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 dabbling's with the dark arts are going to cause more trouble than they can imagine.
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Some years ago there was in the city of York a society of magicians.- 1, THE LIBRARY AT HURTFEW
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(Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 23 September 2005, audiobook, 32 hrs and 30 mins, bought from Audible, narrated by Simon Prebble)
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I really enjoyed J onathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. I got this ages ago and forgot I had it until I saw the TV series which I loved. I happened to notice this when browsing my Audible library and had to listen to it. It's a long audiobook, much longer than I'm used to and it took a few chapters to settle into the rhythm of the book. I enjoyed this immensely. It's pretty close to the TV series and I saw the actors in my mind as I listened. I loved the battle between Strange and Norrell as they strive to outwit each other and show whose the greatest magician. They are so different yet have so much in common. The book is quite dark at times but engrossing.
