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The Ladies of Grace Adieu and Other Stories

Di Susanna Clarke

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Valutazione: 4 su 5 stelle4/5 (59 recensioni)

Lunghezza: 256 pagine3 ore

Editore:: Bloomsbury USA
Pubblicato:: Dec 6, 2008
ISBN:: 9781596917453
Formato:: Libro

Descrizione

"Vivid and amusing...Magically funny."-Ursula K. LeGuin, Los Angeles Times

An enchanting collection of stories, set in the same world, from the author of the award-winning, internationally bestselling Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell.

Following the international bestseller Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, Susanna Clarke returns with an enchanting collection of stories brimming with all the ingredients of good fairy tales: petulant princesses, vengeful owls, ladies who pass their time in embroidering terrible fates, endless paths in deep, dark woods, and houses that never appear the same way twice. The heroines and heroes who must grapple with these problems include the Duke of Wellington, a conceited Regency clergyman, an eighteenth-century Jewish doctor, and Mary Queen of Scots, as well as two characters from Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell; Strange himself and the Raven King.

The Ladies of Grace Adieu and Other Stories introduces readers to a world where charm is always tempered by eerieness, and picaresque comedy is always darkened by the disturbing shadow of Faerie.

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Informazioni sul libro

The Ladies of Grace Adieu and Other Stories

Di Susanna Clarke

Valutazioni:

Valutazione: 4 su 5 stelle4/5 (59 recensioni)

Lunghezza: 256 pagine3 ore

Descrizione

Leggi altro

Editore:: Bloomsbury USA
Pubblicato:: Dec 6, 2008
ISBN:: 9781596917453
Formato:: Libro

Informazioni sull'autore

Susanna Clarke

Susanna Clarke's debut novel Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell was first published in more than 34 countries and was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize and shortlisted for the Whitbread First Novel Award and the Guardian First Book Award. It won British Book Awards Newcomer of the Year, the Hugo Award and the World Fantasy Award in 2005. The Ladies of Grace Adieu, a collection of short stories, some set in the world of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, was published by Bloomsbury in 2006. She lives in Derby shire.

Correlati a The Ladies of Grace Adieu and Other Stories

Anteprima del libro

The Ladies of Grace Adieu and Other Stories - Susanna Clarke

For my parents, Janet and Stuart Clarke

Introduction by Professor James Sutherland, Director of Sidhe Studies, University of Aberdeen

The Ladies of Grace Adieu

On Lickerish Hill

Mrs Mabb

The Duke of Wellington Misplaces His Horse

Mr Simonelli or The Fairy Widower

Tom Brightwind or How the Fairy Bridge Was Built at Thoresby

Antickes and Frets

John Uskglass and the Cumbrian Charcoal Burner

Acknowledgements

A Note on the Illustrator

A Note on the Author

By the Same Author

Introduction

by Professor James Sutherland, Director of Sidhe Studies, University of Aberdeen

I have approached this collection with two very modest aims in mind. The first is to throw some sort of light on the development of magic in the British Isles at different periods; the second is to introduce the reader to some of the ways in which Faerie can impinge upon our own quotidian world, in other words to create a sort of primer to Faerie and fairies.

The title story, The Ladies of Grace Adieu, falls into the first category, with a poignant depiction of the difficulties faced by female magicians during the early nineteenth century - a time when their work was simply dismissed by their male counterparts (here amply represented by Gilbert Norrell and Jonathan Strange). The events of the story were referred to in a somewhat obscure novel published a few years ago. Should any readers happen to be acquainted with Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell Bloomsbury, London, 2004), then I direct their attention to a footnote in chapter 43 which describes how Jonathan Strange went to some trouble to extract his clergyman brother-in-law from a living in Gloucestershire and get him a different living in Northamptonshire. The Ladies of Grace Adieu provides a fuller explanation of Strange's rather enigmatic actions.

On Lickerish Hill and Antickes and Frets both describe the somewhat easier, less fraught relationship with fairies and magic which our English and Scottish ancestors once enjoyed.

Mr Simonelli or the Fairy Widower is an extract from the diaries of Alessandro Simonelli. Simonelli is, of course, a monstrously irritating writer; at every turn he displays the conceit and arrogance of his race. (And I am talking here of the English and not of anyone else). An editor is advised to approach his diaries with caution. Simonelli published them first in the mid-1820s. Twenty years later he revised them and published them again. He did the same thing in the late 1860s. Indeed throughout the nineteenth century and early twentieth century his diaries and memoirs were being continually rewritten and brought out in new editions; and at each stage Simonelli reworked his past in order to promote his latest obsession whether that be ancient Sumerian history, the education of women, the improvement of Sidhe (fairy) morals, the provision of bibles for the heathen or the efficacy of a new sort of soap. In an attempt to circumvent this problem I have chosen an extract from the first edition which describes the beginning of Simonelli's extraordinary career. We can but hope that it bears some sort of relation to what actually happened.

