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Thoughts on Jonathan Strange and Mr Norell
Jul. 8th, 2016 10:09 pmIt look me a little under two months to read this book. But that's not quite right. It took me almost two months to read 75% of the book and two days to read the last quarter (about 250 pages) because once the pieces started to come together I just wanted to know what will happen. And that's always a good sign.
I liked being in the world this book creates. The pacing and the language and the depth of the created nineteenth century. All the footnotes and side stories and little asides about different books of magic and all the stories really added dimensions. And the possibilities that magic opens up in this world, especially in the end with the trees and rivers and stones, just become endless. I was never bored with the story, I always enjoyed reading when I was reading it, the prose was easy (I read much 19th century literature and feel comfortable in that world) but the beginning and the middle didn't call for me to read when I was not reading it. The end did. The book was long but none of it felt like it should have been cut. All 900 odd pages were there for a reason.
I also enjoyed the characters, especially the female characters. I thought all the characters were three dimensional, which doesn't always happen in books. Flora, for example, who might have been just a stereotype or side interest in a different book, has her own interests and personality, is allowed to be upset but is also willing to help and go beyond what many would expect. And even her Aunt gets development and inner thoughts. I liked that a lot. I loved Lady Pole's rage and anger when she was finally pulled out of her enchantment and her insistence on writing all the letters herself and not involve her husband. We didn't really see her fully, other than very sick or enchanted, until the end of the book and it was good to see her for who she was. I did wish to see a little more of Arabella than what we got but she was interesting too; she managed to be happy with a husband who was often very distracted. That's a good quality to have. And many side characters got development too. Walter Pole's devotion to his wife added an interesting character trait - he could have easily been a terrible husband who just married for money. But often there was an unexpected turn or a detail about a character.
As an introvert who adores books I could relate to Mr. Norell on many points. (Well, not erasing someone's book. That was horrible to me. Just the idea of it). And as a character he surprised me too especially in his joy of seeing Jonathan Strange do magic for the first time and just his delight in having a student. And at the end just falling into working together and not minding at all at being in the Darkness. As Strange pointed out at the end, Norell gets to see the world and do magic sitting in his library and not dealing with people, it would sound very heavenly to him.
I liked Strange more when he went to the Continent and had to ingratiate himself to the army. And all the magic was pretty fun. Of course, the army would be most happy with logistics like roads than frogs reigning out of the sky. Unhinged Strange in the Darkness got a little more disturbing - mostly because we really stop spending time with him and seeing his perspective- we see him through Dr. Graysteel and Drawlight and Byron's account.
I liked the ending too, most points resolved but bittersweet with a parting kiss between Arabella and Strange. I like the detail that she didn't offer to go into the Darkness and he didn't ask. It was an ending that would lead itself to the sequel but without the sequel it still feels complete.
I liked being in the world this book creates. The pacing and the language and the depth of the created nineteenth century. All the footnotes and side stories and little asides about different books of magic and all the stories really added dimensions. And the possibilities that magic opens up in this world, especially in the end with the trees and rivers and stones, just become endless. I was never bored with the story, I always enjoyed reading when I was reading it, the prose was easy (I read much 19th century literature and feel comfortable in that world) but the beginning and the middle didn't call for me to read when I was not reading it. The end did. The book was long but none of it felt like it should have been cut. All 900 odd pages were there for a reason.
I also enjoyed the characters, especially the female characters. I thought all the characters were three dimensional, which doesn't always happen in books. Flora, for example, who might have been just a stereotype or side interest in a different book, has her own interests and personality, is allowed to be upset but is also willing to help and go beyond what many would expect. And even her Aunt gets development and inner thoughts. I liked that a lot. I loved Lady Pole's rage and anger when she was finally pulled out of her enchantment and her insistence on writing all the letters herself and not involve her husband. We didn't really see her fully, other than very sick or enchanted, until the end of the book and it was good to see her for who she was. I did wish to see a little more of Arabella than what we got but she was interesting too; she managed to be happy with a husband who was often very distracted. That's a good quality to have. And many side characters got development too. Walter Pole's devotion to his wife added an interesting character trait - he could have easily been a terrible husband who just married for money. But often there was an unexpected turn or a detail about a character.
As an introvert who adores books I could relate to Mr. Norell on many points. (Well, not erasing someone's book. That was horrible to me. Just the idea of it). And as a character he surprised me too especially in his joy of seeing Jonathan Strange do magic for the first time and just his delight in having a student. And at the end just falling into working together and not minding at all at being in the Darkness. As Strange pointed out at the end, Norell gets to see the world and do magic sitting in his library and not dealing with people, it would sound very heavenly to him.
I liked Strange more when he went to the Continent and had to ingratiate himself to the army. And all the magic was pretty fun. Of course, the army would be most happy with logistics like roads than frogs reigning out of the sky. Unhinged Strange in the Darkness got a little more disturbing - mostly because we really stop spending time with him and seeing his perspective- we see him through Dr. Graysteel and Drawlight and Byron's account.
I liked the ending too, most points resolved but bittersweet with a parting kiss between Arabella and Strange. I like the detail that she didn't offer to go into the Darkness and he didn't ask. It was an ending that would lead itself to the sequel but without the sequel it still feels complete.