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Susanna Clarke

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Famous Susanna Clarke Quotes

“Houses, like people, are apt to become rather eccentric if left too much on their own; this house was the architectural equivalent of an old gentleman in a worn dressing-gown and torn slippers, who got up and went to bed at odd times of day, and who kept up a continual conversation with friends no one else could see.”

PeopleIfsHouseLeftToo MuchBedConversationOddGentlemanWornTornDressingsEccentricGownsSlippersTime Of Day
Book:Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell
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“Perhaps I am too tame, too domestic a magician. But how does one work up a little madness? I meet with mad people every day in the street, but I never thought before to wonder how they got mad. Perhaps I should go wandering on lonely moors and barren shores. That is always a popular place for lunatics - in novels and plays at any rate. Perhaps wild England will make me mad.”

PeopleShouldLittlesDoePlayWonderNovelStreetsLonelyMadnessEnglandMadRateWanderShoreMagicianBarrenMoors
Book:Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell
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“It has been remarked (by a lady infinitely cleverer than the present author) how kindly disposed the world in general feels to young people who either die or marry. Imagine then the interest that surrounded Miss Wintertowne! No young lady ever had such advantages before: for she died upon the Tuesday, was raised to life in the early hours of Wednesday morning, and was married upon the Thursday; which some people thought too much excitement for one week.”

PeopleWorldFeelsHas BeensYoungDiesInterestHoursMorningToo MuchImagineWeekMissingMarriedAdvantageDiedRaisedExcitementTuesdayWednesdayThursdayYoung LadiesWednesday Morning
Book:Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell
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“There was very little about her face and figure that was in any way remarkable, but it was the sort of face which, when animated by conversation or laughter, is completely transformed. She had a lovely disposition, a quick mind and a fondness for the comical. She was always very ready to smile and, since a smile is the most becoming ornament that any lady can wear, she had been known upon occasion to outshine women who were acknowledged beauties in three countries.”

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Author:Susanna Clarke
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“When he awoke it was dawn. Or something like dawn. The light was watery, dim and incomparably sad. Vast, grey, gloomy hills rose up all around them and in between the hills there was a wide expanse of black bog. Stephen had never seen a landscape so calculated to reduce the onlooker to utter despair in an instant. "This is one of your kingdoms, I suppose, sir?" he said. "My kingdoms?" exclaimed the gentleman in surprize. "Oh, no! This is Scotland!”

SaidLightBlackDespairRoseWideKingdomsHillsLandscapeDawnGentlemanInstantScotlandGreyGloomyExpanseBogsUtter Despair
Book:Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell
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“Such nonsense!" declared Dr Greysteel. "Whoever heard of cats doing anything useful!" "Except for staring at one in a supercilious manner," said Strange. "That has a sort of moral usefulness, I suppose, in making one feel uncomfortable and encouraging sober reflection upon one's imperfections.”

FeelsSaidMoralHeardStrangeReflectionCatStaringUncomfortableNonsenseImperfectionDrsSoberUsefulnessSupercilious
Book:Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell
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“Yet it is true—skin can mean a great deal. Mine means that any man may strike me in a public place and never fear the consequences. It means that my friends do not always like to be seen with me in the street. It means that no matter how many books I read, or languages I master, I will never be anything but a curiosity—like a talking pig or a mathematical horse.”

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Book:Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell
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“I am, as far as I can tell, about a month behind Lord Byron. In every town we stop at we discover innkeepers, postillions, officials, burghers, potboys, and all kinds and sorts of ladies whose brains still seem somewhat deranged from their brief exposure to his lordship. And though my companions are careful to tell people that I am that dreadful being, an English magician, I am clearly nothing in comparison to an English poet and everywhere I go I enjoy the reputation- quite new to me, I assure you- of the quiet, good Englishman, who makes no noise and is no trouble to any one.”

PeopleKindStillsI CanSeemsEnjoyBehindsBrainLordTroublePoetMonthsQuietTownsCarefulNoiseReputationAll KindsOfficialsComparisonCompanionMagicianExposureEnglishmenDerangedLordshipByron
Book:Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell
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“Strange bent over these things, with a concentration to rival Minervois's own, questioning, criticizing and proposing. Strange and the two engravers spoke French to each other. To Strange's surprize Childermass understood perfectly and even addressed one or twoquestions to Minervois in his own language. Unfortunately, Childermass's French was so strongly accented by his native Yorkshire that Minervois did not understand and asked Strange if Childermass was Dutch.”

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Book:Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell
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