sphygm

[sphygm]

me at the slightest inconvenience

[sphygm]

There is a new Susanna Clarke JSAMN universe story online. It is behind a paywall, but you can read the beginning for free:

The Bishop of Durham Attempts to Surrender the City

And here is an article about it: Susanna Clarke returns to world of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell in new short story

[sphygm]

they call her Arabella Woodhope the way she replaced by wood and end up in Lost Hope

[sphygm]

modern day things jsmn characters would love:

segundus: excruciatingly detailed tea ceremonies, wearing his pjs till they have holes in the sleeve hems, afternoon baking television specials, subscribing to science magazine periodicals, indoor plant gardening, trader joe’s, (being a teacher) and decorating his classroom, weekly (gossipy) neighborhood book clubs, keeping a physical journal on him at all times, independent booksellers

childermass: not being on social media, niche tarot draw youtube videos, the concept of irish goodbyes, using the oldest working phone model possible, bed on the floor no frame, wearing sunglasses indoors, depressing british rock, guessing jeopardy/who’s going to be a millionaire answers before anyone else can, never picking up phone calls, being a horse girl, having a masochistically loud alarm, being a political centrist, being a coffee purist

vinculus: drink vouchers marketing people hand out on the street, public transport, tinder, watching a game at the pub, rentable public scooters, selling fake fortunes/conducting seances online for believing middle-aged clientele, mobile gambling apps, action movies, spending inordinate amounts of money on his tattoos

norrell: instacart grocery delivery, obsessively stalking subreddits, ebay, sending whatsapp threads of fake infographics, eating a whole foods diet with no seasoning, directing people to his PA (lascelles), obscure netflix documentaries he quotes for two weeks after watching, keeping up with the british royal family, vitamins, remote work policies, twitter conspiracy theorists

strange: starting a podcast, apple pay, getting really into running, getting really into bitcoin, being a ‘wife guy’, using his veteran’s discount for overconsumption, truth or dare and he only ever picks dare, backpacking in xyz european country, picking up his work phone during date night, making ‘am i the asshole’ reddit posts which norrell secretly and unknowingly follows, eating ‘superfoods’, ensemble cast movies

gentleman: tiktok trends, shitty reality television, amazon prime next day delivery, owning a motorcycle, going on resort vacations 6x/year, brand name clothing with ostentatious logos, biweekly hair appointments, sliding into DMs, caffeinated energy drinks you can overdose on, orange theory classes, having a miniature designer dog, acting ‘woke’, getting scammed by phishing, dentist appointments

stephen: interior design, considering veganism, high thread count bedsheets, having a cat, going to therapy and actually improving, high quality european butter, 10 step self-care routine, homemade laminated pastries, sustainability, notion

emma pole: advanced embroidery kits, spiked morning drinks, doc martens, girls’ night, having a private instagram, clubbing, cat instagram reels, 9-5 work hours, racket sports, going with bell to expensive dessert cafes, classical music

arabella: pinterest boarding, girls’ night, knowing wine pairings, being really into running (influenced by strange, she keeps going after he quits), jellycats, diverse milk options at coffee shops, watching ootds, bon appetite recipes, meal prepping, having a well-loved dog whose lifestyle needs she researches with academic detail, expensive dessert cafes, radio pop playlist

drawlight: excessive instagram posting, watching tiktok fashion critiques, weekend brunch, ‘i know a guy’, bespoke clothing, 34 hour screentime, influencer events, house parties, half off convenience store wine, being employee of the month, forgetting his wallet at group dinners/not paying back venmo requests, keeping up with celebrity drama

lascelles: group projects he can monopolize, stock market trading, expensive branded clothes without logos, being a coffee purist, driving a ridiculously loud sports car, not caring about politics, getting valet service, searching his own name up on google, winning employee of the month over drawlight, scrolling his linkedin feed

[sphygm]

Mr Segundus endeavors to befriend Brewer :)

[sphygm]

Somethings wrong with me

[sphygm]

if piranesi from the book piranesi had whatsapp

[sphygm]

I know they’re little more than a throwaway line but I would genuinely read a whole novel about Mr. and Ms. Malpas (they’re the brother and sister duo mentioned that one time in chapter 14) roaming the countryside investigating allegedly magical occurrences like some sort of Regency era version of Mythbusters

[sphygm]

Once-

As I rode swift along the way,

Newcastle from to York,

The blazing rays of fading day,

Enshadowed then a fork

Where stood a man who'd come a-foot,

And 'neath the painted signs there stood.

