JONATHAN STRANGE & MR. NORRELL by Susanna Clarke

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

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.

RATING:

I had heard so much about Susanna Clarke's debut novel but had postponed reading it several times due to its voluminous size & my personal work schedule. I finally decided that the time had come to delve into her mystical world of English magicians and it proved to be an extraordinary experience. Clarke has successfully created a stunning saga rich with wonderfully drawn main and supporting characters as well as a story that evolves and holds your attention from page one to the last. Understandably, I can agree with the critics that this is truly a modern day masterpiece and it is a book to be savored to the very end. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.