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Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
I liked it. It did take me a fair while to get into it though by the end I was invested.
+ I loved the end with Strange and Norrell happily (!) trapped under the curse of Darkness. It was basically the best end Norrell could have gotten and a weirdly very positive one for Strange despite the Arabella separation.
I liked both Strange and Norrell. With Norrell I spent so much of the book either face-palming or sighing in frustrated pain. He made all the worst choices! He was so cowardly and terrible! What he did to Emma, but especially his refusal to face it and try to help her, was awful. And yet I didn't hate him. He was so pathetic and sad and lonely, and so obviously self-defeating. I ended up happy that he got the best happily ever after he could have. Far away, and unable to inflict himself on other people. At the same time Strange was obviously set up as the 'good' one, and his view of magic the better one, but he definitely had his own issues and could be an asshole in his own right.
+ I was expecting Strange and Arabella to get their happy ending so it was a surprise when they didn't end up together. Honestly I kind of love that. It's clear that they deeply loved each other but also Arabella wasn't wrong when she stated that magic was as much first for him as it was for Norrell. He was a pretty neglectful husband and he didn't seem to care much about her interests or what she wanted. I loved that she didn't volunteer to join him in dark exile and that he didn't ask her. I loved him telling her to not be a widow but to be happy. I found their ending weirdly hopeful and sweet despite the separation.
+ I really wanted more on Lady Pole, Arabella and Stephen's time in Lost-Hope and the relationships they formed there. Especially Lady Pole and Arabella who seemed to have become very close. I loved that after Lady Pole was freed all her thoughts were about freeing the other two. This book made me want even more of an epilogue check in with all the characters. I like to think when Arabella returned to England she moved in with Lady Pole and they became regular visitors to Lost-Hope.
+ Stephen was great. I liked how his storyline played out and loved that he killed the Gentleman and stole his kingdom. I like how understanding he was that the Gentleman was only acting in his nature and probably did care for him. Stephen becoming King of Lost-Hope and how much it was already changing when he walked into it was a lovely ending even if I wanted to see more.
+ I quite liked the scene of Arabella's escape. I appreciate so much Flora being there for her, and what she did for both Arabella and Strange, and her reaction when Arabella finally came through the mirror.
+ Lady Pole had a line after she was freed from her bewitching where she brushes away Segundus suggestion she talk to Sir Walter and have him speak to the important people for her because she wasn't trading one loss of freedom for another, and I just really loved it.
+ Lascelles fate was deliciously terrible and satisfying.
+ I loved the return of magic at the end. I loved the British wizards dividing themselves between being Norrellites and Strangites. The magical world-building in general was interesting. I love the whole idea of modern magicians having to excavate their own history and the different versions they come across and the fights about who is right.
+ I loved the end with Strange and Norrell happily (!) trapped under the curse of Darkness. It was basically the best end Norrell could have gotten and a weirdly very positive one for Strange despite the Arabella separation.
I liked both Strange and Norrell. With Norrell I spent so much of the book either face-palming or sighing in frustrated pain. He made all the worst choices! He was so cowardly and terrible! What he did to Emma, but especially his refusal to face it and try to help her, was awful. And yet I didn't hate him. He was so pathetic and sad and lonely, and so obviously self-defeating. I ended up happy that he got the best happily ever after he could have. Far away, and unable to inflict himself on other people. At the same time Strange was obviously set up as the 'good' one, and his view of magic the better one, but he definitely had his own issues and could be an asshole in his own right.
+ I was expecting Strange and Arabella to get their happy ending so it was a surprise when they didn't end up together. Honestly I kind of love that. It's clear that they deeply loved each other but also Arabella wasn't wrong when she stated that magic was as much first for him as it was for Norrell. He was a pretty neglectful husband and he didn't seem to care much about her interests or what she wanted. I loved that she didn't volunteer to join him in dark exile and that he didn't ask her. I loved him telling her to not be a widow but to be happy. I found their ending weirdly hopeful and sweet despite the separation.
+ I really wanted more on Lady Pole, Arabella and Stephen's time in Lost-Hope and the relationships they formed there. Especially Lady Pole and Arabella who seemed to have become very close. I loved that after Lady Pole was freed all her thoughts were about freeing the other two. This book made me want even more of an epilogue check in with all the characters. I like to think when Arabella returned to England she moved in with Lady Pole and they became regular visitors to Lost-Hope.
+ Stephen was great. I liked how his storyline played out and loved that he killed the Gentleman and stole his kingdom. I like how understanding he was that the Gentleman was only acting in his nature and probably did care for him. Stephen becoming King of Lost-Hope and how much it was already changing when he walked into it was a lovely ending even if I wanted to see more.
+ I quite liked the scene of Arabella's escape. I appreciate so much Flora being there for her, and what she did for both Arabella and Strange, and her reaction when Arabella finally came through the mirror.
+ Lady Pole had a line after she was freed from her bewitching where she brushes away Segundus suggestion she talk to Sir Walter and have him speak to the important people for her because she wasn't trading one loss of freedom for another, and I just really loved it.
+ Lascelles fate was deliciously terrible and satisfying.
+ I loved the return of magic at the end. I loved the British wizards dividing themselves between being Norrellites and Strangites. The magical world-building in general was interesting. I love the whole idea of modern magicians having to excavate their own history and the different versions they come across and the fights about who is right.