At almost 900 pages in length, this book is quite a feat to read, but I think it's well worth the effort. I'm not usually fond of fairytale fiction with magic as the main theme, but the style of writing drew me in, and the plot had enough action to keep my interest. I look forward to reading other works by this author (though at present there is only one other book, a collection of short stories). ( )

I love this book, it is so thoroughly written. A great concept and a must read! ( )

Neil Gaiman declared the book, "unquestionably the finest English novel of the fantastic written in the last 70 years." Considering Tolkien published Lord of the Rings less than seventy years ago, that statement is way over the top. Still Clarke's novel is undoubtedly one of the greatest examples of fantasy English or otherwise. It is an amazing journey, and though it has been months since I've read it, I'm still digesting how exactly I feel about it. Ultimately, I think it will be regarded as a defining book in the fantasy genre. ( )

The first time I read it I couldn’t make sense of it. The plot wanders around between different places and groups of characters and the whole thing is over-peopled (like the real world) with persons who seemingly don’t have much to do with the main action.You can tell it’s set in the past, in what appears to be Regency England; but it isn’t our Regency England. It’s one existing in some alternative universe where history took a very different turn. In this universe magic is real, and so are its most gifted practitioners, fairies. So this England was successfully invaded shortly after the Norman Conquest by a fairy army led by a magician, John Uskglass, who declared himself king and proceeded to rule successfully for 300 years. Then, mysteriously, he withdrew; and when he left the magic and the fairies went with him. The book starts centuries later when nobody in England even believes in doing magic anymore and it’s up to Norrell and Strange to reinvent it. They’re an ill-assorted pair. Norrell is scholarly and hyper-cautious : he wants to make magic modern, predictable and safe. Strange is whimsical, impulsive and reckless: he wants to push the boundaries. But neither man is anything like a match for the great magician-king who retreated long ago, somewhere behind the rain and the dark; and who may still be there.

Though she convincingly creates a world in which magic is real and sometimes chilling, Clarke doesn’t do raw-head-and-bloody-bones horror. There’s plenty of droll humour though and she is good at imitating the prose of the period. So, if you know Austen-speak puts you off maybe this is not one for you. Once you get your head round the plot though it is absolutely ingenious. If there’s a hole in it anywhere I haven’t found it yet. ( )

Despite the incredibly large page count, this book was incredibly intriguing throughout and never seemed to drag as so many novels of this size do.

Mr. Norrell is an old crotchety magician who wants magic in England to once again be respected and widespread, but doesn't think there's a single other person in England that could do magic as wonderfully as him. He spends a great deal of time buying up old magic books and putting magical scholars out of work while forcing "magical societies" to disband because they aren't real magicians.

After moving to London at the behest of his man servant/business manager, Mr. Norrell starts to assist the English parliament with their fight against the French. Everything seems to be going wonderfully until Jonathan Strange shows up, a charming young magician that seems to have a great aptitude for magic as well. Mr. Norrell hesitantly takes on Strange as a pupil, but refuses to allow Strange to actually work magic, only read about it.

There's a fight, their partnership breaks up, and Jonathan Strange goes to Spain to fight hands-on for the British. All the while there's a faerie king kidnapping pretty people at to dance for the rest of time in his magical kingdom. Despite the many different plot lines involved, everything weaves together quite nicely in the end. ( )