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Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell
- Narrated by: Simon Prebble
- Length: 32 hrs and 30 mins
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Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell
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Piranesi
- By: Susanna Clarke
- Narrated by: Chiwetel Ejiofor
- Length: 6 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 687
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 603
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 603
Piranesi lives in the House. Perhaps he always has. In his notebooks, day after day, he makes a clear and careful record of its wonders: the labyrinth of halls, the thousands upon thousands of statues, the tides that thunder up staircases, the clouds that move in slow procession through the upper halls. On Tuesdays and Fridays Piranesi sees his friend, the Other. At other times he brings tributes of food to the Dead. But mostly, he is alone.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Be patient
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Neverwhere
- By: Neil Gaiman
- Narrated by: Neil Gaiman
- Length: 12 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,165
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,052
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Under the streets of London there's a world most people could never even dream of: a city of monsters and saints, murderers and angels, and pale girls in black velvet. Richard Mayhew is a young businessman who is about to find out more than he bargained for about this other London. A single act of kindness catapults him out of his safe and predictable life and into a world that is at once eerily familiar and yet utterly bizarre.
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4 out of 5 stars
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overall an enjoyable listen
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The Ladies of Grace Adieu and Other Stories
- By: Susanna Clarke
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- Length: 7 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 32
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 30
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 30
Following the enormous success of 2004 bestseller and critics' favorite Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, Susanna Clarke delivers a delicious collection of ten stories set in the same fairy-crossed world of 19th-century England. With Clarke's characteristic historical detail and diction, these dark, enchanting tales unfold in a slightly distorted version of our own world, where people are bedeviled by mischievous interventions from the fairies.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Magic
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Babel
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 228
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 204
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Oxford, 1836. The city of dreaming spires. It is the centre of all knowledge and progress in the world. And at its centre is Babel, the Royal Institute of Translation. The tower from which all the power of the Empire flows. Orphaned in Canton and brought to England by a mysterious guardian, Babel seemed like paradise to Robin Swift. Until it became a prison. But can a student stand against an empire?
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2 out of 5 stars
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Should be classified as a YA novel
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 565
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The spectacular debut novel nominated for every major science fiction award in 2014, Ancillary Justice is the story of a warship trapped in a human body and her search for revenge. Winner of the Arthur C. Clarke Award, the Nebula Award, the British Science Fiction Association Award, a James Tiptree Jr. honour and a Kitschie. Currently shortlisted for the Hugo Awards. They made me kill thousands, but I only have one target now.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Narration superb
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Among the ashes of a dying world, an agent of the Commandant finds a letter. It reads: Burn before reading. Thus begins an unlikely correspondence between two rival agents hellbent on securing the best possible future for their warring factions. Now, what began as a taunt, a battlefield boast, grows into something more. Something epic. Something romantic. Something that could change the past and the future. Except the discovery of their bond would mean death for each of them. There's still a war going on, after all. And someone has to win that war. That's how war works. Right?
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2 out of 5 stars
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Cool concept, annoyingly executed
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Piranesi
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- Narrated by: Chiwetel Ejiofor
- Length: 6 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 687
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 603
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 603
Piranesi lives in the House. Perhaps he always has. In his notebooks, day after day, he makes a clear and careful record of its wonders: the labyrinth of halls, the thousands upon thousands of statues, the tides that thunder up staircases, the clouds that move in slow procession through the upper halls. On Tuesdays and Fridays Piranesi sees his friend, the Other. At other times he brings tributes of food to the Dead. But mostly, he is alone.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Be patient
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Neverwhere
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- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,165
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,052
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Under the streets of London there's a world most people could never even dream of: a city of monsters and saints, murderers and angels, and pale girls in black velvet. Richard Mayhew is a young businessman who is about to find out more than he bargained for about this other London. A single act of kindness catapults him out of his safe and predictable life and into a world that is at once eerily familiar and yet utterly bizarre.
