyone noticing (i.e. it was a bit awkward to handle). We were all confused by the fact that we'd never heard of it, and assumed it wouldn't be "popular".
Was there any sort of build up or fanfare for this book before it was released? Or were our copies stolen by one diligent person?
I'm about a third of the way through it now, so I can't give a full review, but I am enjoying it greatly. I bought it after reading about it on Neil Gaiman's blog, which is what inspired my elevator pitch for the book (when my wife asked what it was like):
"It's like Jane Austin or Charles Dickens writing a Neil Gaiman book about English magicians."
As others have opined, the style is deliberately (and so far, convincingly) Victorian. Lots of subtle characters who hide their feelings motivations from each other; lots of characters, period (I've almost had to start taking notes when minor characters from Chapter 1 show up 150 pages later); no sex, violence, or profanity (so far, I think, one "D---"); and many footnotes (some which run 80% of the page for 4 pages!).
-- stream of did I lock the front door consciousness
This book is good and is worth the money. You will not need to re-read it in two years when you need the space on your wall. The advertising budget is very large for this book and the reviewer should state his allegiances as I suspect some viral advertising.
Extract from Economist "Bloomsbury is now launching it with its biggest ever marketing budget for a single book."
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I'm not yet halfway, so this is not yet a review.
I'm definitely hooked. It was quite slow in starting, and very mannered in style, but the sly humor kept me reading. Many of the "scholarly" footnotes are wonderful little fantasy vignettes. For a book about magic, there is a great deal of people talking about magic and very little of them doing it. But the magical scenes, when they occur, are quite satisfyingly magical.
Check out this web site
I can think of few writers Clarke's work more clearly resembles than Jane Austen. ... Susanna Clarke does have some great books in her. But for the time being, with this, her first novel, we'll have to settle for simply "good."
So what you're saying is, to merit a grade of, say, "very good" from you I'd have to write better than Jane Austen?
You gotta keep your Tinfoil Hat on until you have the book published, otherewise you're just broadcasting your ideas to the rest of the planet. Jeez, man, you should have heard the phrase "Keep it under your hat." TINFOIL HAT for privacy. It works. It can be stylish. Soon it will be fashionable Just like these things!
1.Netcraft confirms:In Soviet Russia all your base welcomes a beowolf cluster of CowboyNeal overlords. 2.? 3.Profit!!1!
I was at Kepler's Bookstore in Menlo Park last night (seeing Louis de Bernieres read) and there was a big poster advertising Clarke reading there TONIGHT (Friday 24th). I think at 730PM - check here http://keplers.booksense.com/NASApp/store/IndexJsp / Haven't read the book but I've read generally good reviews of it....too bad both the aforementioned de Bernieres has a thick new novel out, as does /. fave Neal Stephenson......
Maybe there are no new themes since Shakespeare and maybe there's nothing new under the sun, but if you're a writer that shouldn't stop you. I guarantee you that if you write something with a good hero, a charming rogue, a damsel in distress, a dashing villain, and you put them through conflict and resolution in some interesting way, you've got the basis for a fine story that will be interesting to someone.
Not to mention that new readers are born every day, and maybe your rendition of an old theme will be the first time they see it. To use a baseball analogy, you can have a long and lucrative career if you never hit a home run but put up a single or double every other time at bat.
Please, go forth and write, edit, and submit for publication. And if you won't, then admit it is because you are lazy or self-concious or full of doubt or some reason besides, "I could have written The Matrix but I didn't because someone already did."
I'll tell you what the 'effect' is! It's pissing me off!
"E.g., one where supermodels chase after Slashdotters in hopes of learning Linux and having their babies."
Sorry, land of delusion is down the hall. Second door to the right.
"Let's put it this way: if you had a truly original idea, something no one had ever thought of before, then no one could understand it."
Einstein's Relativity.
No, they're identical. One has a really ugly white cover, the other has a not-sexy-but-still-good black cover.
I am not a man, I am a free number.
What, you mean like the Bible?
Whee! Such hilarious, sophisticated humor :) And so original; nothing like it on /. or in pop culture ...
But seriously, have a read. You might rethink things:
The Bible (NIV)
This sounds exactly like the kind of book I would like to buy. Sounds a lot like Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere which I thought was awesome.
Often wrong but never in doubt.
I am Jack9.
Everyone knows me.
I was hoping there wasn't, but I wasn't sure, particularly since the all of the copies at B&N were shrinkwrapped with a really thick, resiliant shrinkwrap. Odd.
I bought the black copy -- didn't care much for the white.
-- stream of did I lock the front door consciousness
Apparently it didn't make the Booker Prize shortlist because most of the judges felt that a good editor would've removed about 2-300 pages from the story.
I'd be interested to hear the opinion of anyone who has read the thing on this....
Donte Alistair Anderson Roberts - hi son!
Karma: Chameleon
????
I've never seen a troll post his own suggestion to mod his posts down before.
Damn, put in one link to wikipedia, and the next thing I know I'm spending an hour on a dozen articles on stuff I've never heard before. Wikipedia links should come with a warning. It's like a time-sucking vortex.
Excuse me, now, while I go play some Mornington Crescent.
(At this point, you have eliminated 60-75% of your submissions. Almost all the reading-and-thinking time will be spent on the remaining fraction.)
(You have now eliminated 95-99% of the submissions.)
- Someone could publish this book, but we don't see why it should be us.
- Author is talented, but has written the wrong book.
- It's a good book, but the house isn't going to get behind it, so if you buy it, it'll just get lost in the shuffle.
- Buy this book.
Full article here.Vino, gyno, and techno -Bruce Sterling
I read that series growing up. They had the bound trilogy-as-one-book and I reread it several times. Unfortunately, the only other book I ran into in the series was the 5th or 6th or so, The Warrior's Son maybe? Eh, anyhow, good stuff. I particularly liked the fact that you had some feeling of realism in it despite the fantasy setting. One of the members of the party died within the first day or so in the new world and a few others die later. Sure, the remaining party members seemed at times to be slightly overpowered compared to the world compatriots, but not such that they couldn't lose teeth, appendages, their lives, etc if they weren't careful and/or were unlucky.
This sig has absolutely no significance and serves only to take up screen space and waste the time of the reader.