Over 1000 Pages of Alternate History
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke is intriguing and magical, but ignores the Celtic nations
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke is a behemoth of a book.
It’s over 1000 pages of alternate history, set in a world where the titular characters are bringing magic back to England, against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars.
The BBC adaptation from 2015 is a thing of immense beauty, and I recommend watching it, whether or not you feel like reading the novel (#BookishRebel 😎😘)
— Seriously, it’s worth it, if only to see Marc Warren’s performance as The Gentleman (known in the book as The Gentleman With the Thistledown Hair.) He’s amazing.
The main problem that I’ve always had with the book — and to a lesser extent the series — is this notion of ‘English’ fairies and magic.
The Celtic nations (Wales, Scotland, the island of Ireland, Cornwall, Brittany, and the Isle of Man,) are entirely ignored to the point of non-existence, despite discussing the supposed old magic of the land, and the fairy roads.