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Books » Fiction & Literature » Literary
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell
http://www.fishpond.co.nz/Books/Jonathan-Strange-and-Mr-Norrell-Susanna-Clarke/9781582344164
By
Susanna Clarke
RRP $52.99 $33.68 Save $19.31 (36%)33.68
Free shipping NZ wide Ships within 24 hours from USA supplier | Rating: | | | Format: | Hardcover, 800 pages | | Other Information: | illustrations | | Release Date: | 01 October 2004 |
All is going well for rich, reclusive Mr Norell, who has regained some of the power of England's magicians from the past, until a rival magician, Jonathan Strange, appears and becomes Mr Norrell's pupil, in a witty fantasy set against the backdrop of nineteenth-century England. ReviewsThere may be no better marriage of talents than that of Clarke and Prebble. The former spins an enchanting, epic tale of English magic in the age of Napoleon, and the latter brings it to life-footnotes and all-with a full-bodied voice, skill and aplomb that rivals that of noted narrator Jim Dale. Set in a world where the study of theoretical magic is common, but the practice of it is unheard of, this sweeping narrative follows the exploits of England's only two practical magicians, the bookish Mr. Norrell and the affable Jonathan Strange, as they struggle to revive the country's magic in very different ways. Mr. Norrell is content to publish opaque, opinionated pieces on magic's uses and misuses, but Strange is fascinated by the legend and lore of the Raven King, the so-called father of English magic. The voices Prebble lends these two disparate characters nicely reflects their personalities-Norrell's voice is brittle and sometimes shrill, but Strange's is pleasant and ironic. As the two magicians labor together to defeat Napoleon and then separately to pursue their own ends, an elusive faerie known only as the "gentleman with the Thistledown hair" watches and schemes. Clarke's novel likely contains close to 100, if not more, characters, and Prebble juggles them all with ease. Although the heavy price of this audiobook may deter some listeners, there's no better way to experience the material than to hear it performed by such a consummate actor. Based on the Bloomsbury hardcover (Forecasts, July 12, 2004). (Nov.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information. "Absolutely compelling...the author captures the period and its literary conventions with complete conviction. An astonishing achievement." -- Charles Palliser |
| Publisher: | Bloomsbury Publishing PLC | | ISBN: | 1582344167 |
| EAN: | 9781582344164 | | Dimensions: | 24.49 x 16.92 x 5.69 centimeters (0.41 kg) |
| Age Range: |
15+ years |
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Reviews
5.0
out of 5 based on
3
reviews.
 – Customer review on 06/11/2009
Clarke has taken the world of 19th century literature and bought it into the modern world, adding a healthy dose of magic and wonder along the way.
she does a superb job of using the writing idioms of the day to the set the scene of the landed gentry but at the cost of risking making it inacessible to modern readers who may be used to more emmediacy in their novels, but persevier and you'll be rewarded with a story of depth, character and wonderment.
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5.0
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– Customer review on 26/07/2006
I laboured through this book the first time I read it because I could tell there was something in it. The world Clarke has built up for this story is so intricately detailed you can see everything, even the parts she hasn't written. The second time I read I well and truely enjoyed it, you'll laugh, cry, be scared, angry and worried all on the same page. Although it takes time to read Susanna Clarke has created a story it is well worth taking the time to read.
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3.0
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 – Customer review on 07/04/2006
At times the text was so funny I was laughing out loud, then you could easily come upon a scene that left you chilled with its unthinking horror, or a scene of such wonder that you were awed just contemplating it in your mind's eye. Statues weeping over atrocities committed within their sight, fake ships made from rain, roads created for Wellington's soldiers to march on in the Peninsula - the magic is thrilling, but grounded in what seems to be an Austen novel (plenty of class snobbery here).
It's a long haul, and it certainly isn't laden with action, but it's strange; I liked it.
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