How do you follow up a masterpiece? Well, the jury’s still out in the case of Susanna Clarke, because THE LADIES OF GRACE ADIEU AND OTHER STORIES isn’t her second novel, but a collection of eight loosely connected tales (as in fairy), all but one previously published. So fans of the magnificent JONATHAN STRANGE & MR. NORRELL – a favorite of at least three of us on staff – will have to wait for another long work, as Clarke’s bridge here is merely an appetizer to her next full meal.
Whether it satisfies depends upon your reaction to STRANGE. If you found that book’s purposely antiquated language, paced plotting and predilection to footnotes charming, expect to get caught up in these stories, all set in STRANGE’s world and utilizing many of its characters. If you didn’t, look elsewhere for entertainment. And although these tales – save for the new “John Uskglass and the Cumbrian Charcoal Burner” – were birthed long before STRANGE made waves in hardcover, I would argue that Clarke newbies would be best served tackling the mega-novel before these shorts. Otherwise, you may be a little lost.
Obviously I fall within the first camp of STRANGE devotees. The title story – incidentally, the one that opens this collection – immediately drew me right back in to her magical world. It’s an odd bit of whimsy that you could see Clarke working into STRANGE as one of those sub-stories told entirely through footnotes. Actually, the same could be said for all of them, including the “Rumplestiltskin” variation “On Lickerish Hill”; “Mrs. Mabb,” in which time stands still; or “The Duke of Wellington Misplaces His Horse,” available online. The best of the lot is “Mr. Simonelli or The Fairy Widower,” a really weird invention involving a clergyman, goblins and breast milk. All the stories are supplement with full-page illustrations from Charles Vess; I’d much prefer the art of STRANGE’s Portia Rosenberg, but this kind of thing is Vess’ territory as well.
As an aside, publisher Bloomsbury’s press release for GRACE ADIEU said Clarke is sitting out promotions for this book “due to ill-health.” We wish her well. –Rod Lott
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OTHER BOOKGASM REVIEWS OF THESE AUTHORS:
• THE BOOK OF BALLADS by Charles Vess
• JONATHAN STRANGE & MR. NORRELL by Susanna Clarke
