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A review by philibin
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
(2.0 Stars)
ok... Maybe I am being too harsh. There was a lot going against me liking this book. First off, it was 36+ hours and I typically go for books that are <15 hours (by sweet spot is probably between 9 and 12). Next, I borrowed this from my local library and only had 7 days to complete it, so I felt a little pressured. And lastly... It became available to read on the same week as the 2024 US Presidential Election, so I was dealing with the existential dread of another Trump administration in addition to trying to consume 36 hours on 7 days.
The book's concept was what made me want to read this book. It is basically an alternate history of England where Magic is found out to be real, and the lives of two magicians and those around them. I found it to be very slow paced. I also thought the magic was just not done well, or just was not thought out.
I know, based on other reviews that I am in the minority here, but I just found the magic system to be incoherent, the world(s) to be flat, and the characters utterly uninteresting.
The narration of the audiobook was fine. There were some slight variations to the major characters, and a few different accents used so that helped keep track of the dialog.
ok... Maybe I am being too harsh. There was a lot going against me liking this book. First off, it was 36+ hours and I typically go for books that are <15 hours (by sweet spot is probably between 9 and 12). Next, I borrowed this from my local library and only had 7 days to complete it, so I felt a little pressured. And lastly... It became available to read on the same week as the 2024 US Presidential Election, so I was dealing with the existential dread of another Trump administration in addition to trying to consume 36 hours on 7 days.
The book's concept was what made me want to read this book. It is basically an alternate history of England where Magic is found out to be real, and the lives of two magicians and those around them. I found it to be very slow paced. I also thought the magic was just not done well, or just was not thought out.
I know, based on other reviews that I am in the minority here, but I just found the magic system to be incoherent, the world(s) to be flat, and the characters utterly uninteresting.
The narration of the audiobook was fine. There were some slight variations to the major characters, and a few different accents used so that helped keep track of the dialog.