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4 out of 5 stars
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overall an enjoyable listen
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The Ladies of Grace Adieu and Other Stories
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 32
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Following the enormous success of 2004 bestseller and critics' favorite Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, Susanna Clarke delivers a delicious collection of ten stories set in the same fairy-crossed world of 19th-century England. With Clarke's characteristic historical detail and diction, these dark, enchanting tales unfold in a slightly distorted version of our own world, where people are bedeviled by mischievous interventions from the fairies.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Babel
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 228
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Oxford, 1836. The city of dreaming spires. It is the centre of all knowledge and progress in the world. And at its centre is Babel, the Royal Institute of Translation. The tower from which all the power of the Empire flows. Orphaned in Canton and brought to England by a mysterious guardian, Babel seemed like paradise to Robin Swift. Until it became a prison. But can a student stand against an empire?
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2 out of 5 stars
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Should be classified as a YA novel
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- Length: 12 hrs and 40 mins
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5 out of 5 stars
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Among the ashes of a dying world, an agent of the Commandant finds a letter. It reads: Burn before reading. Thus begins an unlikely correspondence between two rival agents hellbent on securing the best possible future for their warring factions. Now, what began as a taunt, a battlefield boast, grows into something more. Something epic. Something romantic. Something that could change the past and the future. Except the discovery of their bond would mean death for each of them. There's still a war going on, after all. And someone has to win that war. That's how war works. Right?
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2 out of 5 stars
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Cool concept, annoyingly executed
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Most people only know one London; but what if there were several? Kell is one of the last Travelers - magicians with a rare ability to travel between parallel Londons. There’s Grey London, dirty and crowded and without magic, home to the mad king George III. There’s Red London, where life and magic are revered. Then, White London, ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne. But once upon a time, there was Black London....
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5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent
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Little is known about the Ancient Greek oral poet Homer, the supposed 8th century BC author of the world-read Iliad and his later masterpiece, The Odyssey. These classic epics provided the basis for Greek education and culture throughout the classical age and formed the backbone of humane education through the birth of the Roman Empire and the spread of Christianity.
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Epic
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4 out of 5 stars
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Tunuva Melim is a sister of the Priory. For fifty years, she has trained to slay wyrms – but none have appeared since the Nameless One, and the younger generation is starting to question the Priory's purpose. To the north, in the Queendom of Inys, Sabran the Ambitious has married the new King of Hróth, narrowly saving both realms from ruin. Their daughter, Glorian, trails in their shadow – exactly where she wants to be. The dragons of the East have slept for centuries. Dumai has spent her life in a Seiikinese mountain temple, trying to wake the gods from their long slumber.
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Publisher's Summary
Shortlisted for Audible's Listen of the Year, 2006.
Shortlisted for the Whitbread First Novel Award and the Guardian First Book Award
Longlisted for the Man Booker Prize
Bloomsbury presents Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke, read by Simon Prebble.
Over 4 million copies sold worldwide.
The year is 1806. Centuries have passed since practical magicians faded into the nation’s past. But scholars of this glorious history discover that one remains: the reclusive Mr Norrell, whose displays of magic send a thrill through the country. Proceeding to London, he raises a beautiful woman from the dead and summons an army of ghostly ships to terrify the French. Yet the cautious, fussy Norrell is challenged by the emergence of another magician: the brilliant novice Jonathan Strange. Young, handsome and daring, Strange is the very antithesis of Norrell.
So begins a dangerous battle between these two great men which overwhelms that between England and France. And their own obsessions and secret dabblings with the dark arts are going to cause more trouble than they can imagine.
Critic Reviews
"Unquestionably the finest English novel of the fantastic written in the last seventy years...Funny, moving, scary, otherworldly, practical and magical." (Neil Gaiman)
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What listeners say about Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- RFC
- 02-01-2016
Outstanding performance, great story
Simon Prebble does a great job with different accents and in creating recognisable character voices.
Often narrators struggle to give characters of similar age and background a distinct persona and voice but Mr Prebble does this beautifully.
