I read this a few years back and felt the urge to revisit it after Lev Grossman cited it as a big influence on The Magicians. I'd forgotten how funny and sad it is at times. And I'd really forgotten how Mr. Norrell made me completely nuts while reading about him. 
 I've read books with evil characters who were serial killers or rapists or tortured small animals, but I don't think anyone bothers me as much as Norrell. I mean, the guy buys all the freaking BOOKS and won't let anyone else read them. And it's not even that he's trying to ban books. HE wants to read them, he just doesn't want anyone else to see them, and keeps them locked away from everyone else. That should be a crime against humanity. 
 I'm impressed with this alternate history of England as fantasy with the inclusion of the magical Raven King as a historical reality, and the efforts of Mr. Norrell and Jonathan Strange to bring back 'good English magic' long after the Raven King had vanished. It's got a great and inventive use of magic, and the overall storyline of Norrell and Strange as first master and pupil, and then rivals is a classic one. 
 The details of a day in the life of England circa 1800 seem very plausible, and the depiction of the class differences are very well done. If I'd have been a 'gentleman's' servant in those times, I don't think I would have lasted ten minutes without punching one of the prissy, uptight pompous jackasses right in the throat. 
 However, I was a little disappointed in the climax, and it seems like the story could have been much shorter. Maybe it would have lost some of the depth, but I found the constant going back to horrible plight of Stephen and Lady Pole overkill. And did Strange have to go to war twice? 
 Still a great read with memorable characters and a unique way of approaching magic and the supernatural.