Cristina C. reviewed on 3/26/2010

This book.... ah, what to say. The author is trying far too hard. She is not a Victorian author, and there was no reason to write her book this way. I was told to read this book because "it starts slow, but it gets good". I was halfway through the book before I finally gave up. The characters are not engaging, not developed well, and the author leaves her original storyline through tangents several chapters long.

Her "fanciful" use of footnotes that span several pages; outmoded spelling such as "shew" for show and "chuse" for choose; and general writing style may seem charming to some, but was very annoying and false to me. I know Susanna Clarke is a modern author- why the pretense to write in a style that is not truly hers? Why must she attempt to use spelling that is not accepted today? This whole book had very little magic description and far too many different undeveloped story-lines going on for me to enjoy it.

Bottom line- This book is NOT Harry Potter, for adults or otherwise. This book is most definitely NOT Tolkien, who created well-developed and believable fantasy WORLDS, not just undeveloped characters who occasionally do magic. Read this book if you like meandering, pseudo-Victorian prose with a small sprinkling of magic. DO NOT read this book if you prefer books about magical worlds that immerse you from the beginning and leave you wanting more at the end, because you will be sadly disappointed.

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