The book itself creates an intricate world and alternative history. The writing style especially transports you back to an early 19th century Britain. It illustrates how this age was a very different world - even without the addition of magic. Susanna Clarke includes all the little pleasantries and flourishes of the era. However, sometimes I found she goes overboard with this style. There were times when I wished that people would be done with polite phrases or discussing what could be done and something, anything, would finally HAPPEN! Because of this I rated the story only 4 stars.
Overall, I very much enjoyed this book and audiobook and I am hoping that Susanns Clarke finds the time to write a book-length sequel of this world and its characters.
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10 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Brett
- 26-04-2017
Slow to start
But an amazing tale once you let it sweep you up. Excellent, rich voice acting.
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9 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amy Schumacher
- 03-11-2016
A Wonderful Tale Of Magic
An epic journey through the world of two magicians in Britain. I began to believe it was real...
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- cheryl
- 09-02-2015
Boring
I bought the book based on other readers' reviews. I agree that it evokes the time in which it was set but it is a struggle to continue through. Not always believable, not always convincing in the continuity of the story. A poor decision to buy.
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Brenden
- 21-06-2018
Boring
It promised to develop. The Sherlock type English gentlemen culture was fun but the magic was unimaginative and dull
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Erin Baaden
- 16-06-2016
A New Favourite
An absolute triumph of a book. Masterfully read by Simon Prebble. So delicate in eloquence are the words, and so nuanced in delivery are they given. A long soaring journey worth every minute.
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Trent J.
- 17-06-2021
Great story but bad audio track divisions
The story and narrating was great but the the audio track divisions were terrible. The tracks never followed the the chapters. Don't buy this audio book if you have visual difficulties because if you'll never find your way back if the Audible app loses your place. Note to the publisher please edit this audiobook again and make the track divisions follow the chapters. Thanks
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 30-12-2021
Great narrator, not a great story
Fantastic performance from a talented narrator (I appreciated that each character had their own personal accent), but it's unfortunately let down by the constant inclusions/interruptions of footnotes, and the fact that the author thinks a whole bunch of mundane details are far more interesting than they actually are.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 22-12-2021
So boring
this book was the most tedious listen ever, I got 24 hours in by saying "something will happen now to make this interesting" but it kept droning on with nothing happening. So boring, just so boring. I can not believe that these 5 star ratings are from real people.
I have listened to poorly written and narrated books before, books with the most basic storylines. But this is the worst by far, this is the only book I have not been able to finish. It's just so bland
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 25-07-2021
Terrible
This was the most boring 3 hours of audio book in my life. The worst decision and 3 hours of my life I wish I could get back. There is no way I could bring myself to listen to another 3 hours of torture
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Tim
- 06-01-2006
An awesome masterpiece
The only problem with this book is that it was much too short, even at 32 hours. It is an awesome achievement on the part of both author and narrator. I don't think I have ever experienced such a credible alternate world, full of totally believable characters involved in such a fascinating and gripping and wonderfully-woven story. This is compounded by Susanna Clarke's outstanding writing -- the quality of her English puts many other modern authors to shame.
There are few other works of modern literature you could compare it to -- Neil Gaiman's American Gods, perhaps, which it certainly equals and possibly exceeds, and Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast saga. Comparisons with Harry Potter are unfair, however -- Susanna Clarke is as far in advance of J.K. Rowling as Dickens and Balzac are of Enid Blyton.
This first novel immediately puts Clarke in the same literary level as Dickens, Austen, the Bronte sisters and others. She is at least their equals and has other qualities, qualities of world-creation and vision, that they did not have.
Simon Prebble's narration is worthy of Clarke's wonderful book. Every character is perfectly deliniated, coming to life with the first couple of words they speak. It was a joy to listen to and contributed to the feeling that the book was much too short. I would have loved to have gone on living in this fascinating world.
Five stars is not enough for this book. I wish I could have awarded eight or ten. An instant masterpiece, a classic, a jewel.
