THE BISHOP OF DURHAM ATTEMPTS TO SURRENDER THE CITY

Fresh lore from the world of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell (2004).

“During the conquest of Northern England, the fairy host moved quickly. Within days they captured Bamburgh, Gateshead and Hexham. In late November 1110, they arrived at Durham.” Thus begins Clarke’s newest tale, which is either a long short story or a short novella. In any case, there are pictures, and just as Sawdon’s crisply expressive drawings evoke medieval manuscripts for a contemporary viewer, Clarke bends English history into hagiography set in the world she created in her debut. Here, Norman knights and English folk work together against spectral forces and trees and rivers that are inimical to humans of both kinds. When it becomes clear to Ranulf Flambard, the Bishop of Durham, that his city cannot withstand this uncanny siege, he decides to surrender. However, this task proves difficult in a country without a king. Clarke has reported that it took her a decade to write her first novel, and more than 15 years passed between that publication and Piranesi (2020). She's also published The Ladies of Grace Adieu (2006) and The Wood at Midwinter (2024). The former is a collection of stories that feel more received than invented; the latter is also a story illustrated by Sawdon; and this book combines the best of both. Ranulf’s journey to find the missing king has the familiar rhythm of a folktale and an ironic knowingness that never becomes cynical. Anyone who has ever read a fairy tale retelling that falls flat will understand how difficult it is to achieve the balance Clarke—and Sawdon—achieve here.

A charming bedtime story with special resonance for Clarke’s devoted fans.