Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke

First Edition, First Printing
Cream colored jacket with dark red endpapers
As New
Bloomsbury, 2004


This is the second first-edition book that I bought with an intent to collect. I saw it on the shelf at J. Michaels and knew I'd purchase it before the week was out.
I'd just recently read it, passing through the pages for pleasure, knowing that I'd probably not have more than two or three conversations about the book in my lifetime, but who knows . . . . The story was intriguing and the illustrations by Portia Rosenberg were a nice addition. Like in the Heritage Press reprints, the drawings were fun to come by now and then.
While reading Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, I realized that there is something that often marks an author's first book. What is at the front of my mind with Clarke's novel is the wandering plot prevalent in the second half. After I'd been drawn in by the book's premise and characters, Clarke took me on a meandering trail of events not necessarily in line with the main conflict between Strange, Norrell, and the Fairy gentleman. But here I'm getting too wrapped up in criticism. I really enjoyed this book as escapist literature and would love to read a sequel. Oh, I did check out the collection of stories by Clarke, The Ladies of Grace Adieu, but couldn't get through the collection. Perhaps they were too secondary to the main plot, perhaps I'm not as into magic arts and fairies and such as I was when I read Clarke's first book. But I think I'd like to revisit Jonathan Strange and Stephen and the rest. Besides, a hit sequel would only add to the value of the first edition I already own.
On a side note, I'm moving this week and am dreading the inevitable boxing and unboxing of all my books. I've got four ceiling-to-floor bookcases stuffed with mostly reader's copies of titles I can't bring myself to sell until I've got a better edition. I am envisioning myself bringing in fifteen or more heavy boxes, with my new neighbor looking on and asking, "You think you've got enough stuff?" and me replying, "These are just my books." To that his brow furrows, he forgets he watering the petunias and soaks his shoes as he thinks, "Man, that guy's got a problem."
And I do.