In the years that followed Waterloo dealings between the Sidhe (fairies) and the British increased. British politicians debated the Fairy Question this way and that, but all agreed it was vital to the national interest. Yet if these stories demonstrate nothing else it is the appalling unpreparedness of the average nineteenth-century gentleman when he accidentally stumbled into Faerie. The Duke of Wellington is a case in point. Women do seem to have fared somewhat better in these perplexing circumstances; the heroine of Mrs Mabb, Venetia Moore, consistently demonstrates an ability to intuit the rules of Faerie, which the older and more experienced Duke is quite without.

Tom Brightwind or How the Fairy Bridge Was Built at Thoresby remains a tale replete with interest for the student of Faerie. However I see no reason to revise my earlier assessment of the story given in 1999 (and deserving, I think, to be more widely known). The reader will find it prefacing the tale itself.

I have chosen to finish with a story from that wonderful writer, John Waterbury, Lord Portishead. Apart from the period 1808-1816 when he was under the thumb of Gilbert Norrell, Waterbury's writings and in particular his retelling of old tales of the Raven King are a continual delight. John Uskglass and the Cumbrian Charcoal Burner is an example of that genre of stories (much loved by the medievals) in which the rich and powerful are confounded by their social inferiors. (I am thinking here of the tales of Robin Hood or the ballad, King John and the Abbot of Canterbury). In medieval Northern England no one was richer or more powerful than John Uskglass and consequently Northern English folklore abounds with tales in which Uskglass tumbles down holes in the ground, falls in love with unsuitable ladies or for various complicated and unlikely reasons finds himself obliged to cook porridge for harassed innkeepers' wives.

The sad truth is that nowadays - as at all periods of our history - misinformation about Faerie assails us from every side. It is through stories such as these that the serious student of Sidhe culture may make a window for herself into Faerie and snatch a glimpse of its complexity, its contradictions and its perilous fascinations.

James Sutherland Aberdeen, April 2006

Above all remember this: that magic belongs as much to the heart as to the head and everything which is done, should be done from love or joy or righteous anger.

And if we honour this principle we shall discover that our magic is much greater than all the sum of all the spells that were ever taught. Then magic is to us as flight is to the birds, because then our magic comes from the dark and dreaming heart, just as the flight of a bird comes from the heart. And we will feel the same joy in performing that magic that the bird feels as it casts itself into the void and we will know that magic is part of what a man is, just as flight is part of what a bird is.

This understanding is a gift to us from the Raven King, the dear king of all magicians, who stands between England and the Other Lands, between all wild creatures and the world of men.

From The Book of the Lady Catherine of Winchester (1209-67), translated from the Latin by Jane Tobias (1775-1819)

When Mrs Field died, her grieving widower looked around him and discovered that the world seemed quite as full of pretty, young women as it had been in his youth. It further occurred to him that he was just as rich as ever and that, though his home already contained one pretty, young woman (his niece and ward, Cassandra Parbringer), he did not believe that another would go amiss. He did not think that he was at all changed from what he had been and Cassandra was entirely of his opinion, for (she thought to herself) I am sure, sir, that you were every bit as tedious at twenty-one as you are at forty-nine. So Mr Field married again. The lady was pretty and clever and only a year older than Cassandra, but, in her defence, we may say that she had no money and must either marry Mr Field or go and be a teacher in a school. The second Mrs Field and Cassandra were very pleased with each other and soon became very fond of each other. Indeed the sad truth was that they were a great deal fonder of each other than either was of Mr Field. There was another lady who was their friend (her name was Miss Tobias) and the three were often seen walking together near the village where lived - Grace Adieu in Gloucestershire.

Cassandra Parbringer at twenty was considered an ideal of a certain type of beauty to which some gentlemen are particularly partial. A white skin was agreeably tinged with pink. Light blue eyes harmonized very prettily with silvery-gold curls and the whole was a picture in which womanliness and childishness were sweetly combined. Mr Field, a gentleman not remarkable for his powers of observation, confidently supposed her to have a character childishly naive and full of pleasant, feminine submission in keeping with her face.

Her prospects seemed at this time rather better than Mrs Field's had been. The people of Grace Adieu had long since settled it amongst themselves that Cassandra should marry the Rector, Mr Henry Woodhope and Mr Woodhope himself did not seem at all averse to the idea.

Mr Woodhope likes you, Cassandra, I think, said Mrs Field.

Does he?

Miss Tobias (who was also in the room) said, Miss Parbringer is wise and keeps her opinion of Mr Woodhope to herself.

Oh, cried Cassandra, you may know it if you wish. Mr Woodhope is Mr Field stretched out a little to become more thin and tall. He is younger and therefore more disposed to be agreeable and his wits are rather sharper. But when all is said and done he is only Mr Field come again.

'Why then do you give him encouragement? asked Mrs Field.

Because I suppose that I must marry someone and Mr Woodhope has this to recommend him - that he lives in Grace Adieu and that in marrying him I need never be parted from my dear Mrs Field.

It is a very poor ambition to wish to marry a Mr Field of any sort, sighed Mrs Field. Have you nothing better to wish for?

Cassandra considered. I have always had a great desire to visit Yorkshire, she said. I imagine it to be just like the novels of Mrs Radcliffe.

It is exactly like everywhere else, said Miss Tobias.

Oh, Miss Tobias, said Cassandra, "how can you say so? If magic does not linger in Yorkshire, where may we find it still? 'Upon the moors, beneath the stars, With the King’s wild Company.’ That is my idea of Yorkshire."

