Johnathan Strange and Mr Norrell: Looks like hard work, is it worth it?

[lucyellensmum]

Has anyone read this. I picked it up in a charity shop the other week, been drawn to it for a while but never brought it because well, im tired!!! It looks like a bit of a challenging read AND its bloody heavy - is it worth the effort?

I read it a few years ago and enjoyed it.

I gave up on it.

I thought it was great, but it does verge off into fairy territory (if you like that kind of thing!).

'Tis alright. Not sure if actually worth the effort but once your about 500 pages in it seems churlish not to see it through to the end.

Out of a number of friends I am the only one who could be arsed finishing it. Mainly because I was on maternity leave and really had bog all else to do. If you actually have a life you might might not bother.....

I didn't like it - but I'm not one for the fairies or suspending my disbelief too much. I thought the descriptions of the Peninsular War were amusing though.

I really liked it. I enjoyed the fact that the author had created so much detail, footnotes, & references etc, but you can skip those bits and just enjoy the main narrative without getting too bogged down in the hisory of the fairies. Loved the descriptions of York and other settings. Really inventive writing and great characters. Agree with Lilymaid about the Penisular Campaign.

That should be history of the fairies. Damn that glass of red wine. It's made my spolling go all wreng (hic)!

yes it is worth it

I liked it, and I usually loathe fantasy kind of stuff

dh on the other hand, an avid fan of pratchett & co never managed to get into it at all (but then he's not much of a reader anyway).

I like fantasy stuff usually, but didn't love it. Took ages to plow through and I only perservered because a colleague I really liked said it was good! Don't think I'd recommend it!

I gave up on it, and that doesn't happen often

I gave up after 100 pages

i gave up too. seldom do that, no matter how inconveniently heavy and shit the book is. this managed both spectacularly.

I picked up a copy in our local charity shop this morning & put it down for exactly the same reasons lucyellensmum - think this thread is making me feel vindicated

Oh - i started it last night, only about ten pages in before i fell asleep - theres nearly 1000, it doesnt bode well does it.

Dittany - i agree, the last book i read was Bram Stokers dracula, but it was very easy reading, although i do feel that he run out of paper.......um, thats another thread though really.

I absolutely loved this book and have read it twice mind you I didn't read all the footnotes just the main text

geek lapin and andie really you loved it? what other books do you love?

i am currently preaching christoper fowler and louise welsh (well i always love them but they are unfashionable). also late to the agent zigzag party, a couple fo chapters in am finding the writer's style a bit irritating.

I usually love this kind of fantasy stuff but I couldn't believe how tedious this was...

i liked it - i don't remember very much about it and wouldn't put it in my top ten of the last year or so, but it's 'alright'.

mark billingham rang (me) my work for research, he is very nice man. i read a few early eiowinnins but not gripping. i like garth nix.

I love kids books...more than grown ups a lot of that time, but perhaps that says masses about my maturity level .

LOVED the Hobbit, hated LOTR....Have got glass books, so might read it next, now I've seen littlelapin's post. Also loved the book thief. Haven't read any Eion Colfers, but have bought a few from carboots last season...will get round to them as soon as I have the set iykwim.

I think the jury's done on Strange & Norrell and the verdict ain't looking great!

I couldn't get through it.