Uhm :) I finished it yesterday in the middle of the night (I will give not spoilers!:)), and I'm very thankful, because you introduced me to one of me favourite books of the year! (Besides Kafka's little stories, Ian McEwan's On Chesil Beach, all of Michael Faber (do you know him, he is one of snapeforte's favourite authors).
As you I like Childermass - or should I say I love him :) and I like Vinculus. I can not understand why you were bored with the the gentleman and Stephen Black-parts. The war-scenes? Hm, perhaps you are right, they were too long, but I was once (as a teeny) very fond of Napoleon (nerdy enough I scratched his name into my worktable at school), and I'm historian enough to be interested by wars, so I liked them, too. But she could have made them shorter.
In my opinion the third part is the best, so you can look forward! The thing I loved the most: everything will be explained there are no plotholes (besides the magic which remains numinous) or idle parts. Even the flaws in the chapters you mentioned have a purpose!
Now I try some explanations about Strange. I'm very much like him. Very charming at the beginning, super-enthusiastic about the things I do, and that enchants the others, but after a while many people have problems to cope with me, because I'm interested in the things they tell me and not in themselves. I think that is the shallowness, you felt in Strange.
Strange had a awkward youth (think about his father and his mother died young), so it's not easy for him to have strong bonds with people.
The other thing I'm very similar: I want to learn or I teach, that's the only sort of talk I understand. (In my case I have an excuse: my parents and my ancestors since over 200 years are all teachers ;)).
For me it's hard to like Norell! He is not dull at all, but so slow... a lot of academics are like him, concentrate on tiny details and forget that they should change the world instead. And how hard it is for him to decide something! Argh! I would have wanted to jump in the book a lot of times and help him (or even shake him!). Without Childermass...
Clarke said that she is very much like Norell, so the book is very good for me to show me how men and women work, who have a Norell-character. I hope I will be more patient the next time :))
I can not understand why you were bored with the the gentleman and Stephen Black-parts.
Because they are always more or less the same, and there aren't any character development.
In my opinion the third part is the best, so you can look forward! The thing I loved the most: everything will be explained there are no plotholes (besides the magic which remains numinous) or idle parts. Even the flaws in the chapters you mentioned have a purpose!
Yay, that's great. I have already started the third part, and I'm loving it.
Now I try some explanations about Strange. I'm very much like him. Very charming at the beginning, super-enthusiastic about the things I do, and that enchants the others, but after a while many people have problems to cope with me, because I'm interested in the things they tell me and not in themselves. I think that is the shallowness, you felt in Strange.
I think he's like that because there's no one like him, on one who knows magic. Norrell is the only one, but Norrell is very different from him in other aspects. So I think he feels very lonely. I understand him, but I don't really like him so far.
Strange had a awkward youth (think about his father and his mother died young), so it's not easy for him to have strong bonds with people.
It's true.
For me it's hard to like Norell! He is not dull at all, but so slow...
Hmm, I'm not sure I agree that he's slow. I mean, he's slow when he doesn't want to do the things.
a lot of academics are like him, concentrate on tiny details and forget that they should change the world instead.
Oh, but usually the world doesn't want to change!
And how hard it is for him to decide something! Argh! I would have wanted to jump in the book a lot of times and help him (or even shake him!). Without Childermass...
I really can't see this indecision. I think he's procrastinating because he doesn't want to do some things. And it's great that he has Childermass. Childermass is part of him, in a way. (I don't know if Childermass is going to betray him or not; I hope not, but even if he does, that won't change my opinion: Norrell is wise enough to know that he needs Childermass, even if sometimes he doesn't seem to know that.)
Clarke said that she is very much like Norell, so the book is very good for me to show me how men and women work, who have a Norell-character.
I'm glad to know that, being much like Norrell myself!
"Oh, but usually the world doesn't want to change"
Unfortunately that's true, but I'm still struggling to understand why :)
"I don't know if Childermass is going to betray him or not; I hope not, but even if he does, that won't change my opinion: Norrell is wise enough to know that he needs Childermass, even if sometimes he doesn't seem to know that."
I'm so looking forward to read your thoughts when you have finished the book! :)
As you I like Childermass - or should I say I love him :) and I like Vinculus. I can not understand why you were bored with the the gentleman and Stephen Black-parts. The war-scenes? Hm, perhaps you are right, they were too long, but I was once (as a teeny) very fond of Napoleon (nerdy enough I scratched his name into my worktable at school), and I'm historian enough to be interested by wars, so I liked them, too. But she could have made them shorter.
In my opinion the third part is the best, so you can look forward! The thing I loved the most: everything will be explained there are no plotholes (besides the magic which remains numinous) or idle parts. Even the flaws in the chapters you mentioned have a purpose!
Now I try some explanations about Strange. I'm very much like him. Very charming at the beginning, super-enthusiastic about the things I do, and that enchants the others, but after a while many people have problems to cope with me, because I'm interested in the things they tell me and not in themselves. I think that is the shallowness, you felt in Strange.
Strange had a awkward youth (think about his father and his mother died young), so it's not easy for him to have strong bonds with people.
The other thing I'm very similar: I want to learn or I teach, that's the only sort of talk I understand. (In my case I have an excuse: my parents and my ancestors since over 200 years are all teachers ;)).
For me it's hard to like Norell! He is not dull at all, but so slow... a lot of academics are like him, concentrate on tiny details and forget that they should change the world instead. And how hard it is for him to decide something! Argh! I would have wanted to jump in the book a lot of times and help him (or even shake him!). Without Childermass...
Clarke said that she is very much like Norell, so the book is very good for me to show me how men and women work, who have a Norell-character. I hope I will be more patient the next time :))
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Because they are always more or less the same, and there aren't any character development.
In my opinion the third part is the best, so you can look forward! The thing I loved the most: everything will be explained there are no plotholes (besides the magic which remains numinous) or idle parts. Even the flaws in the chapters you mentioned have a purpose!
Yay, that's great. I have already started the third part, and I'm loving it.
Now I try some explanations about Strange. I'm very much like him. Very charming at the beginning, super-enthusiastic about the things I do, and that enchants the others, but after a while many people have problems to cope with me, because I'm interested in the things they tell me and not in themselves. I think that is the shallowness, you felt in Strange.
I think he's like that because there's no one like him, on one who knows magic. Norrell is the only one, but Norrell is very different from him in other aspects. So I think he feels very lonely. I understand him, but I don't really like him so far.
Strange had a awkward youth (think about his father and his mother died young), so it's not easy for him to have strong bonds with people.
It's true.
For me it's hard to like Norell! He is not dull at all, but so slow...
Hmm, I'm not sure I agree that he's slow. I mean, he's slow when he doesn't want to do the things.
a lot of academics are like him, concentrate on tiny details and forget that they should change the world instead.
Oh, but usually the world doesn't want to change!
And how hard it is for him to decide something! Argh! I would have wanted to jump in the book a lot of times and help him (or even shake him!). Without Childermass...
I really can't see this indecision. I think he's procrastinating because he doesn't want to do some things. And it's great that he has Childermass. Childermass is part of him, in a way. (I don't know if Childermass is going to betray him or not; I hope not, but even if he does, that won't change my opinion: Norrell is wise enough to know that he needs Childermass, even if sometimes he doesn't seem to know that.)
Clarke said that she is very much like Norell, so the book is very good for me to show me how men and women work, who have a Norell-character.
I'm glad to know that, being much like Norrell myself!
Reply
Unfortunately that's true, but I'm still struggling to understand why :)
"I don't know if Childermass is going to betray him or not; I hope not, but even if he does, that won't change my opinion: Norrell is wise enough to know that he needs Childermass, even if sometimes he doesn't seem to know that."
I'm so looking forward to read your thoughts when you have finished the book! :)
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