But, said Miss Tobias, a great deal of time has passed since the King’s wild Company was last there and in the meantime Yorkshiremen have acquired tollgates and newspapers and stagecoaches and circulating libraries and everything most modern and commonplace.

Cassandra sniffed. You disappoint me, she said.

Miss Tobias was governess to two little girls at a great house in the village, called Winter's Realm. The parents of these children were dead and the people of Grace Adieu were fond of telling each other that it was no house for children, being too vast and gloomy and full of odd-shaped rooms and strange carvings. The younger child was indeed often fearful and often plagued with nightmares. She seemed, poor little thing, to believe herself haunted by owls. There was nothing in the world she feared so much as owls. No one else had ever seen the owls, but the house was old and full of cracks and holes to let them in and full of fat mice to tempt them so perhaps it were true. The governess was not much liked in the village: she was too tall, too fond of books, too grave, and - a curious thing never smiled unless there was some thing to smile at. Yet Miss Ursula and Miss Flora were very prettily behaved children and seemed greatly attached to Miss Tobias.

Despite their future greatness as heiresses, in the article of relations the children were as poor as churchmice. Their only guardian was a cousin of their dead mother. In all the long years of their orphanhood this gentleman had only visited them twice and once had written them a very short letter at Christmas. But, because Captain Winbright wore a redcoat and was an officer in the _____ shires, all his absences and silences were forgiven and Miss Ursula and Miss Flora (though only eight and four years old) had begun to shew all the weakness of their sex by preferring him to all the rest of their acquaintance.

It was said that the great-grandfather of these children had studied magic and had left behind him a library. Miss Tobias was often in the library and what she did there no one knew. Of late her two friends, Mrs Field and Miss Parbringer, had also been at the house a great deal. But it was generally supposed that they were visiting the children. For ladies (as every one knows) do not study magic. Magicians themselves are another matter - ladies (as every one knows) are wild to see magicians. (How else to explain the great popularity of Mr Norrell in all the fashionable drawing rooms of London? Mr Norrell is almost as famous for his insignificant face and long silences as he is for his incomparable magicianship and Mr Norrell's pupil, Mr Strange, with his almost handsome face and lively conversation is welcome where ever he goes.) This then, we will suppose, must explain a question which Cassandra Parbringer put to Miss Tobias on a day in September, a very fine day on the cusp of summer and autumn.

"And have you read Mr Strange's piece in The Review? What is your opinion of it?"

I thought Mr Strange expressed himself with his customary clarity. Any one, whether or not they understand any thing of the theory and practice of magic, might understand him. He was witty and sly, as he generally is. It was altogether an admirable piece of writing. He is a clever man, I think.

You speak exactly like a governess.

Is that so surprizing?

But I did not wish to hear your opinion as a governess, I wished to hear your opinion as a . . . never mind. What did you think of the ideas?

I did not agree with any of them.

"Ah, that was what I wished to hear."

Modern magicians, said Mrs Field, seem to devote more of their energies to belittling magic than to doing any. We are constantly hearing how certain sorts of magic are too perilous for men to attempt (although they appear in all the old stories). Or they cannot be attempted any more because the prescription is lost. Or it never existed. And, as for the Otherlanders, Mr Norrell and Mr Strange do not seem to know if there are such persons in the world. Nor do they appear to care very much, for, even if they do exist, then it seems we have no business talking to them. And the Raven King, we learn, was only a dream of fevered medieval brains, addled with too much magic.

Mr Strange and Mr Norrell mean to make magic as commonplace as their own dull persons, said Cassandra. They deny the King for fear that comparison with his great magic would reveal the poverty of their own.

Mrs Field laughed. Cassandra, she said, does not know how to leave off abusing Mr Strange.

Then, from the particular sins of the great Mr Strange and the even greater Mr Norrell, they were led to talk of the viciousness of men in general and from there, by a natural progression, to a discussion of whether Cassandra should marry Mr Woodhope.

While the ladies of Grace Adieu were talking, Mr Jonathan Strange (the magician and second phenomenon of the Age) was seated in the library of Mr Gilbert Norrell (the magician and first phenomenon of the Age). Mr Strange was informing Mr Norrell that he intended to be absent from London for some weeks. "I hope, sir, that it will cause you no inconvenience. The next article for the Edinburgh Magazine is done — unless, sir, you wish to make changes (which I think you may very well do without my assistance)."

Mr Norrell inquired with a frown where Mr Strange was going, for, as was well known in London, the elder magician - a quiet, dry little man - did not like to be without the younger for even so much as a day, or half a day. He did not even like to spare Mr Strange to speak to other people.

I am going to Gloucestershire, sir. I have promised Mrs Strange that I will take her to visit her brother, who is Rector of a village there. You have heard me speak of Mr Henry Woodhope, I think?

The next day was rainy in Grace Adieu and Miss Tobias was unable to leave Winter's Realm. She passed the day with the children, teaching them Latin (which I see no occasion to omit simply on account of your sex. One day you may have a use for it,) and in telling them stories of Thomas of Dundale's captivity in the Other Lands and how he became the first human servant of the Raven King.

