A Susanna Clarke Christmas

 In these chilled-out days that bring the Christmas season to an end and crank the new year into a slow beginning, I’m looking back over the benign influence of Susanna Clarke on the Christmas I’ve just had.

It began well before Christmas - in November, in fact - with my annual re-read of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. Such a comfort read during the long, dark nights! 

Then there was the happy discovery of a short story by Susanna Clarke on BBC Sounds (radio and podcast app). “The Wood at Midwinter” is about a 19th century girl called Merowdis who converses with animals, and sees the wood as a cathedral and the cathedral as a wood. I’m still trying to find out whether it’s based on a true story. It has all the whimsy and strangeness you would expect from Susanna Clarke.

And after Christmas, I was spending some birthday money in town (yes, I have a Christmas birthday, and no, I don’t hate it) when I came across the board game of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell for half price! I had vaguely heard of this game before, and was very excited to play it. 


The aim of the game is to travel around Europe, gaining prestige and magical prowess in order to defeat the Gentleman with the Thistledown Hair and become the Greatest Magician of the Age. The little cards contain lots of references to characters and events from the novel, which is great fun. It’s one of those games you need plenty of time to play - and also to work out the rules! Our game ended up being terminated because the cat was walking all over the board and knocking the pieces about! Better luck next time!

And looking forward into the new year, I will be running discussions on Susanna Clarke’s Piranesi as part of HF Holidays Book Club short break in Oxford. Two other books will be discussed, and there’s a day out at Oxford Literary Festival. So, if you fancy a bookish break in March, you know where to come!

Wishing you a magical new year.




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