England – Tyger Tyger

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell

A revisionist historical fantasy that reads like a classic and boasts character depth.

England has a fascinating, slowly evolving culture and history.

North and South married sorrow with happiness, showing that life is never one or the other. It is always both.

It was too political. In a world of media biased, it was biased as well.

The episodic feel of this book, the dearth of information and one-sided literary illustrations, were a disappointment.

This book illustrates the reality of the Gilded Age, the dust and ashes beneath the glimmer and gold.

In this book, Victorian England meets magic with a light, humorous touch.

Ivanhoe by Walter Scott is an intriguing mix of romance, historical fiction, adventure, and legend.

Per usual, the bard writes with style, and beauty drips from pen to paper.

Not Shakespeare’s best effort, but it does nicely dramatize ancient history.

This book made me want to relax at Bag End with Bilbo or sing with the dwarves. The writing was charming, witty, and fun.

This book wasn’t a “history” at all, but an interesting look at the origin myth underlying the English identity.