Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell question

In my opinion it was one of the best books i've ever read. It stayed with me long, long after I finished it. It certainly takes a commitment, at first the language, which is going on the Dickensian/Victorian english is hard to get used to, but once your used to it, it's a thrill!

I loved the BBC series, and was extremely excited to see it on screen -- they were trying to do a film of it for years but it never got off the ground because it's such a monumental work -- while the BBC did it justice, it's still no where near as layered and contextual as the book.

As I say, if you do invest this book will stay with you for a long time afterwards.

I've read it, and enjoyed it; but the book is hard work. The story although brilliant doesn't go anywhere. It just ends. There is just too much going on. I personally would at least give it a go, just don't expect it to be a quick read that you can just dip in and out of. There are foot notes. So many foot notes.

I think this is a Marmite book, you either love it or hate it and there is no in between. For me I really didn't warm to it thus it ended up being consigned to my started-didn-t-finish shelf. However I have friends (wow) that do love it and recommend it to others. For me personally I usually like to get stuck straight into a story, if I find I struggle in the first few chapters then I know I will lose interest.

I haven't had a chance to see the BBC series; I'm in the US and I don't get any TV stations with BBC programs except some of the BBC World News. It's not really a series; there's a standalone novel and a collection of short stories. The book is long, and not very fast paced (except in the last third or so), but I liked the writing style and thought it was funny, so I liked it.

It's beautifully written, but I thought it to be badly paced and there's, at least in the first book, a lot of stuff going on that you just have to take as it stands, for there's very few explanations given.

While I was checking it out from my town's library a few years back, a librarian said that the last few she talked to had quit the book before completing. I ended up quitting too. It just didn't go anywhere. But since so many liked it, I'd say it's a love or hate kind of book. Hoping the series is better!

No, it's about 1000 pages too long.

It can take a little while to get into, but I ended up really liking it. (The style reminds me a little of my fave Dickens novel.)

I Just finished reading and am mostly through series I liked both but felt I got much more out of the book I say read then watch

I read Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell because of the hype and I was disappointed. I'm big fan of fantasy and this book was more like a fairy tale. I had to force myself to finish it. My wife had the same experience.

I would recommend this book very highly, with the caveat that it's definitely not for everyone. It's been several years since I read this, but for me it was a very unique book. It felt like the work of a person dedicated to the story and the craft of writing, who was not focused on releasing a book the way you are "supposed to", and so the result was unique and different. It was rich and subtle, and it opened up slowly. But it kept on coming-- revealing, suggesting...

You have to read it that way, and though it was a challenge at times as others here have pointed out, I found it well worth it and quite rewarding. This isn't a book for trophy readers. This is a book to enter into and spend some time with. There were worlds available in this work I haven't encountered before-- a subtle blending of the here and there, of history and potential, of magic and uncertainty-- in ways that my soul found familiar, as if these were not idle imaginings. The depth to be found here really brought the story home for me.

I couldn't even finish it. Got about half way and realized it felt like more of a chore to read it than treat. It's VERY dry and longwinded.

Yes, read it. Jolly good.

Jolly good indeed. TV adaptation also jolly good.

I would recommend it.
I have no interest in a TV series but, out of curiosity, how is it? Does it follow the book?

BTW it is a single book, not a series (I don't think any mentioned this).