Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell ~ Susanna Clarke

(5)  Narrated by Simon Prebble

Alternate British history involving magicians and fairies.

I enjoy Jane Austen and Charles Dickens, and, as others have noted elsewhere on the web, this book does imitate the writing styles of both these authors. I also found traces of Wilkie Collins’ Woman in White in there with Clarkes innocent Emma, and, the gentleman of the thistle-down hair. He felt like Count Fosco had morphed into a really bad fairy, one who explains away his most evil deeds as being a reasonable route for him to get what he wants. Poor innocent Lady Emma Potts, Stephen Black, and, Arabella!

Another book reading associate mentioned “It seemed to go on forever, but in the end, I feel like it was worth my time. The last 20% or so had a fast-paced, satisfying climax.” She was exactly right:  At 32 hours and 30 minutes the audiobook seems to amble along just like a lengthy, slightly convoluted,  Dickens serial and then in the last part of the book, once Jonathan ‘finds’ Arabella, all the threads start pulling together to generate a very satisfying cannot-put-down-until-I’m-finished read.   (Even though Simon Prebble's narration is brilliant I ditched the audio, grabbed the library ebook and just read flat out!) 

I liked the ending Clarke gifted this story with and wonder if the magicians and the tower of darkness will appear in another work, sometime, somewhere.