I started this book while waiting for my surgery to begin. I didn't get very far into it, so I haven't really formed an opinion of it yet.
Here's the publishers blurb
"Centuries ago, when magic still existed in England, the greatest magician of them all was the Raven King. A human child brought up by fairies, the Raven King blended fairy wisdom and human reason to create English magic. Now, at the beginning of the nineteenth century, he is barely more than a legend, and England, with its mad King and its dashing poets, no longer believes in practical magic." "Then the reclusive Mr Norrell of Hurtfew Abbey appears and causes the statues of York Cathedral to speak and move. News spreads of the return of magic to England and, persuaded that he must help the government in the war against Napoleon, Mr Norrell goes to London. There he meets a brilliant young magician and takes him as a pupil. Jonathan Strange is charming, rich and arrogant. Together, they dazzle the country with their feats." But the partnership soon turns to rivalry. Mr Norrell has never conquered his lifelong habits of secrecy, while Strange will always be attracted to the wildest, most perilous magic. He becomes fascinated by the shadowy figure of the Raven King, and his heedless pursuit of long-forgotten magic threatens, not only his partnership with Norrell, but everything that he holds dear. "
2 comments:
I'm still working on this book. I've got to admit, I'm a little dissapointed. There is a distinct attempt to capture some sort of English charm. But it just doens't fit with the story, or at least not what I thought the story was going. It lacks any of the dark mystique that I've enjoyed in other books with about the same setting. Instead this book has faeries and elves andhumor that get's int he way of character depth.
I know that a lot of book lovers will disagree with me, but I think that the footnotes get int he way. Footnotes are like dessert for book lovers, but they can be misused. They are sort of hit or miss in this book. And then there's the quant English spelling of a few different words.
I'm going to finish, it's good enough that I want to see it through. But unless it runs around it will not be one of my favorites.
....still plowing through. On pg 655 finally...
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