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Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell

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Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell

By: Susanna Clarke
Narrated by: Neil Gaiman, Richard Armitage, V.E. Schwab
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About this listen

Bloomsbury presents Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke, read by Richard Armitage with Neil Gaiman and an introduction by V E Schwab.

The 20th anniversary edition of the fantasy classic.

‘The book I wish I'd written’ R F Kuang
‘Susanna Clarke writes with an intelligence and beauty that seems at times miraculous’ Katherine Rundell

1806. England is beleaguered by the long war, and centuries have passed since magicians faded from view. But one remains: the reclusive Mr Norrell. Proceeding to London, he raises a woman from the dead and summons an army of ghostly ships to terrify the French.

Yet the cautious Norrell is challenged by the emergence of another magician. Young, handsome and daring, Jonathan Strange is his very antithesis. So begins a dangerous battle between these two great men – which overwhelms that between England and France. And soon their own secret dabblings with the dark arts are going to cause more trouble than they can imagine…

'Like Hilary Mantel, Clarke has made the very notion of genre seem quaint' Guardian

©2024 Susanna Clarke (P)2024 Bloomsbury Publishing Plc Fantasy Genre Fiction Historical Magical Realism Movie, TV & Video Game Tie-Ins Victorian England Funny Magic Users

Critic reviews

'Clarke creates a world beyond our wildest imagination that also tells us something profound about what it is to be human' (BERNARDINE EVARISTO)

'What a world Susanna Clarke conjures into being' (DAVID MITCHELL)

'A miraculous and luminous feat of storytelling' (MADELINE MILLER)

'Purely joyful reading' (NAOMI ALDERMAN)

'Admirably inventive, frequently delightful' (MICHEL FABER)
All stars
Most relevant
This is one of my favourite books which I've re-read many times. I love the original audiobook which is wonderfully narrated by Simon Prebble but I was pleasantly surprised by Richard Armitage's very good performance. The one quibble I have is the footnotes narrated by Neil Gaiman. They are just added to the narration, without stating that they are footnotes. Gaiman's voice is also rather drab. Otherwise very good.

Miss the footnotes from the original

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Not my sort of thing I would say but it was a recommendation and I am so pleased I took notice. i was totally absorbed by the beautiful writing and wonderful performance. I will miss it.

Absorbing

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This must be my 4th time reading this book since I first discovered a battered old copy in a second hand bookshop when I was 16. It remains one of the most brilliant books I've ever read and always leaves me in a state of grief when I finish it - because there is simply nothing else like it. This was my first time listening to the audio book however, and I found it better than I could have ever wished - the narration is sensitive to the tone and humour of the writing, the characters are voiced spectacularly well (which is something very impressive in such a large novel, with such a large cast of characters) and the whole experience of listening to the book gave me a different and exciting perspective on an old favourite. I will definitely return to this recording.

A favourite book - excellent narration

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Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell” is a cleverly woven tapestry of magic, manners, and mystery. The story unfolds with elegance and wit, masterfully narrated and rich in footnoted curiosities. A spellbinding journey through an alternate England where magic is real—and awfully well-behaved… until it isn’t.

Enchanting story!!

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loved the story and characters, and Armitage's narration is superlative. Will he eagerly relistening soon.

Fantastic storytelling

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