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15 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Ravi
- 06-09-2005
For the love of language
This is a book for people who like to dwell in language. It is descriptive and the choice of language and phrasing matches perfectly the period of the setting: the early 1800s. It reflects, too, the types and class of people who it describes. The story is compelling, gently unfolding, drawing the listener into the world, both through the description of events, and the weaving in of magical "theoretical" texts which anchor the story into its bigger mythology of lost English magical traditions.
This is a long audio book and not suited to people who want to be swept along by a fast-paced narrative. If you are the kind of person who claimed that Tolkien's Lord of The Rings was too long or tedious, then you should avoid this book. For those who like deeply formed characters and a narrative that builds momentum steadily then this is a wonderful choice (& extremely well performed in this audio version).
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7 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Madeleine
- 02-12-2011
Outstanding!
I cannot begin to praise this book highly enough. It was wonderful in so many ways.
The book has an interesting structure. The main protagonist doesn't put in an appearance for the first few chapters. A fantasy tale about the 'restoration' of English magic, it is set during the time of the Napoleonic wars, in the early part of the 19th Century.
The characters are just so rich. You love them, hate them, are confused by them, but ultimately, there is charmingly absurd quality to all of them that really does answer to why this book is not your run of the mill fantasy novel. It's a very literate piece of fiction.
I have to say something about the writer's use of language. It's just spectacular. This book has a neverending stream of sentences that are delicious on the ear. Clarke's use of metaphor is fresh and breathtaking.
Finally, the narration is absolutely perfection.
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- Binia
- 19-08-2008
fabulous!
I've given this book 4 rather than 5 stars because I find it to be slightly lacking in the story/plot department. However I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys superb writing and a dry, witty, arrogant, sense of humour. If you like your fantasy in the good-versus-evil, prince defeats dragon and carries off damsel in distress with the aid of naughty but charming fairy style, then stay away from this one. But if you can handle a cast of slightly vile, beautifully flawed and unapologetically selfish characters scheming their way through the prim and devious world of the English Gentleman, and if you can imagine the entertainment value of magic put to "proper" use, then you will definitely get your money's worth from this title.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- Jay
- 02-09-2005
Enthralling and immersive
I have heard this book described as 'Harry Potter' for adults, but I think it is better to say 'His Dark Materials' for adults, if that makes sense.
The book is long (!) and involved, and not all of the sub-plots/side stories are relevant but they do immmerse you in this alternate history.
That is exactly what the flavour of this book is: historical fiction. It feels like it was put together from eyewitness accounts and this is what made me enjoy it even more - it feels so real!
Yes, the book is long, but I would recommend you stick with it and stifle the urge to fast forward - it is a rewarding read and one that you will probably want to hear again (one day!).
The end, however, was slightly disappointing and felt rushed, to me, and as if the author had just run out of steam.
The narrator does an EXCELLENT job with the reading, and the voices are superb - Norrell sounds pedantic and persnickety, Vinculus sounds common, dirty and supercillious, and Arabella strange is loving, supportive and the rock on which her husband relies. The gentleman with the thistle-down hair sounds downright creepy on the whole, and there is never a time when you are left wondering who is speaking because the changes in tone and inflection are so good.
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
- Elizabeth
- 07-08-2005
Good kindling for the fire!!
I was suckered into this due to some reference I read about it being an adult version of Harry Potter which, I must admit, I have quite enjoyed. This however is as much like Harry Potter as Paris Hilton is to Germaine Greer. Tedious and waffly. I am persisting through it against my better judgement but it really has not grabbed me. This is the first audio book that has been bad. Try "A Changed Man" - I really liked that one.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Jiri
- 22-06-2005
great book
I have chosen the book mostly because it is quite long. I had never heard about it before and so I didn't expect much.
I was quite surprised. The Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell is the best book I have read or listened in a long time.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Meg
- 17-03-2010
Magical
This is one of my favourite books of all time, so when I saw it in Audiobook format, I HAD to buy it. And I wasn't disappointed either. The narrator was excellent. I couldn't fault it (though perhaps my love for the story itself makes me somewhat biased).
