Book Club Discussion Questions
For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, and our BookBrowse Review of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell.
Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!
- Clarke chooses to set her novel during a pivotal moment in English
history: The king is mad; the government is weak, disorganized, and lacking
leadership. All of Europe is at war, and in England there is widespread fear
of a French invasion. It is the eve of the Industrial Revolution the moment
in history when the world turned away from the old ways and embraced a new era
of science. In Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, instead of turning to
engineering marvels to solve the problems of a new age, England seeks a
magical renaissance. Does this preclude an Industrial Revolution, or do
science and magic coexist in Clarke's universe? Do they develop on separate
tracks, or is magic perhaps just another branch of science, like physics and
chemistry? Would the story have been as plausible if it had been set under the
reign of a stronger ruler, such as Queen Victoria?
- Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell superimposes characters, storylines,
and an invented universe of legend and lore the Raven King, the feats of the
Aureate magicians on figures, events, and mythology (well-known tales
of trickster fairies, Arthurian legends) drawn from real English history. As
such, is it a historical novel? How is it different from other historical
novels, such as Michel Faber's The Crimson Petal and the White? At what
point does historical fiction cross into the realm of outright fantasy, as
exemplified by the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, or J. K. Rowling?
- The narrative is heavily footnoted with references to books, tales, and
historical documents both real and imagined. These extensive notes many of
them transfixing short stories in their own right hint at a much broader
historical canvas against which the events in the novel take place. Is this
construction successful? Does it create contextual richness for the main
story? Does it add credibility to the fictional universe Clarke has created?
Does it detract from the main narrative in any way?
📖
Get the full reading guide
Join BookBrowse free to unlock all 14 discussion questions, author background, themes, and more for Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell.
Join free — it takes 30 seconds
Already a member? Log in →
- How does the author develop themes of identity and belonging throughout the narrative?
- What role does the setting play in shaping the characters' decisions and relationships?
- Discuss how the ending reframes the events of the story. Were you surprised?
Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Bloomsbury USA.
Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.