First Lines: The Ladies of Grace Adieu and other stories

As it is said in the preface, The Ladies of Grace Adieu and other stories, aims to throw some sort of light on the development of magic in the British Isles and create a sort of primer to Faerie and fairies. As she shew us in her novel recounting the history of the (Glorious) Revival of English Magic, Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, Miss Susanna Clarke has a remarkable talent for telling fantastic stories of men and faeries.

Last year, Strange & Norrell ended on the third spot in my annual list. One of the reasons for that was the kind of language I tried to emulate in this first paragraph. That book was flowing over with it and dense with descriptions, subplots and footnotes. It build a 19th century England to which Magic returns. This collection of short stories expands that world in the same language. These stories are just as good.

Susanna Clarke — The Ladies of Grace Adieu and other stories

Above all remember this: that magic belongs as much to the heart as to the head and everything which is done, should be done from love or joy or righteous anger.