When the second day was fine and dry, Miss Tobias took the opportunity to slip away for half an hour to visit Mrs Field, leaving the children in the care of the nursery maid. It so happened that Mr Field had gone to Cheltenham (a rare occurrence, for, as Mrs Field remarked, there never was a man so addicted to home. I fear we make it far too comfortable for him, she said) and so Miss Tobias took advantage of his absence to make a visit of a rather longer duration than usual. (At the time there seemed no harm in it.)

On her way back to Winter's Realm she passed the top of Grace and Angels Lane, where the church stood and, next to it, the Rectory. A very smart barouche was just turning from the high road into the lane. This in itself was interesting enough for Miss Tobias did not recognize the carriage or its occupants, but what made it more extraordinary still was that it was driven with great confidence and spirit by a lady. At her side, upon the barouche box, a gentleman sat, hands in pockets, legs crossed, greatly at his ease. His air was rather striking. He is not exactly handsome, thought Miss Tobias, his nose is too long. Yet he has that arrogant air that handsome men have.

It seemed to be a day for visitors. In the yard of Winter's Realm was a gig and two high-spirited horses. Davey, the coachman and a stable boy were attending to them, watched by a thin, dark man - a very slovenly fellow (somebody's servant) - who was leaning against the wall of the kitchen garden to catch the sun and smoking a pipe. His shirt was undone at the front and as Miss Tobias passed, he slowly scratched his bare chest with a long, dark finger and smiled at her.

As long as Miss Tobias had known the house, the great hall had always been the same: full of nothing but silence and shadows and dustmotes turning in great slanting beams of daylight, but today there were echoes of loud voices and music and high, excited laughter. She opened the door to the dining parlour. The table was laid with the best glasses, the best silver and the best dinner service. A meal had been prepared and put upon the table, but then, apparently, forgotten. Travelling trunks and boxes had been brought in and clothes pulled out and then abandoned; men's and women's clothing were tumbled together quite promiscuously over the floor. A man in an officer's redcoat was seated on a chair with Miss Ursula on his knee. He was holding a glass of wine, which he put to her lips and then, as she tried to drink, he took the glass away. He was laughing and the child was laughing. Indeed, from her flushed face and excited air Miss Tobias could

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What a delectable cocktail peanut of a book. I wish it had been available before Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, because it would have made a perfect gateway drug to the longer, more intense, and more exhausting high of the Big One. But that's like complaining that you only won $10 million in the lottery..."oh shut up" is the best response.Nine stories set in Miss Clarke's vastly improved nineteenth-century England, the one where magical beings are and the operations of magic happen to all the people. These operations aren't always pleasant, or even kind ("Mrs Mabb", "Antickes and Frets"); sometimes, though, the balance of justice gets a magical turbocharge with satisfying results ("Tom Brightwind or How the Fairy Bridge Was Built at Thoresby", "John Uskglass and the Cumbrian Charcoal Burner"); and for the rest? Sheer pleasure to read.Clarke creates this magical England carefully, a term I use despite its connotations of grindhood and laborious tedium; the care, gratefully, is virtually invisible to the reader. It shows itself in the effortless naturalism of these clearly contra-natural stories. It is a sign of a master storyteller working at close to peak performance. One never thinks, "Oh c'mon!" about the antics of the magical characters, since they are provided with clear, though sometimes skewed, motives for their actions. It's a pleasure to meet John Uskglass and see his interaction with the mundane world in all its bilateral confusion and misunderstanding! Tom Brightwind and Dr. Montefiore are the classic mismatched buddies that I do honestly meet in real life; even though one is a fairy that doesn't change their dynamic.The physical book, the hardcover edition that I have anyway, is as pleasurable to possess as the stories themselves are. The handsome cloth binding, stamped with Charles Voss's beautiful floral illustration, begins the pleasure; beautiful oxblood colored endsheets are rich, inviting, somewhat unsettlingly colored; then the line drawings within the text and the handsome, clear typography complete the impression of careful, thoughtful presentation of these delightful tales.Anyone who quailed at the sheer massiveness of the tome Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell should read these stories, and understand that equal pleasures of a more sustained sort await between those widely separated covers. Anyone who simply loves good storytelling and good stories told should run and get this book. It's very much worth your time and money.

