Friday 24 August 2007

Ask and it shall be given unto thee

I was moaning recently on my Facebook page about how long it's been since I read an even half decent piece of fiction. (This is the great thing about Facebook, when you're not arsed turning something into comprehensible English which I do feel more or less compelled to do for the blog you can just whack it up on Facebook.) I was wandering round my local public library in blind desperation and I fell over Jonathan Strange & Dr Norrel which I've been meaning to read for ages, but due to Viola-related circumstances never got round to.

I am only ten or so chapters in, so I can't really say how good a book it is. But what I can say is that it is the most beautifully written novel I have read in a very long time. His prose is an absolute pleasure to read, and the whole thing is written with a wonderful subtle and benevolent humour, a sort of cross between Austin and A A Milne. I have yet to confirm, but I suspect I am reading yet another book much better than Rowling's.

5 comments:

E. Stone said...

"Her" prose.

Didn't realise you were sexist...

Hannah said...

So what you're saying is, BlueJ's stealing your territory, right? (Or did I end up convincing you that you're not really a misogynist afterall? ;p)

Bluejunilla said...

The old sociological knickers really showing there. I wouldn't mind if I'ld done it deliberately, can't bear all that his/her milarky. In short, touche.

E. Stone said...

In a Strange (ba dum tsch) twist, I happen to be reading the very selfsame book at the minute.

Not sure I'm down with the whole Austen with spells malarky, but it's a good story.

-e

Bluejunilla said...

She makes the same kind of jokes, five second delay viciously polite little conversational bombs. Smashing stuff :)