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I get the distinct feeling that writing women is not the author's strong point.

This book is pretty interesting. Mr. Norrell wants to bring back magic to England and there's some varying sucess. He has to navigate "high" society with help from numerous people (servants and "friends" and scholars and the GOVERNMENT). I've yet to actually meet Jonathan Strange yet as a character but the foot notes include him as like.. a magician student under Norrell.

PLOT IS MOVING QUICK. I'm trying so hard to give Gertie grace and I know she is like.. a foil the movement and rebellion and shit but god.

Willie's been made into a vampire! I love Gertie I really do but the last five pages irked me. Her and Willie just going around and around in circles as they argue. Her arguing Rafazi is more monsterous and demonic then their white slave owners. I really have to push myself to think realistically and try to not judge Gertie for her reasoning, but it's so hard.

plot is moving! I do like how the story is mainly about Rafazi, Gertie and Willie, but the chapters are a bit different POV wise. I really feel for Irene. I like the introduction of colorism, which I believe goes both ways in terms of being mixed or dark. Typically don't see that.

Man, they weren't kidding about how graphic this book is. You def need to be in the right mindset to read it; the pain, grief, and anger is STRONG in this book. I feel the author's frustations and trauma.

Magicians? No, gay scholary snobs that happen to like magic.

I've tried to read this earlier within the year and struggled with it, I am now starting my second attempt and so far I like it. It's still too early to tell how I really feel about it. I get the kinda vibe that Norrell is neurodivergent and doesn't have a good grasp on social connections outside his books and magic.

interesting so far, there are TWs for the book inside and a note from the author. The book is very personal, a cathartic outlet for grief and rage. I'm excited to read it!

soooo several things have been confirmed for me. Someone isn't real lol. Andrew needs lithium STAT and there's been some added body horror!

The two main characters just had their BIG friend fight. The conversation was a little devastating to read, it really made me feel for Andrew. They're both mutually obsessed and self destructive. The codepencency is soooo soooo strong. They really have no idea how to function outside of each other.

So I'm constantly going back and forth between the monsters being real and not, Andrew is just such an unreliable narrator and I love how it's not 100% obvious. There's a heavy theme of SUPER co-dependency between him and Thomas. I'm almost certain Dove either died or was never real to begin with.

I really like the interactions between Lana and Andrew. I feel like Dove isn’t real or she’s died, I feel like Lana is maybe trying to become a replacement for Andrew. Not necessary as another sister but another person that could be part of Andrew’s small support group. I like Lana a lot. Bonus points cus she’s asian :)

I feel like there is some repetitive phrasing: the descriptors of moss in Andrew's lungs, or rotten leaves. I get that it's a horror forest kinda book, but I felt some of the phrasing was too similar. I feel like there was better descriptors to pick but this isn't a huge issue for me. So far it's a build up. There's not much to work with monsters wise but I can sense it getting there.

I like it so far, it is glaringly YA but that's not a bad thing. I did get second hand embarrassment during their class with Clemens. Why do the teachers have so much power here? It doesn't make too much sense tbh. This is a boarding school for rich kids and why aren't parents raising hell over abusive teachers? That part takes me out a little and I know a lot of medias do this to really isolate characters but....

interesting so far but clearly YA in writing, which I knew going in but it’s been a while since I read YA anything..