Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K.Rowling

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the last in JK Rowling's fabulous Harry Potter series. Whether or not you enjoy the series, I defy anyone to not fall for Stephen Fry's narration!

Portraying each of the characters in these unabridged audiobooks, Fry embues his own vitality, his own personality, while maintaining the characters that the world has come to know and love. My particular favourite is Fry's take on Hermione Granger, and his whimsical rendition of the strange but likeable Luna.

Still convinced that this was the (almost) perfect ending to a truly excellent series (I'm still somewhat heartbroken over one character in particular), this audiobook has given me a new appreciation to Rowling's storytelling, and enhanced my admiration of the indomitable Stephen Fry. Not to mention making the constant DIY in my new house almost bearable!

Thank you Jo Rowling and thank you Stephen Fry!

The Ladies of Grace Adieu - Susanna Clarke

Rating: 4 1/2
Read for: TBR Challenge 2008, Short Story Reading Challenge

"Magic, madam, is

like wine and,

if you are not used

to it, it will make

you drunk."

Those of you who have read my blog in the past may have realised that I have fallen head over heels in love with Susanna Clarke's writing. I did not cope well with Dickens at school and to this day have never finished any of his novels. Then I discover Ms Clarke, who writes like a modern day Dickens, and her fabulous book, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. A mysterious journey through the Napoleonic era, following the rivalry of two magicians, and their effect on the fate of English magic. Now one of my favourite novels, and reviewed here, it left me wanting more.

The Ladies of Grace Adieu is a collection of short stories set in the same world as magic and faery as Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. There are eight stories, each written in the same delectable style, and each delving into a different faery story.

The Ladies of Grace Adieu is perhaps the story most reminiscent of Clarke's first novel, introducing us to a trio of female magicians and their struggle to get accepted by their male counterparts. Jonathan Strange himself makes an appearance in this glorious tale of magic, superstition and vengeful owls.

On Lickerish Hill is the tale of a sly woman who sells her daughter to a nobleman, under the proviso that in the last month of the first year of their marriage, she must spin five skeins of flax every day. The young woman, as cunning as her mother, devises a way to fulfill her husbands demands, by making a deal with a fairy. All she has to do, is discover his name, or her life will be his.

Mrs Mabb is the sad tale of a young woman who loses her love to the mysterious Mrs Mabb. Only her determination can rescue her love.

The Duke of Wellington Misplaces His Horse is an amusing story, set in Gaiman's fictional village of Wall. There in The Seventh Magpie Inn, the Duke of Wellington quarrels with a local villager over a pair of embroidery scissors and is later forced to cross the Wall to retrieve his stallion, released in spite by the angry man. There he discovers a small house where a young woman is embroidering some beautiful images of the Duke's past and possible future. When faced with his own death in gloriously coloured thread, the Duke must take matters into his own hand.

Mr Simonelli or The Fairy Widower, is a series of extracts from the diary of a young Italian man, who takes a position as cleric in a small town, where he has hopes over marrying well and creating a good home for himself. There he encounters a Fairy Widower, only to learn and discover more about his heritage and future destiny.

Tom Brightwind or How the Fairy Bridge Was Built at Thoresby is the tale of a young Jewish doctor and his fairy friend, travelling to visit a sick patient, when they come upon the poor begotten village of Thoresby. Tom is persuaded to build a fairy bridge across the river with unforeseen results.

Antickes and Frets is the tale of Mary, Queen of Scots, thrown into prison by her cousin, Elizabeth, and who ends up in the care of the Earl of Shrewsbury and his ambitious wife. She soon begins to suspect that the Countess had gotten where she was through dark means in her embroidery. Mary endeavours to use the same means to get rid of her cousin and thus usurp the throne of England.

The final story, John Uskglass and the Cumbrian Charcoal Burner, is an amusing tale of a Charcoal Burner (and his pig Blakeman!), whose life is rudely interrupted by the Raven King himself, and who enlists Saints to have his revenge on Uskglass.

Clarke's style is perfect for me. She manages to write about a world so unusual and unfamiliar to us, yet makes it so evocative and believeable that I for one, got completely sucked in. Her writing is a sheer delight to read, and I found myself having to take breaks after each short story, just as I would with a great novel, in order to really digest and enjoy the experience. My fear was that the next story would never be as good, but each was as good as the last.

A fabulous collection by a wonderful author. I cannot recommend these stories enough, and dearly hope that Susanna Clarke writes more very soon.

Other blog reviews:

Rhinoa's Ramblings

Things Mean A Lot

Stainless Steel Droppings

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell - Susanna Clarke

Rating: 5

Set in 19th Century Britain, during the Napoleonic Wars, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell are rival magicians, with very different ideas concerning the role magic should play in modern society. With a fantastic array of characters, notably Norrell's intriguing servant Childermass, and the delicious villain, the gentleman with the thistle-down hair. Clarke's desriptions of characters and the magical events they find themselves involved in are delightful...ships built of rain, darkness sweeping over cobbled streets, talking statues.. This novel is a truly original creation, with a foot firmly placed in historical fact, an interesting take on prominant figures such as the Duke of Wellington, and is a beautiful homage to Dickens. Within the first few pages, I knew this would rapidly become one of my favourite books! The size of the book had put me off reading it for some time, but it really is necessary for the sheer number of characters and the kind of character development the author wanted to achieve. Jonathan Strange is intelligent, witty, poignant and at times, bitterly sad. Oh, and Clarke uses the most fabulously long footnotes, which I always love! My only gripe is wanting to know more about the Raven King!

I am quite interested to see how the book is going to be adapted into a film (the talking statues and moving darkness could be quite eerie!).

Other blog reviews
Rhinoa's Ramblings
3M at One More Chapter
Dewey at The Hidden Side of a Leaf