Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell Head Cast Spell on New Line

Posted on October 26, 2004

The film rights to Susanna Clarke's British fantasy novel, Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, have been sold to New Line Cinema for high-six figures, according to Toby Emmerich, New Line's president of production. The hefty tome hit the New York Times bestseller list, and really does live up to its hype.

Here's what we said in our our review: "The book has been called Harry Potter for adults, and in the fact that it deals with magic and has a sly humor behind the prose, that is somewhat true. But Ms. Clarke's entertaining style and worldview call to mind more the work of Neil Gaiman and P.G. Wodehouse than of J.K. Rowling. Ms. Clarke's words are accompanied by the marvelous pen and ink drawings of Portia Rosenberg. Susannah Clarke has produced an immense book, both in sheer heft and in terms of literary value. It is an extraordinary achievement."

But, be advised, this is no beach read. The book is large and unwieldy; reading it is a bit like settling back for a nice perusal of the family bible. These are the times when one wishes that e-book technology were more advanced. Until then, you can always take a break and use the book to tighten up those wobbly biceps with a few book curls.