Date: Wed, 27 Apr 2005 20:00:39 -0400
To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at WSFA.org>
From: Colleen Cahill <ccah at earthlink.net>
Subject: [WSFA] Re: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at WSFA.org>

It is interesting how tastes differ.  I really enjoyed this book, partly
for it's magic and dark edge, but also because as one person put it "it is
written like Jane Austen with Dicken's character names".    The footnotes
were some of my favorite things about the book, but I kind of saw them as
sub-stories and even tongue in cheek humor for nineteenth century books.
I figure I will re-read this one in a few months, but first I am re-reading
Neal Stephenson's System of the World: after being in London, I want to
check some of his details.
Colleen

At 09:51 AM 4/26/2005, you wrote:
>Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
>
>Ugh, I finally finished reading this boat anchor
>disguised as a book -- which I started reading last
>December -- because it's on this year's Hugo Awards
>ballot.
>
>One of the most boring books I have ever dragged
>my eyes through... and I've read The Silmarillion. ;-)
>
>I look at all the great reviews for this novel
>and wonder if Michael slipped me some powdered
>sugar instead of the real goods.  Did any of
>these people even finish reading the book or is
>this the Emperor's New Clothing?  Do people say,
>"Well if Neil Gaiman loved it, I must be too
>stupid to really appreciate it," and so they
>gush about how great it is?
>
>Definately a "love it or hate it" book.  Can I
>get my money back, Michael?
>
>Michael Nelson
>
>__________________________________________________
>

Colleen R. Cahill
ccah at earthlink.net
Librarian by Profession, Reviewer by Avocation, Reader by Addiction