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Should be done tonight. Probably the best fantasy book I've ever read.
It's ok I guess but Harry Potter is tons better. I'm sure the film will be better
The lore in Jonathon Strange and Mr. Norrell, is refreshing for a fantasy novel. The amount of details in the novel rivals Tolkien, except without the fluff.
I realize that Jonathon Strange is not for everyone. It constantly goes into random, lengthy footnotes which for all intents and purposes add to the lore of the book. But unlike say, Lord of the Rings, which constantly drops its random loot, Jonathon Strange and Mr. Norrell builds upon lore after lore, making the world rich with details. The fact it exists in our own world makes it even more approachable and enticing.
Still, I think the book has a lot of personality and I enjoy the writing. It's an interesting novel in that it takes place in a specific period but the story is not in any defined by the period. Very Harry Potter-esque and certainly different from other fantasy. I find it refreshing that it's not wave your wand and have fire shooting out the tip fantasy, but fantasy with a far more grand scale, almost godly, if I were to use a random descriptor.
Factor all of this in with comedy addled social commentary which reeks of Jane Austen and you have a book that I adore.