'Ho- are you lost?' To him I cried,

Intent to offer aid,

For often I this way did ride,

And of the roads not yet had strayed.

But never since I met a wight,

Who did my soul the less delight.

I could not see his features well,

For dark had over light fast clouded,

And all but eyes like coals from hell,

Had shadows there enshrouded,

And from this man-pit issued forth,

A voice of frost like winter North.

'Look now upon the face thy King,

And seek not to dispose,

Or hence ignore the birds who bring,

Songs understanding knows,'

These words this man said unto me,

As I now tell to thee.

In fetters he my heart has placed,

My soul in parts has rent,

So that this man thusly defaced,

And but on home intent,

Can ne'er be whole as once was born,

Who now to pieces found him torn.

So ride not late where roads are cross'd, 

At the darkened close of day,

Lest old King John thee there accost,

And thy good heart dismay,

For 'though my body home did come,

My soul did not and still is gone.

[sphygm]

A thought: Though Mr Norrell is highly aware of the dangers of having fairy-servants, he seems to completely discount the dangers posed by the human beings he chooses to work with (i.e. Drawlight and Lascelles).

[sphygm]

Just had an unsettling thought: If JS&MN were set in the modern era, there’s a relatively high probability that Jonathan Strange would be on Tiktok.

[sphygm]

Even the Raven King - who was not a fairy but an Englishman - had a somewhat regrettable habit of abducting men and women and taking them to live with him in his castle in the Other Lands.

I am Obsessed with this sentence.

- this is one of the first real pieces of information that we are given about the Raven King. Before this, we know 1) he's a magician who lived centuries ago and 2) he's associated with Newcastle. You know, basic stuff. And now we get 'Oh yeah and he used to kidnap people sometimes.'

- it's incredibly creepy, actually. And I think it's quite significant that we get this so early on, that as you go through the book and learn more about the Raven King you've always got the knowledge in the back of your head that this is a man who randomly abducts folks when he fancies it.

- 'who was not a fairy, but an Englishman'. I mean, yeah. Nothing so far to suggest that he might be. All the magicians we've seen and heard of have been human. But the very fact that the author makes a point of telling us this plants the idea that there might *be* reason to mistake the Raven King for a fairy, that maybe he *isn't* quite human.

- he takes them not to his home in Newcastle but to Faerie (or possibly Agrace? I think that also counts as the Other Lands). That's very... well, *fairy* of him. And also ensures that it will be extremely difficult for them to escape and get home (do they want to get home?)

- the fact that we still know so little. Why does he take these people? Is it a romantic thing? Is it for their skill in magic? Something completely different? How willing are they? Does he ever let them go? The footnote ballad gives suggestions but I feel like there's still an awful lot left up to interpretation.

- 'A somewhat regrettable habit' like he tracks mud through the house or something. I'm dying this is so funny 'ah yes this is john uskglass. nice guy. Shame about the whole abduction thing, but hey, nobody's perfect.'

[sphygm]

I didn’t expect this art would attract so much attention. If I did I would have posted the slightly better version, bigger at least. Oh, I need a scanner, really. Making pictures on my iphone is definitely not the best choice. But that’s as good as it can get. Once again, thank you, all beautiful people, for reblogging, writing nice tags, and  all the support!

[sphygm]

They had been alarmed enough by all the shouting and banging, but when they held up their candles and found that its author was a wild-eyed, cutthroat-looking person with a slit in his face and his shirt all bloody, they were not in the least reassured.

Goes feral over this description of Childermass

There was a queer insubstantiality about him. He looked as if he were painted on air. The merest draught from a gap in the casement took his hair and made little corkscrews and curlicues of it, as if it weighed nothing at all.

Goes EVEN MORE feral over this description of Segundus

I think the delicate wilting flower of a swooning pre-victorian gentleman and the rugged, frightening castaway all over with blood should KISS

[sphygm]

your honour i love this strange disaster of a man

[sphygm]

oh u can have this post i don’t want it

[sphygm]

This too shall pass but like holy fuck