Rating: 4

Like all short story collections, The Ladies of Grace Adieu is a mixed bag. While it does not have any truly horrible stories, there are some that are mediocre (along with some rather wonderful ones.)These stories are set in the same world of Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, but they are independent stories and can be read as such. If you’re wary of picking up the 1,000 pages of Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, you might want to try out these stories first to get an idea of how she writes.Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell showed how wonderfully Susanna Clarke craft her writing style, but The Ladies of Grace Adieu showed her impressive ability to craft unique voices for her narrators. This quality is what made “On Lickerish Hill” my favorite story of the bunch. While it’s basically the Rumpelstiltskin story, I really came to enjoy the young woman who narrated it. She was wonderfully entertaining and clever, even if I did have some trouble with the 17th century spelling.“The Ladies of Grace Adieu” was an excerpt from Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell that did not make it into the novel but that is referenced in a footnote. The story concerns three lady magicians in a Regency era England that did not view magic as an appropriate pastime for women.“Mrs Mabb” follows the exploits of Venetia Moore as she goes head to head with the mysterious Mrs. Mabb.“The Duke of Wellington Misplaces His Horse” actually uses a setting from Neil Gaiman’s Stardust. In it, the Duke of Wellington ventures into fairy land to recover his horse. It’s probably the shortest story in the collection, and I found it to be amusing.The narrator of “Mr Simonelli, or the Fairy Widower” is not a very pleasant person, but once again, Susanna Clarke does a wonderful job of crafting his voice through his diary entries.I felt the last three stories to be the weakest. “Tom Brightwind, or How the Fairy Bridge was Built at Thoresby” was probably my least favorite. It didn’t go anywhere unexpected and didn’t have the same feel of the others. The characters themselves also didn’t come alive; Tom Brightwind in particular felt like the standard Susanna Clarke fairy. “Antickes and Frets” and “John Uskglass and the Cumbrian Charcoal Burner” were both a bit better, but I still found them weaker than the beginning stories.Interestingly, the many stories with female protagonists provide a different viewpoint than her novel, which focuses on the male magicians.Also, The Ladies of Grace Adieu is illustrated by Charles Vess! I adore these illustrations. They’re these beautiful pen and ink drawings that go so well with the stories.Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.

Rating: 4

I was not particularly in love with Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, and was slightly reluctant to read more in that vein, but I was pleased to discover that this short story collection contains all the best parts and none of the tedious ones. Amusing Victorian social commentary, baroque language, a thoroughly-imagined fairy world, plus - bonus! - lots of entertaining if not always exactly likeable characters, and lots of strong, competent women.

It's fairly short - I would have happily plowed through another half-dozen stories at least - but there weren't any real duds in the book. Good stuff.

Rating: 4

Susanna Clarke's collection of short stories isn't as ground-breaking as her novel Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, although in fact these works predate publication of her novel, and can be seen, perhaps, as the breaking of ground that lead to the greater work. But that book's complexity and depth is a large part of what made it so great, and of a necessity, these short stories are, well, short. Except for the titular story, they are not, strictly speaking, part of the same world as the novel, but instead seem to be variations on the theme. Some stories are mere bagatelles (such as "Antics and Frets," a fable of Mary, Queen of Scots). Others, such as "The Fairy Widower" and "Tom Brightwind, or How the Fairy Bridge was Built at Thoresby" more substantive, but while thoroughly enjoyable, none are as engrossing as Ms. Clarke's novel. If you enjoyed Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, you will enjoy this, but it won't entirely quench your thirst.

Rating: 4

I loved "Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell" so I couldn't miss this book. And I wasn't disappointed: it's like being back into a well-known universe, where you can recognise people, places and moods. Besides, being short stories, it's easier to handle (even though I loved the fact that the previous book was so long). Maybe it could be appropriate as an introduction to the novel; I'm even thinking to read it again...

Rating: 4

For those who loved Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell and want to spend more time in the 19th century Britain of magic and fairies, this collection of stories is a must read. Mixing historic detail with myth and magic, these stories expand upon the world she's created in wonderful witty ways. One of the things I love is how the many of the stories center around women, such as in the title story "The Ladies of Grace Adieu" which reveals another side to magic not seen in the novel. In another story in which Mary, Queen of Scots, attempts to get revenge through magical embroidery.Even if you haven't read the novel, this small collection of bite-sized stories would make a great introduction, in order to see whether the style suits you and whetting your appetite for the main course.

Rating: 4

A collection of short stories/fairy tales set in the world Clarke created for Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. They’re an interesting take on the world, with my favourite being ‘Tom Brightwind, or How the Fairy Bridge was Built at Thoresby’. Probably not a collection for everyone but if you loved Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell and are interested in folklore and fairy tales do read this.

Rating: 4

This collections of short stories, set in the world of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, are pleasant to read. However, the stories were too short for me to really get acquainted with the characters, which lessened my enjoyment. But, to be honest, I am not a big fan of short stories in general. So if you enjoyed Susanna Clarke's previous book, and don't mind short stories, this is definitely a book to pick up!

Rating: 3

Each of the stories in this collection is set within the world Susanna Clarke created for her enchanting novel, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. Indeed, Jonathan Strange appears directly in the title story, and the Duke of Wellington appears in another, which is curiously set in the village of Wall from Neil Gaiman’s Stardust. For those familiar with Clarke’s novel, the stories might be thought of in the manner of her extended footnotes, here fully extended. They come across as flourishes, embellishments, and delights. They are tales.There is a certain familiarity to the tone of these tales, most being written in the same austenesque style as Clarke’s novel. “On Lickerish Hill” is the exception, written in first person with a female narrator of curious education. Great fun! It would be hard to choose a favourite, but I suppose I might give the nod to “Mr Simonelli or The Fairy Widower”. I believe the tales stand up well on their own, but they will be best appreciated, perhaps, by those who have read Clarke’s novel. Recommended.