The story is long and with much of the background information presented as 'footnotes', it might become somewhat tedious to keep going back to for those of you who prefer quicker paced books with plenty of action in them. This is a fictionalised account of a time when magic was non-fiction, with the story examining and reviewing magical theory and practice to great depth. Like Tolkien's masterpiece, JS&Mr.N is a history of England's fictional past, but is so vibrant that it might be almost believable...
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
- Haydn
- 12-07-2005
Bla Bla Bla
What attracted me originally to this book is the length. Then I read up some online reviews as I had not heard of this writer before. The overwhelming view looked very promising, so I purchased this novel. I have given up now after hearing 1/2 of the book (16hrs), pretty sure that that is long enough for the book to have started. If you are looking for a book that is interesting then steer clear of this one.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ralph Doyle
- 03-02-2015
Original, compelling, fresh.
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
Yes. If someone enjoyed this genre I would recommend it as something entirely new and very enjoyable.
What was one of the most memorable moments of Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell?
Strange scrying the future of the battle of Waterloo. Can't say anymore with spoiling it. But the whole book is full of interesting moments.
Did the narration match the pace of the story?
Yes, I think so. There are better narrators out there, but maybe that's personal preference. The narrator didn't get in the way of the story and that often a sticking point for audiobooks.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
Laughed at times, didn't cry but it certainly has unusual depth and depth of character development for the genre.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Felix
- 24-08-2005
Pleasingly long
Just like a previous reviewer, I have resisted reading this book for a while now, though mainly due to lack of time. So when I saw that it was available on Audible, I jumped at the chance.
I truly can not fault this audiobook. The author's incredible talent for recreating the atmosphere of Georgian London is impressive, all the more as the story is woven with such loving attention to detail that even someone with some scholarly knowledge in English and Metropolitan history is soon enticed to suspend disbelief and 'enjoy the ride'.
The story itself is deeply compelling, containing all the essential elements of a good fantasy novel without any of the pitfalls and clich?s that genre is often plagued by.
Without giving too much away, the arduous re-discovery of the long lost knowledge of English magic, once the foundation of the North of England under the fabled Raven King, two feuding magicians, Faeries, madness and love that refuses to lose hope, combined with a first-class narrator who understands how to bring the individual characters to life with real passion, make this one of the most enjoyable audiobooks I have ever had the pleasure of listening to. And its length (4 parts of around 8 hours each) ensure that the pleasure lasts for some time.
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176 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- sd rogerson
- 22-08-2005
My first purchase
This was my first purchase Audible went live in the UK. I had resisted the book for months but when I heard the audio sample I was hooked. Jane Austen meets Harry Potter. The book is sheer bliss. The quality of the recording superb the narrators voice just perfect. I really cannot praise this enough! Buy it and listen!
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115 people found this helpful
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Alison
- 27-07-2015
Wrong Choice - For Me
which is odd, as I usually get this right. I read a lot of other reviews and I take factors into account such as is it a long, maybe rambling read? Do I quite like the reader's voice? I DO like long, rambling reads, but this was just way too rambling. Also, footnotes just don't work in audio books, and there are a lot of footnotes, some much longer than whole chunks of the actual book. I think. It's hard to tell. They merge after a bit.
Anyway, it appeared to tick all my boxes: long, meandering, imaginative. It is all these things, so why doesn't it work? It's just rather boring. That's why. I can see from the many reviews that I am probably in a minority here, but the 'magical' qualities are just not there for me. I didn't care at all about any of the characters. I struggled to discern a plausible (even for fantasy) story-thread or threads. I just totally lost interest.
The reading is good. His female voices are a bit breathy but if it had not been well read I don't think I'd have made it as far as I did - about 75% of the way through. I have now given up as I don't care what happens and I have way too many other books to get through! But I am very disappointed that I wasn't able to love or even like it as much as any people clearly do.
