Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell

[gregweller]

Any one else reading this book? It's kind of like Jane Austen meets J.K.Rowling.

 

[haiiro]

I was listening to the author on NPR today, and decided that I really wanted to read this one. I picked it up in the store a little while back, flipped through it, and didn't think it was my speed -- but now I rather suspect it is.

What do you think of it, greg?

 

[Cannibal_Kender]

Loved this book.

My favorite part was the little ditty one of Wellington's troops taught a bird to get back at Jonathan Strange.

 

[talinthas]

I just started it, and it very much feels like a book out of the early 19th century. It takes a lot of skill to write like that.

I'm not nearly far enough in to decide what i think of it though.

 

[driver8]

I loved this book. Hence my Avatar

 

[gregweller]

I'm about 1/2 way through it, and I'm enjoying it very much. It's not a quick read, though. There's (at least) two things about it that I much admire. One is the writing as writing. I spent most of last year reading Patrick O'Brian's series of novels about Jack Aubrey -- the books 'Master and Commander' was based on. When I was trying to describe those books to someone who hadn't read them, I said they were like 'Jane Austen on steroids'. And this book is similar. And I don't mean that it's slavishly imitative of something else, but it goes back to a style of writing that is more ornate, more deliberate than what we generally see today. The second thing is the historicity of it. The world it paints does seem real--you believe in it, and I think that that's the great trick of fantasy done well.

 

[Banshee16]

I'm about 1/2 way through it, and I'm enjoying it very much. It's not a quick read, though. There's (at least) two things about it that I much admire. One is the writing as writing. I spent most of last year reading Patrick O'Brian's series of novels about Jack Aubrey -- the books 'Master and Commander' was based on. When I was trying to describe those books to someone who hadn't read them, I said they were like 'Jane Austen on steroids'. And this book is similar. And I don't mean that it's slavishly imitative of something else, but it goes back to a style of writing that is more ornate, more deliberate than what we generally see today. The second thing is the historicity of it. The world it paints does seem real--you believe in it, and I think that that's the great trick of fantasy done well.

I bought it as a gift for my gf, and am awaiting her review. She doesn't tend to fly through them as quickly as I do, however, so I'll have to wait for a while.

I find a lot of fantasy authors today seem to really shortchange you on the details and writing. I'm not sure if it's a lower skill level of writer, a modern style, or what, but I find the style in a lot of older books to make them more interesting.

Your comment about Patrick O'Brien I find interesting. I just received about 7 of his books for Christmas....I've only read Master and Commander so far. Do the writing/storylines remain as interesting through the series as in the first book?

Banshee

 

[Wombat]

I, too, absolutely loved this book -- it has exactly the right feel for the era, as well as the style of writing. Makes me actually want to set a game in the late 1700s/early 1800s ... besides, I always thought Lord Byron and some of his ilk would make fantastic NPCs and potential opponents.

In any case, I loved the notions of what magic could and could not do (as opposed to what a gentleman should or should not do). A fantastic read!

Your comment about Patrick O'Brien I find interesting. I just received about 7 of his books for Christmas....I've only read Master and Commander so far. Do the writing/storylines remain as interesting through the series as in the first book?

...oh yes...

Actually, I found Master & Commander and a couple of the later books (Yellow Admiral, The Hundred Days, Blue at the Mizzen) to be the (comparatively) weak works. I love Jack and Stephen as if I really have met them; I have read the series through twice and will do so again in another couple of years, out of sheer love of the detail, the characters, and the world O'Brian evokes.

As one critic wrote, O'Brian did not write 20 novels, but simply one book of a bit over 6000 pages. And it is a joy to take that journey at any time.

 

[haiiro]

Well, I picked it up yesterday with some Christmas money, and thus far it's excellent! I was very much in the mood for a dense and detailed read, which this book looks to promise.

One thing that strikes me as odd -- not sure how I feel about it yet -- is that abbreviated titles (mister, doctor) are shown as "Mr" not "Mr." with a period.

 

[Olive]

Yeah, loved it. The problem with the JK Rowling comparison is that it's not writen like a kids book. I don't like Harry Potter much, but this was awesome!