** spoiler alert ** 
 Well, for anyone who's ever wondered what an 18th century England would do with magic, here's an answer. England knows that it used to have magic and there are still magicians who study it [though they don't actually do any magic]. There is a report of a man - Mr. Norrell - who does. This story is really about Mr. Norrell and his understanding of when to use magic, what for and why. Kind of. It's a bit hard to get into at first - especially if you're not used to the slow pace and excessive politeness of 18th century life, but once Jonathan Strange arrives on the scene, it's well worth reading. Who - or what - is the Raven King? What's the deal with the servant [I forget his name, he's important though]? Why is a simple street magician [also known as a charlatan or trickster] making prophecies? Definitely worth reading if you can make it past the beginning to the bit where you care about the people involved. If you're used to novels set in the 18th century and you like fantasy, I recommend this.