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91 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Sue
- 31-08-2007
I am longing for more as predicted! Superb !!
When I downloaded Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell I was a little concerned at how I was going to manage with a book over 30 hours long. I need not have worried - this is an audio joy!
I was gripped from the first chapter and was totally engrossed until the last word. I normally listen to audiobooks at bedtime but I needed more so I took to listening in the car, during my lunch break, in fact anytime possible. I have really enjoyed this book and to be honest feel rather sad that I have finally reached the end. I had to stop the car for the last 15 minutes!
Simon Prebble's narration is wonderful, giving clear and diverse characters just the right voice and tone. Not once during the 32 hours did I wonder who was speaking and when a character returned I was calling out their name in glee. Simon's stamina must be admired as there is not a single change in pace, quality or crispness which is no mean feat for a book of this length.
The story is charming, witty, dark, scary, joyful and full of suspense. Every emotion is played out and I found myself laughing, exclaiming in shock (turned heads in the office), shouting at the characters not to do this or do that and even crying. Woven into the completely mesmerising plot of The Revival of English Magic, history, magic and faeries blend into the most pleasing and believable tale. Superb!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Cosima
- 18-11-2010
Harry Potter for Grown Ups
Beautifully written tale of magic and Faries, but not as we know it. Throw in lots of history and characters that jumped from the page. I was enchanted and surprised by this novel, I did not want it to end.
Lose yourself in this one.
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59 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
- AH
- 02-10-2005
Excellent story at times weak in the telling
Overall this book is worth the effort to listen to - it's a long listen.
The story is compelling and generally holds the listeners attention.
At times, however, the author struggles to keep the tale interesting and I found myself frustrated with the length of time she takes to describe a very simple transition in the story. Maybe a little shorter text in places would have kept my attention through these passages.
Certainly worth the effort of listening to.
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53 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- MattCl
- 09-05-2008
Stick with it
This book is a difficult one to review. Let me say, first of all, that I ended up loving it, but it is definitely an acquired taste, and not an easy listen. People have mentioned how long this novel is, to get to the end of it you'll need stamina, as at times it is extremely longwinded and feels very dry (atleast the way the reader relates it) I can understand why some have given up on it in other reviews here, yet on its plus side it has some of the most stunning imagery I've ever encountered.
Susanna Clarke has undeniably a brilliant imagination, some scenarios she described will be stuck in my head for many years to come.
In summation, don't expect to enjoy this book at all times, it can only be accessed as a whole. If you finish it to the end, you'll see why.
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43 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- WJE Hoppitt
- 05-09-2006
Definitely worth a credit!
I would highly recommend this book- it is certainly good value for a single credit!
The book is based around a superb idea, and is wonderfully written. While the plot does not move very quickly, I was kept engrossed by the large number of wonderful mini-stories that are woven into the text. There is a nice twist at the end too...
The narration is absolutely superb. The narrator has a great voice for this kind of book that I could happlily listen to for hours, and he captures well the kindly ironic nature of the text.
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39 people found this helpful
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- W. Taylor
- 17-05-2013
Only finished this because I am so stubborn
I have to say that that the chief impression which I will take away from this book is tedium. Eventually I simply kept listening out of sheer stubbornness, The book needed editing, perhaps with an axe. There was a good story at its core and the last two hours fairly galloped along, but that was not enough to justify all those other hours which dragged so painfully.
It is worth saying though that the narrator gave a heroic performance and his skill and hard work deserves recognition.
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29 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Susan
- 09-11-2010
to my surprise, it was wonderful!
This is one of the best audiobooks I have listened to. Normally I have never enjoyed books about magicians or any kind of fantasy - they just leave me cold - but from the very beginning of this book I was completely hooked. The slow but insistent rhythm of the story, the dense plotlines and period detail, and the sense that the events described were utterly feasible, combine with the artistry of the narration to make this a thoroughly absorbing and satisfying listen. Definitely 5 stars!
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