I just finished reading a book I really enjoyed, and have been recommending it to various folks. This got me thinking about the elements that prompt me to recommend it, considering how they generalize across other narrative fiction (as opposed to biographies, histories, etc.) I’d recommend.
The book in question is “Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell” by Susanna Clarke. It had a good run in hardback, but for some reason or another it’s paperback distribution didn’t fair as well. Some of the trouble might have come from it being bit long (around 845 pages), and that it’s moderately hard to classify at first blush. In short, it’s a revisionist history of magic in 19th century England… but that’s not necessarily why I’d recommend it.
I came up with the following criterion I tend to use when considering whether or not to suggest a book as a good fit:
Plot – The basic genre and story arc, along with how well constructed it is over the course of the book.
Universe of Discourse – The thoroughness and consistency with which the world is created by the author in relation to the plot and character interactions.
Character Development – How stock or fully developed the characters are who inhabit the universe, and their believability acting as defined.
Originality – How much of the overall reading experience brings something new to the table, including all elements from writing style to plot through presentation.
Writing Style – How the author’s chosen voice for the particular story, as well as the pacing and sentence structure, speak to and support the story.
Resolution – The effectiveness of the interplay between the climax, denouement, and conclusion.
So, in the case of “Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell“, I’d say it’s got an incredibly original plot, with a well-defined universe of discourse, and very believable characters. Further, the writing style and presentation were enjoyably original (as an homage to 19th century contemporary monographs). Finally, I felt perfectly satisfied with the resolution after investing 845 pages in the story (which, sadly, I can’t say for “Cryptonomicon”, one of my favorite, and most recommended books). Thus, in my mind, I’d put this in the “Highly Recommended” category.
There are only a few books like this I’d recommend to everyone I know. I generally try to match the recommendation to people I think would appreciate it. The trick, of course, is to identify the right match…
Personally Recommending Books
I just finished reading a book I really enjoyed, and have been recommending it to various folks. This got me thinking about the elements that prompt me to recommend it, considering how they generalize across other narrative fiction (as opposed to biographies, histories, etc.) I’d recommend.
I came up with the following criterion I tend to use when considering whether or not to suggest a book as a good fit:
So, in the case of “Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell“, I’d say it’s got an incredibly original plot, with a well-defined universe of discourse, and very believable characters. Further, the writing style and presentation were enjoyably original (as an homage to 19th century contemporary monographs). Finally, I felt perfectly satisfied with the resolution after investing 845 pages in the story (which, sadly, I can’t say for “Cryptonomicon”, one of my favorite, and most recommended books). Thus, in my mind, I’d put this in the “Highly Recommended” category.
There are only a few books like this I’d recommend to everyone I know. I generally try to match the recommendation to people I think would appreciate it. The trick, of course, is to identify the right match…
Other Books I Recommend: