Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke

Remember that ridiculously long novel on magicians in a fantastical England that came out in 2004? Who would have thought that a supersized work of imaginative fiction—almost 900 pages long! —would find such an enthusiastic audience? That British lady certainly deserved her Hugo Award for best novel, no?

What’s that you say? Harry Potter? Hogwarts? I don…