Rating: 4

I have just finished reading 'The Ladies of Grace Adieu' by Susanna Clarke, it's a collection of short stories mostly all set in the same world as her last book 'Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell'; set in the 19th Century, lots of magic and fairies, mostly written like a Jane Austin novel. I really enjoyed it! I found the title story a little lacking, I didn't really understand what was going on (may go back and read it again!), but the others were wonderful. Susanna dables with different writing styles in this book, one story 'On Lickerish Hill' is written in the style of 'John Aubrey' (whom I've never read), but I really enjoyed the rambliness of it: "My mother was mayde and cook to Dr Quince, an ancient and learned gentleman (face, very uglie like the picture of a horse not well done; dry, scantie beard; moist, pale eyes)."Another story 'The Duke of Wellington Misplaces his horse' is set in the village of Wall, a fictional village from the head of Neil Gaiman in his novel 'Stardust'. My favourite story by far was 'Mrs Mabb', which tells the story of a love lost to another; me and my soppy heart! Although the story was set in the world of Jonathan Strange, I really don't think it would spoil her first novel if you were to read this first. It doesn't relate to what happened in that book; however, you may not get all of the references or understand the characters (Mr Strange is featured in one of the stories) if you haven't read Jonathan Strange first. To get the most out of the books, I would definately recommend reading them in the right order. The short stories are a little longer than most short stories, but perfect to read one a day, to and from work on the tube. Would definately recommend if you want a break from a full length novel.

Rating: 4

A collection of short stories set in the same universe as Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. Like that novel, the stories are presented as history rather than fiction, including notes by the professor who edited the collection, which adds to the realism. I don't think you need to have read the novel to enjoy this - in fact, it had been so many years since I read it that I'd basically forgotten it anyway. It's hard to pick a favorite, but I quite enjoyed Mrs. Mabb, the tale of a woman whose fiancee is kidnapped by a faerie. A nice little bit of lore.

Rating: 4

The Ladies of Grace Adieu, by Miss Susanna Clarke – a Critickal ReviewI have had cause to speak of Miss Clarke’s writings before, in connexion with her work Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, and therein the chief critickism I had to make was as to the length of that novel, which I judged to be some two hundred pages (out of eight hundred) too long. No such cavil attends the remarks I wish to make of this present collection, which consists of a number of shorter tales, set within the same fantastickal and fascinating other-England of the longer book. Each and all are nothing less than a delight from beginning to end. Miss Clarke has a remarkable facility for evoking the strange and alarming world of Faerie, and creates a truly enchanting atmosphere when writing of it and of the ways in which men and women can become entangled in it. As if that were not enough, she swims in the English language as a dolphin might swim in the Ocean, playing and leaping through its currents and tides with a sly smile on her face. To read stories at once so absorbing and so witty, and with such finely drawn characters, is a rare delight, and I for one can scarcely bear to wait for her promised sequel to her original novel, and learn more of her original and marvellous other-England, and of the men and women she has peopled it with – most especially that fascinating and enigmatic figure John Uskglass, the Raven King.Addendum: I note that a moving picture is to be made of the adventures of Messrs Strange & Norrell. No good can come of this.

Rating: 4

I finally sat down with Clarke's second, the Ladies of Grace Adieu. I'm fairly certain I waited as long as I did because I was afraid I'd be disappointed. Because Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell is one of my favorites.And I kind of was and kind of was not. The short story collection definitely did not blow me away. But it was also really well done, really well written, well imagined. Each of the stories advances the world Clarke's created, or a version of the world. It feels almost like anecdotes that you might have heard told by characters from Jonathan Strange's world... fables, tales, stories.The writing is, of course, immaculate. The story-telling is good.. great, even. The collection read quickly, and each story felt complete in its own right. I'm not sure what more I wanted, but it seems that I did want something more. When I was done, I felt it was sort of anti-climactic.So, I would definitely recommend to Clarke fans and people who would be Clarke fans (but who just haven't had the good sense to read her yet ;)), but with the note that it is good, really good, great, but not as satisfying and fulfilling as Strange & Norrell...Overall, FOUR of five stars.

Rating: 4

A collection of short stories set in the alternate England Susanna Clarke established in Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. Some are better than others, but all are worth reading, especially if you're a fan of her first novel.

Rating: 4

3.5 stars

I have to admit that I found the first four stories in this collection only fair-to-middling, though the title tale had some nice moments of understated menace. From the point of "Mr. Simonelli, or the Fairy Widower" on, however, I was fully on-board and greatly enjoyed the rest of the collection.

Simonelli is a great character, equal parts self-aggrandizing rogue (for, we learn, obvious cultural reasons) and concerned pastor of his flock. I'd love to see more of his reminiscences in a longer format from Clarke. He's quite a resourceful and entertaining character.

Tom Brightwind shows us that while fairys are generally unpleasant in their interactions with others (both of the human and fae persuasion), they are somehow capable at times of maintaining the friendship of those that are their betters (morally, if not socially). I'm surprised that David Montefiore hasn't met a sad fate due to his constant remonstrances to his self-satisfied Fairy Friend, but I imagine his equanimous and generally pleasant character helps to protect him. This tale was, in some ways, most like _Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell_, at least in the inclusion of copious notes giving amusing and enlightening details on the fairy culture which the tale displays.

"John Uskglass and the Cumbrian Charcoal Burner" was great for several reasons: first it is the first tale in which we get a first-hand look, however erroneous, at the mythical Raven King; second it had some of the best, laugh-out-loud moments in the whole collection.

