New Review: Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell
February 26, 2007 (11:56 PM) ( link )

ADDED a review of Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell.

What an astonishing book. Of course, I'm late to this party: better reviews than mine have already effused, and properly so. Suffice it to say that I read this book while (rather uncharacteristically) on a cruise ship steaming through some gorgeous mountain ranges in Alaska, and I barely looked outside until I had read the last page.

I would also be remiss if I didn't point to and heartily recommend this wonderful essay by Clarke, which was posted, of all places, on Crooked Timber.

Writing this review reminded me of how powerful a spell a good book can cast upon the reader. Unfortunately, Black Swan Green, David Mitchell's latest, is pretty awful so far, and I have little hope that it'll pick up.