Susanna Clarke's Short Stories: two reviews in one post!

Susanna Clarke has easily become one of my favorite contemporary authors. Unfortunately, she has only written two novels. But I did read her collection of short stories, as well as her most recent short story (released last October), in the last 6 months: The Ladies of Grace Adieu (and Other Stories) and The Wood at Midwinter.

After both Piranesi and Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell arguably changed my life, I wanted more. So when a friend got me a Barnes and Noble gift-card for my birthday, and my husband took me there for my birthday, I picked up Susanna Clarke's newly re-released The Ladies of Grace Adieu and Other Stories (set in the same universe as Jonathan Strange). I started reading it shortly thereafter. Then, for Christmas, my husband bought me Susanna Clarke's stand-alone short story, The Wood at Midwinter, which I subsequently read in an hour.

So without further "adieu" allow me to give you my spoiler-free thoughts on both books!

The Ladies of Grace Adieu and Other Stories

First and foremost, Susanna Clarke is a truly phenomenal writer, and ironically, that might be my biggest complaint about her short stories. I wanted more! I read this book over a shockingly long amount of time, reading other things in between, but I hardly ever put it down in the middle of one of the stories inside. Each story truly sucked me in and wouldn't let me go, but then it always felt like it ended too soon. Again, I wanted more! But I suppose that is the nature of short stories.

Each story added depth to Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, particularly in regards to the footnotes or off-hand references to folk-lore in the novel which the short stories subsequently offered more detail on.

Not each story was as gripping as others, and some truly drug on a bit, but I still cannot emphasize enough how incredible Clarke is as a writer. Even the stories that were subpar in comparison to Clarke's other work, were still incredible in comparison to other contemporaries.

My conclusion-- I still adore everything Susanna Clarke writes, but maybe reading through a collection of short stories the same way I'd read a full length novel is not for me!

The Wood at Midwinter

Now a stand-alone short story on a cold winter's day just after Christmas? THAT was a glorious experience!

Not only is the book itself beautiful on the outside, the illustrations inside are also beautiful. This short story is truly very short; more like the length of a children's picture book than what you would expect of a short story. However, the depth and whimsy that I have come to expect and love of Susanna Clarke is expertly portrayed in only a few words. It is beautiful. It is heartwarming. It is sweet. It is humorous. It makes you think deeply, and yet it is less than 100 pages long.

Read it.

You can bet reading this sweet little story will become a midwinter tradition for me for years to come.