Overall an entertaining set of stories, though I wish Clarke would get around to writing another, more substantial tome in the vein of Strange & Norrell. (Perhaps Mr. Simonelli is available?)

Rating: 4

As much as I liked Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, I was wary of picking up the short story collection that Clarke released as a follow-up. These things often don't turn out all that well, particularly when the book was so well-crafted and took so long to put together.All things considered, this wasn't that bad, although much of what I liked about the book isn't present here. The scope of the stories are naturally less than the novel, but the feel of the writing is varied over the stories. Perhaps this isn't a surprise, since the stories were written over the course of several years, but it does feel somewhat uneven. There weren't any stories that I outright disliked, but there were only a couple that I really enjoyed. Probably my favorite was Tom Brightwind, and the Fairy Widower was quite good as well. Most, though, I finished and felt sorta meh. I'm not a huge short story fan, so maybe others will like it better, but I'm more looking forward to her next novel, personally.

Rating: 4

Susanna Clarke is clearly one of the bright new lights on the fantasy fiction horizon. Her debut novel, Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, topped bestseller lists, garnered positive reviews from the critics, and crossed genre boundaries with its elegant mixture of style and inventiveness. This follow-up collection of stories claims to be a contemporary academic review of various literary and historical sources that shed light onto the development of English magic and the intertwining of our world with the land of Faerie. Both themes will be familiar to readers of Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, as will the general nineteenth-century setting. The mythology of these works are also similar, so that they must be seen as companions. This volume is best read after the novel, as a couple of the stories will make little sense without background information.I must admit that I found the opening story—from which the collection's title is taken—rather unappealing, for reasons I shall not reveal (else I should give away the ending). Even there, however, I kept picking out sentences that caught my interest. This excellence of writing continues even as the narrative qualities improve. "On Lickerish Hill" is an imaginative retelling of the Rumpelstiltskin legend, written in the non-standardized spelling typical of its setting ("His beard curles naturallie—a certaine sign of witt"), while "Mrs. Mabb" chronicles a strong-willed girl's efforts to rescue her love from fairy captivity. "The Duke of Wellington Misplaces His Horse" transposes the England and Fairyland of Jonathan Strange with those of Neil Gaiman's Stardust as the Duke has an adventure while staying in the mysterious village of Wall. John Hollyshoes, the antagonist of "Mr. Simonelli or The Fairy Widower," may remind Clarkites of the Gentleman with Thistled-Down Hair, com with his meddling ways and evil intentions; then again, Tom Brightwind of "Tom Brightwind or How the Fairy Bridge was Built at Thoresby" possesses much of the Gentleman's airs as well, but little of his villainy. "Antickes and Frets" is an alternative, mystical history of Mary Stuart's imprisonment, in which she plays some role in her execution, which ultimately brings her release. "John Uskglass and the Cumbrian Charcoal Burner" takes the form of a folktale, and a very entertaining one at that; I particularly enjoyed the Charcoal Burner's interactions with the various saints.Beautiful illustrations by Charles Vess add to the magic of each tale, and this hardcover edition is lovely enough that it is worth keeping as literary eye candy alone. Highly recommended for Strangites and Norrellites everywhere!

Rating: 4

If Jane Austen had written fantasy it would probably be like this. Set in the same alternative England of Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, but 600 pages thinner. I like it.

Rating: 4

READ IN ENGLISH

I really enjoyed reading Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norell as it was once of the books that surprised me in 2012. So, it was clear I wanted to read this book as well. I had actually been hoping on a full length sequel that could bring back the fantastic atmosphere from the book, but as that is not possible for now, I'm at least very happy with this set of lovely short stories, some of which are set in the same time as JS&MrN, but all are written is that same style that is so wonderful and impressive.

Rating: 4

Firstly, The Ladies of Grace Adieu and Other Short Stories was written while Susanna Clarke was still working on Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell which I just found out took her 10 years to complete...so I guess I won't hold my breath on her next novel. Secondly, this was a great short story compilation, ya'll. This was especially great if you are thinking of reading Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell but you're not sure if you want to commit yourself to such an epic length book. This will definitely give you a taste of her narrative style as well as the world that she has created (Faerie! Also other places!). Honestly, I can't say enough good things about this author. I am super excited to see what else she comes up with but as I said a few sentences ago she does like to take her time (and she's also been ill so don't be too hard on her). Go check this book out!

Rating: 5

Something in the way [author: Susanna Clarke] writes gives her work the air of having been written a long time ago. It's the literary equivalent of handmade lacework, or of a chest of drawers made by some old-world craftsman: beautiful, precise, and with a subtle air of antiquity. Her previous book, [book: Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrel], gained much of its charm from the way the style of the prose matched the setting of the novel. [book: The Ladies of Grace Adieu] could be considered a companion piece, taking place as it does in the same alternate England. Rather than being a large and weighty tome as was her previous effort, though, this slimmer volume is a collection of short stories.It takes a different sort of writing (and perhaps a different sort of writer) to make a successful short story than to make a successful novel. There is an economy of words and setting that must be observed, or it just doesn't work. Clarke grasps this idea well, and the stories in this book are largely enjoyable and readable. As is the case with any selection of short stories, some are better than others. I particularly like John Uskglass and the Cumbrian Charcoal Burner, which feels like an old fairy tale in the way it plays out. I am somewhat less fond of Lickerish Hill, less for the actual story than for its being written in the actual style of a journal from the 1800s, i.e. difficult to read.If you enjoyed Jonathan Strange, this book offers more of the same.

