Reading the Chunksters discussion

Here's week 4!! Hope you all had a great holiday weekend!

We get a little taste of Jonathan Strange in this section. I am super excited about getting to know this character a little better.
I do have a question, Is anybody curious about Vinculus' tattoos? I wonder what they represent?
Mr. Norrell better watch his back!! I have a feeling that Childermass might be a little tired of Mr. Norrell.
I found the taro card readings highly interesting.

What did everyone else think????

I loved the Tarot card readings too. I'm a librarian and I catalogued a book on mythical stories and creatures today. It fell open on the page about 'The Raven Who Stole the Light'. It explained how the Raven, a magical trickster, has lived on Earth for all time. And when he changed himself into a human, he had 'raven-dark hair, shiny black eyes, a beaky nose' etc. I raise this as I've noticed a few of the male characters have this long dark hair (Childermass, Vinculus) and I'm wondering if the Raven trickster has been around for all time, is he immortal and could he make an appearance in this novel as the Raven King? Just a thought. I know stylistically dark magicians are often depicted with long dark hair, but I can't help but wonder if Vinculus is more than just a vagrant charlatan.

The book is amazing. It reminds me of the fantasy books that enthralled me as a child but haven't encountered as an adult. Well, now I have. It's totally captured me. I love not knowing what is going to happen next.

I am curious about Vinculus's tattoos too. And I agree that Childermass isn't to be trusted; has a hidden agenda.

Childermass/Vinculus fascinate me. The fact that Vinculus poses as multiple people, and that one of his identities is a servant in the house made me briefly wonder if Vinculus/Childermass are the same person. I just cant reconcile that idea to the Tarot card scene though. Unless, its like some sort of mirror thing, where on one side of the mirror Childermass is respectable enough, serves without being servile, etc, and on the otherside of the mirror he is Vinculus dirty and deceitful. He may not even know, like Mr. Black isnt aware of his nightly on goings? I dont know though. Somethine is definitly amiss there. I cannot wait to find out what it is.

I LOVED the Tarot card scene, almost as much as I loved the scene where all the servants were first begnning to realize at that dinner party that Lost Hope was merging with the house. I love how the author deals with these eerie moments.

Also, I think in this section we are really starting to see the kind of character Mr. Norrell has, and it certainly isnt good. He is like a doctor, who has taught himself purely out of books, with no practical knowledge, wants all the attention, and refuses to spread his knowledge. Kind of despicable and petty really.

With as much as I am loving this book, I am surprised that I put off reading it for so long. Its really captivating.

I agree with everyone, this is a fantastic book! It was really daunting to start it, since it's huge but I find myself flying through the chapters and reading ahead.

By the way, have you guys looked on Susanna Clarke's website yet? On her author bio page, there are links to bios written by Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. Of course, Mr Norrell just goes on a rant and doesn't bother to say anything about the author..

ayanami wrote: "I agree with everyone, this is a fantastic book! It was really daunting to start it, since it's huge but I find myself flying through the chapters and reading ahead.

By the way, have you guys look..."

Thanks for showing us those, loads of fun!

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As for the book, I'm finding it hard to find deeper things to talk about at the moment. It's a fun book, light and easy to read...hmmm...I guess because it's so long I'm not really finding it very suspenseful as in I don't care who Strange is, who the Raven Kind is and so on. I just assume that I'll find out in due time. Susanna Clarke really has put a lot into this work and for that I am grateful. I'm just enjoying the ride.

Stephanie wrote: "As for the book, I'm finding it hard to find deeper things to talk about at the moment...."

I agree. But I'm still glad to be reading this with a group, "enjoying the ride" as you said.

Juliette wrote: "Stephanie wrote: "As for the book, I'm finding it hard to find deeper things to talk about at the moment...."

I agree. But I'm still glad to be reading this with a group, "enjoying the ride" as y..."

Oh! Absolutely! I love this group! :D

Those little biographies were great!

I'm enjoying the story too. Vinculus has become an interesting character in this section. I hope we will see more of him, and Stephen Black too.

Yes, this book reminds me of Mark Twain's introduction to Huckleberry Finn

"PERSONS attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot.

BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR, Per G.G., Chief of Ordnance.
"

Some books are just ot be enjoyed :D

Enjoyed this section as well. Not as creepy as the others but still good as we got to know a bit more about Vinculus and Strange. I found the end funny when Strange was trying to impress his girl with his desire to become a magician and then showing those spells he bought from Vinculus.

I totally missed the part about the tatts...and I love tattoos... Another reason why reading with a group is fun!

Considering their design and tint, they seem rather Pictish don't they? Do you think the author is trying to hint that Vinculus is older than he seems? That perhaps he is somewhat from olde olde England like the Raven King? How long has he been carrying around this ancient prophecy?

And the prophecy being written down in a book is a big mystery, too. It makes Vinculus even more hatable for Mr Norrell, for he owns a magic book that Norrell himself doesn't know about.

Childermass begins to form a real character. I found him being very fuzzy until the Tarot scene (which I enjoyed as much as you did). I love how Clarke creates more and more puzzles without solving them too quickly. I hope there won't be solutions to all the open ends as it might destroy the gloomy atmosphere of the book.

I hope to catch up with you this week so I will be able to join the discussion properly!

I also found the scene with the tarot cards interesting and hope to find out more about the prophecy. Vinculus seems more menacing now that we have seen some of his power and he seems less of a charlatan. Can't wait to read the next part. This is a very surprising book that has brought out the child in me.

I definitely want to find out more about Vinculus!

ayanami wrote: "I agree with everyone, this is a fantastic book! It was really daunting to start it, since it's huge but I find myself flying through the chapters and reading ahead.

By the way, have you guys look..."

That's an awesome find!! Very cool.

Like everyone else I can't wait to see more of Vinculus!

Finally catching up. Just finished this section. I think you've all covered most of my thoughts, but I did have one question...

Did anyone else notice/think that the man with the thistle-down hair is attracted to Stephen Black? There's a mention of him caressing Stephen's face... it puts an interesting spin on his desire to have him rule one of those faerie kingdoms.

Also, looks like I was wrong about the Persephone like nature of Lady Pole's "half-life." Rather, she's instead sapped of all energy and desire to truly live. This is definitely worse than what I imagined.

I am still loving this book even though I have fallen behind. I wanted to be sure to comment so people know I am still reading!

I also loved the Tarot card reading, but my favorite party about it had to be the idea that viniculus can lay out the most amazing fortune but doesn't understand what it means. I wonder if he really doesn't know or is just pretending. He certainly had talent though if the many identical cards are a sign.

I also found Jonathan strange to be very different from how I imagined him. I thought he had been practicing magic all this time in secret, but it tureens or he was sort of a slacker and didn't even consider magic until viniculus put the idea into his head. But he seems to be a natural! I do wonder how things will turn out between him and his lady friend.

Deana wrote: "I am still loving this book even though I have fallen behind. I wanted to be sure to comment so people know I am still reading!

I also loved the Tarot card reading, but my favorite party about it ..."


I kind of imagined that Viniculus was just pretending because he seems pretty sly and smart. Maybe he was just trying to not let Childermass know his true strengths

Loretta wrote: "Finally catching up. Just finished this section. I think you've all covered most of my thoughts, but I did have one question...

Did anyone else notice/think that the man with the thistle-down hai..."

i thought of the gentleman with the thistle-down hair as being like all faeries. they do like their beautiful shiny things regardless of gender, race, species et cetera.

@ Stephanie: "Shiny things." Hahahahaha.

Loretta wrote: "@ Stephanie: "Shiny things." Hahahahaha."

hilarious!!! still chuckling...good one! :P

Catherine wrote: "Deana wrote: "I am still loving this book even though I have fallen behind. I wanted to be sure to comment so people know I am still reading!

I also loved the Tarot card reading, but my favorite p..."

I find this more likely, that he's pretending. Isn't it more likely that he really IS the Raven King? Or a descendant?

I love all the little bits of mystery that are being laid out like clues, and I can't wait to see them all put together, yet the journey is so fun that I'm quite to content to keep going along, not knowing the answers the mysteries yet.

I am most curious to see how the relationship between Strange and Norrell plays out, as several footnotes have mentioned that Strange is Norrell's pupil, yet Norrell is determined to destroy all other magicians but himself, so somehow that will have to be reconciled. I have a feeling Childermass will have something to do with it, perhaps forcing Norrell into a apprenticeship situation for his image in London, or some such thing.