Book · 2004
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
by Susanna Clarke
Two rival English magicians revive magic itself, and neither can predict what the fairy they bargained with actually wants.
What does Reddit think of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell?
Jonathan Strange sits at 1048 mentions, split close to evenly between r/Fantasy (412) and r/suggestmeabook (401), with r/printSF (231) still a real presence for a book this literary. The recommendation pattern is consistent: come for 'academia-focused magic,' the term one comment (↑440) uses to contrast it with hero arcs built on innate power and a Big Moment. Another commenter (↑616) calls it 'stunning' literary fantasy, floating the idea of a fantasy War and Peace as the closest comparison. The strongest endorsement (↑201) is also the most honest about the cost: it 'takes its sweet time with the world building,' and is a 'home run' only if you already like fantasy and dry humor, with an explicit warning not to skip the footnotes. A separate thread (↑199) calls the whole book 'excellent and criminally overlooked,' and another (↑253) still slots it into the sub's canon of essential standalones next to Tigana and Watership Down.
Community feedback & reader fit
Themes
- · academia-focused magic vs. innate-power hero arcs
- · footnotes as load-bearing text
- · slow-burn worldbuilding
- · criminally overlooked despite literary acclaim
Common praise
- + One comment (↑616) calls it 'stunning' literary fantasy, comparing it directly to the idea of a fantasy War and Peace.
- + The footnotes get singled out as essential, not skippable: 'DON'T SKIP THE FOOTNOTES! They're some of the best parts!' (↑201).
- + It's grouped with Tigana, Good Omens, Small Gods, and Watership Down as one of the sub's go-to non-niche standalone picks (↑253).
- + One thread (↑199) calls it 'excellent and criminally overlooked.'
Common criticism
- − Even the strongest recommendation (↑201) admits it 'takes its sweet time with the world building,' calling it a home run only for readers already sold on fantasy and dry humor.
- − Reddit marks its magic system as a real barrier for some readers: it's 'academia-focused,' built on research and book-learning rather than the 'innate power' arcs that make for a more conventional hero's journey (↑440).
Who it's for
Dry humor and patience for research-driven magic systems matter more here than plot momentum; one comment (↑440) contrasts its 'academia-focused magic' directly against innate-power hero journeys. If you skip footnotes in other books, retrain that habit first, since Reddit calls them 'some of the best parts' here (↑201). Expect a slow build: even the book's fans admit it 'takes its sweet time with the world building' before paying off. Readers building a canon of literary-adjacent standalone fantasy alongside Tigana and Watership Down will find this already on the list (↑253).
Mentions over time
Top subreddits
Which Reddit comments matter for Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell?
Top-upvoted quotes across the subreddits where this book is mentioned. Click through to read the full thread.
“Literary fantasy ABSOLUTELY exists, as does literary sci-fi and literary horror. However, you probably wouldn't want a fantasy War and Peace, since that book is a slog about how much it annoyed Tolstoy that Russian people wanted to be French. Anyways. Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell is a stunnin…
“Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell
“I wonder how much of it is just... *innate power and the hero has to learn how to unlock it* is, in most cases, a more interesting arc to write, and allows for the Big Moment where the hero succeeds For example, *Jonathan Strange* is a more academia-focused magic novel – lots of discussion of books…
“Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell Tigana and anything else by GGK Good Omens/Small Gods/any other Pratchett standalone Watership Down by Richard Adams None of this is particular niche. I know that /r/fantasy did a stand-alone novels poll fairly recently, check the sidebar/wiki. Edit: last poll: h…
“Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell
“Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell does this particularly well I think!
“Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. If you like fantasy and dry humor, it’s a home run but it takes its sweet time with the world building. Also, DON’T SKIP THE FOOTNOTES! They’re some of the best parts!
“**Jonathan Stange & Mr. Norrell**, and **Penny Dreadful** are both excellent, and criminally overlooked. Also, regardless of how much it declined, **Game of Thrones** is still worth watching, in my opinion. The first three seasons are great TV by any standard. None of these is new though.
Convinced? Pick up Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
Readers also mention
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Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell — frequently asked
Is Jonathan Strange worth the slow pacing?+
Reddit says yes, with a caveat. One top recommendation (↑201) admits it 'takes its sweet time with the world building' but calls it 'a home run' for readers who like fantasy and dry humor. The same comment insists: don't skip the footnotes.
Should I skip the footnotes in Jonathan Strange?+
No. One comment (↑201) is explicit: 'DON'T SKIP THE FOOTNOTES! They're some of the best parts!' Treat them as part of the text, not supplementary trivia; the same comment calls the book 'a home run' for readers who like fantasy and dry humor, and the footnotes are where a lot of that humor lives.
Is Jonathan Strange underrated on Reddit?+
Yes, by Reddit's own account. One thread (↑199) calls it 'excellent and criminally overlooked,' grouping it with Penny Dreadful as underappreciated. A separate poll-adjacent comment (↑253) still lists it among the sub's essential non-niche standalones, so 'overlooked' means underrated, not unknown.
What kind of magic system does Jonathan Strange use?+
An academic one. One comment (↑440) contrasts it against innate-power hero arcs, describing it as 'academia-focused magic' with 'lots of discussion of books' rather than a chosen-one unlocking latent power. That framing is also cited as the reason some readers find the pacing slow.