First time author Susanna Clarke weaves an ingenius tale of fantasy and historical fiction together in her novel Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. Set in the early 19th Century when England is bitterly embroiled in war with France and old British magic has been relegated to the realm of theory, England’s luck takes a turn for the better when reclusive, dusty scholar Mr. Norrell emerges from the Yorkshire countryside as England’s first practical magician in years. He proceeds to help the British army and navy by lending a magical touch to real historical battles against Napoleon’s army, earning himself fame and success in the process, however it is his flashier, aristocratic apprentice Jonathan Strange, with his own differing ideas of what magic ought to be used for, who threatens to topple everything Mr. Norrell holds dear. Clarke tells this tell in a humorous, clever, and delightfully detailed manner, giving past events her own lighthearted and magical take that will delight both history and fantasy lovers alike.

Visit the book’s official website.

Excerpt from Beetle Blog review of the book:

Susanna Clarke deftly imitates the style of an early nineteenth century author, which gives the book an air of authenticity that I have rarely seen before. However, the first half of the book is slow and almost seems pointless. In the second half of the book, all of the pieces fall into place and the result is very satisfying.

Here’s a review that compares Jonathan Strange to Harry Potter: “I am of the opinion that they could not be more different.”