I read a thousand-page book in nineteen days! I'm so proud of myself. It helped that i was sick and not doing much of anything else for a week or so. 
 It really was a pleasure to read. I love that it's seasoned throughout with a sprinkling of British humor. More and more, i realize i'm a big fan of that. I thought the story was well crafted and i liked the way everything finally came together in the end in a way that had been hinted at--prophesied, even--throughout the book, but never quite given away. I liked all of the characters i was supposed to like without really loving them because they were very realistic and, therefore, flawed. And i definitely disliked the ones i was supposed to dislike. I was satisfied with the ending even though it was a bit melancholy. Not every story has to resolve happily, and i think this one ended very appropriately. 
 I'm definitely impressed with Susanna Clarke. The author bio says nothing at all about her except that this is her first book. I think it's quite well written. I told my husband that Clarke seems to be someone who just loves to make up stories and write them out, and does so very easily. There are so many long footnotes in this book, and many of them are delightful little side stories that read like fairy tales. She took the real world and embellished it seamlessly with magical stories, and she did a wonderful job of it.