Rating: 3

A charming collection of stories from the author of Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. I definitely recommend reading this *after* JS & MN.

Rating: 5

Susanna Clarke is a gifted writer who has created an alternate England full of magic and Fae. The stories in the Ladies of Grace Adieu are mainly from the same universe as her wonderful book Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell with one that is set in the same world as Neil Gaiman's Stardust. Clarke knows how to write within a period's style without making it too difficult to appreciate and creates fascinating characters who tell their stories in such a way that its easy to be pulled into their world. Though this aspect of her writing can be difficult to get into and a reader needs to enjoy authors such as Jane Austen and others of her ilk or else Clarke's writing can feel overly formal. For those who enjoy Clarke's work, this book is an amazing find and beautifully published with illustrations by Charles Vess.

Rating: 4

I loved this book! If possible, I loved it even more than "Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. It is a collection of eight short stories in the style of the aforementioned book. It has droll humor, great characters and world building. Granted, it is our world, but an alternate version which seems entirely plausible. Usually in a book of collected short stories, there are a few clinkers, but I can's say that about any of these. Some I enjoyed more than others, but usually my favorite was the one I was reading at the moment.

Rating: 5

Fantastic.

Rating: 5

So, yay more of the Jonathan Strange universe! I like how this collection is presented as a study of magical history in the British Isles; it makes it feel like there’s more to that wonderful universe Susanna Clarke created, and not just a group of stories that just happen to take place in this universe.

It’s a strong collection that ends up being more humorous than its predecessor. I love that the opening/titular story sets the tone for the rest of the book. Also, it has female magicians and their response to the events in Jonathan Strange, which sadly, never got touched on in that book proper. I also like how there’s a further explanation into the worlds of Faerie, both seen in “Mr. Simonelli” and “Tom Brightwind.” “Mr. Simonelli” is properly creepy, I was trying to figure out what exactly was going on in All-Hope House. On the other hand, “Tom Brightwind” shows a faerie who’s not entirely cruel and actually goes out of his way to try to help mortals out (even if the effects aren’t immediate). I love the conclusion of “John Uskglass and the Cumbrian Charcoal Burner,” which I think is the funniest story in the collection, if only for Uskglass’s “WTF” at the Charcoal Burner’s revenge. And I loved “Antickes and Frets,” for its glimpse into the mindset of Mary, Queen of Scots during her imprisonment (also, embroidery magic used for revenge).

The two weakest stories, I felt, were “Mrs. Mabb” and “The Duke of Wellington Misplaces His Horse.” I just couldn’t get into “Mrs. Mabb,” and wished that there was more explanation to it. As for “The Duke of Wellington…” it was funny, but I didn’t really get that much from the story as a whole. (Actually, I picked up the book for the latter story, because, hey, Stardust fanfiction.) It’s an okay story.

Overall, I enjoyed the collection, but I really wouldn’t recommend it unless if you (like me) loved Jonathan Strange and wanted to read more into that universe. Also, if you just like fairy tales and fantasy stories in general. It’s a really good collection, but if fantasy’s not your thing, I can understand wanting to skip this one.

Rating: 4

Just couldn't get into these. They seemed like stuff she had to take out of Dr. Strange and Mr. Norrell.

Rating: 2

Doesn't nearly approach Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, but there are some interesting stories here. The title story gives some background to events surrounding Jonathan Strange. The best story, "The Duke of Wellington Misplaces His Horse," is set in Neil Gaiman's world of Wall, featured in Stardust. Two stories feature malicious embroidery (!), one with the great line, "The Queen of Scots was impressed. She had heard of a poisonous dart sewn into a bodice to pierce the flesh, but she had never heard of anyone being killed by embroidery before. She herself was very fond of embroidery."

Rating: 4

Despite the fact that the novel Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, published in 2005, had more than 1,000 pages, it was and enchanting and compelling read, from which I derived a great deal of pleasure. Unfortunately, the stories in The Ladies of Grace Adieu, and other stories are not of the same quality.Some of the stories in The Ladies of Grace Adieu, and other stories have the same characters as in the novel, while all stories are set in the magical wonderland of elves and magicians. The stories are either thematically linked to the novel or were written in the same style, either predating, written concurrently or shortly after the novel Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell was published. Some stories consist of fragments which were lifted out of the novel.Perhaps what makes the novel so great is the huge scope and scale of the story, while the short stories as simply too short to develop a real sense.Quite disappointing.

Rating: 3

A wonderful collection of short stories, each more charming than the last. Told in the old-fashioned styles of gone-by ages, with lots of dry humor and wit. Clarke can tell more story and characterization in a few of the details she lets casually drop than most authors can in an entire novel. And her magic! Fantastic but also so creepy, and it seems that it always lies just beyond one's understanding. I adored these.

Rating: 4

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