Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell

By: Susanna Clarke

Narrated by: Simon Prebble

Length: 32 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

English magicians were once the wonder of the known world, with fairy servants at their beck and call; they could command winds, mountains, and woods. But by the early 1800s they have long since lost the ability to perform magic. They can only write long, dull papers about it, while fairy servants are nothing but a fading memory.

But at Hurtfew Abbey in Yorkshire, the rich, reclusive Mr. Norrell has assembled a wonderful library of lost and forgotten books from England's magical past and regained some of the powers of England's magicians. He goes to London and raises a beautiful young woman from the dead. Soon he is lending his help to the government in the war against Napoleon Bonaparte, creating ghostly fleets of rain-ships to confuse and alarm the French.

All goes well until a rival magician appears. Jonathan Strange is handsome, charming, and talkative, the very opposite of Mr. Norrell. Strange thinks nothing of enduring the rigors of campaigning with Wellington's army and doing magic on battlefields. Astonished to find another practicing magician, Mr. Norrell accepts Strange as a pupil. But it soon becomes clear that their ideas of what English magic ought to be are very different. For Mr. Norrell, their power is something to be cautiously controlled, while Jonathan Strange will always be attracted to the wildest, most perilous forms of magic. He becomes fascinated by the ancient, shadowy figure of the Raven King, a child taken by fairies who became king of both England and Faerie, and the most legendary magician of all. Eventually Strange's heedless pursuit of long-forgotten magic threatens to destroy not only his partnership with Norrell, but everything that he holds dear.

Sophisticated, witty, and ingeniously convincing, Susanna Clarke's magisterial novel weaves magic into a flawlessly detailed vision of historical England. She has created a world so thoroughly enchanting that 32 hours leave readers longing for more.

©2004 Susanna Clarke (P)2004 Audio Renaissance, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishers, LLC, and Bloomsbury Publishing

Critic reviews

• Hugo Award Winner, Best Novel, 2005

• World Fantasy Award Winner, 2005

• Audie Award Finalist, Literary Fiction, 2005

"A smashing success....An exceptionally compelling, brilliantly creative, and historically fine-tuned piece of work." (Booklist)
"Extraordinary....Immersion in the mesmerizing story reveals its intimacy, humor, and insight, and will enchant readers of fantasy and literary fiction alike." (Publishers Weekly)
"Ravishing...superb...combines the dark mythology of fantasy with the delicious social comedy of Jane Austen into a masterpiece of the genre that rivals Tolkien." (Time)
"Clarke welcomes herself into an exalted company of British writers - not only, some might argue, Dickens and Austen, but also the fantasy legends Kenneth Grahame and George MacDonald - as well as contemporary writers like Susan Cooper and Philip Pullman." (The New York Times Book Review)

love love loved this!

What a great book! Intricately detailed, interestingly written, wonderful handling of history both real and created, and the magic was brought in seamlessly. The conceit of scholarly footnotes was great. Overall a wonderful combination of funny and very dark. As long as it was, it would have kept my interest more than twice that long. Great for lovers of historical fiction and mysteries like 'Instance of the Fingerpost' and 'Name of the Rose.'

So believable!

I really enjoyed this book even though it was lengthy. I think this book is a better listen than read and I am so glad I gave it a try!

The story is so complex yet easy to follow as the author kindly reminds the listener of a character's relevance. I love stories that tie everyone together in a sensical and believable fashion.

What a clever way to think of magic. I found myself thinking of ways I could use magic. (Like when I bend down fifty times a day to pick up a toy or put on a shoe how handy would it be if a little seat popped up for me to rest on instead of killing my back). I'm sure Jonathan Strange would approve.

Endearing Fantasy

The Historians of English Magic just can't believe that there is a practitioner out there. This is a comical and very entertaining novel. I recommend it for those who enjoy titles with "twists of history." Difficult to put down.

Wonderfully written and read!!!!

A very enjoyable performance of a most enjoyable book :) Magic believably brought into modern times :)

great book

is it strange for me to believe that a seemingly dry book about English gentleman would hold your attention but somehow this seems to not just keep your attention but to grab you and Captivate you with its Frank disposition and authentic feel leave you with few questions and help you follow the storyline as well as pull you into the world they create I will read this again several times and enjoy every second

Good for multiple listens

As a general rule, I don't like to keep audiobooks that I can't enjoy at least twice. (If I don't love it, I return it!) But this is a book that you could listen to a dozen times and get something new out of it with each experience.

It's hard to say enough about Susanna Clarke's writing, her characters and settings and style. It's a rich and beautiful but light prose--always a tone of whimsy and even ironical detachment running beneath. Some people complain about the pacing of this story, but that is exactly what I love about it. Clarke lets you dwell in each moment, indulging in details, soaking up scenery, exploring side characters and little sub-dramas. She savors the world she has created and invites you to do the same. The very best kind of book.

And Prebble's narration is superb. I am on my fourth listen at the moment and I know it won't be the last.

A wonderful and engaging book.

Everything wonderful you've heard about Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell is true. The audio book is read beautifully. I cannot recommend it enough.

Imaginative and Brilliantly Read

Would you listen to Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell again? Why?

Although this book is very long and contains numerous footnotes, Ms. Clarke's ability to weave a story that includes history, intrigue and magic along with Mr. Preeble's incomparable reading makes it well worth the energy. It's been a long time since I've been so impressed with a novel....the tale is skillfully woven through the streets of London, Venice as well as magical lands. I believe the last book that gave me this pleasure was

Simply amazing.

Through use of careful detail and perfectly capturing the essence of English charm this book is a shining example of modern fantasy literature.

What a great story

This was a lot of fun, and kept me glued till the end. The start is slow, many characters are introduced and then are gone. Once you get into the 8th or 9th hour you will not want to put it down.