My rating on this book makes me wonder if it’s so high due to … magic? 

Or is it just peer pressure? My interest peaked when someone referred to this book as a ‘modern classic’. It’s complex. You can feel the research the author went through to make as this as historically accurate, early 1800s, fantasy novel as she could. In that regard, I feel she did an excellent job. 

What I find interesting is as someone who read the entire book. It gives off the impression that this is so complex that my small little brain cannot fathom what it is really trying to say. Yet, that’s not really how books work. 

My list of criticisms are longer than my list of positives, yet I think I will stand by my rating. I’m still flip-flopping even in the process of writing this review, but a quick summary is I enjoyed this book! I’m not sure what I’m taking away from the book, but I enjoyed it!

Saying this book is slow paced is an understatement. Mixing this slow pace with overly complex characters makes this book almost unbearable. It feels like this brilliant novel was published only in its first or second draft. It needed another read through, a bit more chopping here and refining there. Some of the main plot lines needed the red yarn connected from one thumbtack to another.

Other reviewers that dislike this book even agree that there are many moments of brilliance. However, it falls flat when it comes to putting it together as a single work of art. It’s a shame because this isn’t a simple 300 page thriller that a reader can get through in one evening. It’s a commitment and a journey.

Additionally, the footnotes were exhausting after a while. They didn’t add enough to the story. Sometimes footnotes are used for a little extra thrill. I can see what the author was trying to do by adding them … but again, it became a nuisance rather than adding any value.

I’d like to agree with my friends who consider this book a modern classic. I’d like to recommend it to all my friends. I won’t. I’ll hold this book close and appreciate the moments of excitement that I read to make dedicating this much of my time to a single book justified. On the same hand, I will not, not recommend this book. And I’ll leave you my friends, with that.

Amazon Link –Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell By: Susanna Clarke

Stats: 865 pages – First published September 8, 2004