The Ladies of Grace Adieu and Other Stories by Susanna Clarke (2006)

[lightreads]

A collection from the author of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, cast in a similar scholarly tone, but focused much more specifically on the fairies.

. . . Meh.

Most of these stories are in the world of Jonathan Strange (who himself makes an appearance in the titular story). I liked the novel all right, though it didn’t blow my mind or anything. But the style which is bemusing and engrossing over six hundred pages is remote and rather inaccessible in short form. Clarke’s fairies are also universally vicious, tricky, and unpleasant, which was intriguing and alarming when woven into a larger alternate history but, in isolation, is just unpleasant. See the loathsome narrator in “Mr. Simonelli: or the Fairy Widower.” Perhaps I am something of a backward reader, but I generally require a hook into at least one character I don’t outright hate in order to enjoy a story.

The stories are presented as if in an academic anthology, and the packaging slips over into painfully self-conscious sometimes -- the deprecatory little mention of Jonathan Strange in the scholarly introduction made me roll my eyes. And mostly? I just didn’t care. “The Duke of Wellington Misplaces His Horse” is a bit of fanfiction set in Gaiman’s Stardust, and I’m not exaggerating when I say I finished it and went, “so what was the point of that?” I said that more than once.

. . . meh.

Comments

[readerjane]

I tried Jonathan Strange and just. could. not. I'd been told Clarke read like an Inkling, but two hundred pages in, I was still saying, "so where's the Ink?"

Granted, the miracle magic in the cathedral was awesome. But as you said, if there isn't at least one character I can like (for me not-hating isn't enough) then the story just isn't enjoyable.

[lightreads.livejournal.com]

The Ink comes pretty damn late, as does the single character in the novel I actually cared about. And unless you're sufficiently diverted by the style not to care for four hundred pages, it's just not worth it. I suspect the book hit me at just the right mood or else I never would have finished it, either.