Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Ladies of Grace Adieu and Other Stories | 2004 | Susanna Clarke | Buy |
The Ladies of Grace Adieu and Other Stories collects eight pieces of short fiction by Susanna Clarke, most of which were previously published in anthologies during the 1990s and early 2000s. The book features illustrations by Charles Vess, whose detailed pen-and-ink drawings complement Clarke’s fairy tale tone.
Several stories share a setting with Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, depicting an alternate version of England where magic is real but often hidden or misunderstood. The title story follows three women in a country village who practice magic of their own, unknown to the male magicians of the novel. Other pieces draw on folklore traditions from England, Scotland, and further afield. “Tom Brightwind, or, How the Fairy Bridge Was Built at Thoresby” is a comic tale about a fairy who befriends a Jewish doctor, while “The Duke of Wellington Misplaces His Horse” is a brief, funny account of the Duke encountering fairies during the Peninsular War.
The collection gives readers a wider view of the world Clarke built for her novel, seen from different angles and through different characters. Readers who enjoyed Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell will find familiar ground here, but the stories also work independently for anyone who likes fairy tales told with historical precision and a dry sense of humor.