#vinculus

[miserablejester]

Childermass' adventures on grindr

Original post: X

Bonus Uskglass:

[thinkanamelater]

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell (well, Childermass & co.) + text messages

Original posts here and here

[uskglass-mirror-house]

Thoughts about chapter 21: the cards of Marseilles

I have been reading bits and pieces from the book as part of the 20th anniversary read-along. I wanted to join in once it reached chapter 29 (where I left the book on my third re-read), but then I remembered how cool chapter 21 was and went through it and ho boiiii I have so many thoughts. I am definitely going to make a massive breakdown of the fortune-telling and why it is so genius, but now I'm just sharing random thoughts I had while reading. Enjoy (and mind the spoilers)!

The start of the chapter reminded me of my old theory about the author of the book. The first time I read jsamn I had this theory that the author of the book was either a magician or a fairy and when Jonathan Strange met that one fairy in the brugh I became convinced that it was her. I had this impression because of the footnotes and some descriptions, including the one of the ale-house at the start of this chapter. Why? Well, the footnotes can be divided into two categories: the academic ones, which cite specific in-universe texts (or real ones from our world); and the folklore ones, which usually inform us of some magical event, fairy culture, stories from in-universe folklore, and so on. Now, I always assumed that while many scholars would know the former, the latter was mostly the domain of fairy/ magicians that had first knowledge coming from the Otherlands. But the curious thing is that some descriptions within the story are narrated in the same way as the folklore notes, giving me the impression that these places exist at a junction between reality and the Otherlands and also that the knowledge about some specific events was obtained through magical means. Page 197 is a perfect example of this kind of narration.

I love how this is basically a date between Childermass and Vinculus. This is the first convo between the Book and its reader and it went exactly as well as you could imagine.

THE ACTUAL FORTUNE READING IS SO GOOD AND MULTILAYERED AND AAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Childermass copied the card for a sailor and then told him his fortune: "that he would be drowned dead before the year was out." And now I am here wondering... was that a sailor on the Penlaw, the ship that transported Stephen Black and his mother??? That ship also ended up in a shipwreck according to the Gentleman...

I like thinking that the Raven King was watching this whole thing go down in some magical manner. Looking over Childermass' shoulder and being like "bro, you're cooking right now, not gonna lie". Or going "How dramatic." in the most deadpan voice ever when Vinculus changes the cards to look like him.... aaaaa I love Uskglass so much.

It would also be cool if Uskglass followed the events through Childermass' card (since we know that L'Empereur did not go back to look like a regular card but stayed that way). I like to think that this is how Childermass was enchanted when he saved Norrell's life later on. The card acted as a path for Uskglass' magic.

In a similar way, I like thinking that Uskglass was watching over in other scenes like the Genlteman was doing while pestering Strange. It would make it so funny if he were present while Lascelles berates him, or whenever Norrell does. Like imagine:

Norrell: "He abandoned us! He was evil!!"

Uskglass (invisible): "u sure 'bout that? lol"

Norrell: "I foolishly tried to summon him when I was younger..."

Uskglass: "You surely did buddy. Can't say I was impressed, though."

Norrell: "...but it never worked and I think that was fortunate!"

Uskglass: "This is why nobody likes you, Gilbert."

ok, these are all the things that came to mind. For the breakdown of the tarot reading, I'm going to make a separate post one of these days. Definitely going to re-read the whole novel now, my fixation has returned!!!!

[slow-burn-sally]

English Magic is finished!

Rating: E

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell/BBC Sherlock crossover fic

Alternate Universe - Magical Setting

Thank you to the small crowd of dedicated readers who have been leaving the best comments! Especially thank you @keirgreeneyes for your support and amazing comments! I want to cross stitch them on pillows!

[recurringtransgender]

Bro ate a book

[algumaideia]

Vinculus is back!!!!!!!!!!

[uskglass-mirror-house]

Hell yeah!

The fact that the agenda happens to be tattooed on the body of a dead (but soon-to-be-revived) street magician is irrelevant.

[kazz-brekker]

my favorite magic detail in jonathan strange and mr norrell that i had completely forgotten until my reread is that childermass's tarot set is half written on the back of letters, receipts, playbills, etc because he didn't have enough money to buy paper when making it. very interesting contrast to mr norrell and his gigantic library of books that he can afford to gatekeep from other people because he's a gentleman and has loads of money.

[miserablejester]

Vinculus stared at the man suspiciously. "You are no more a milliner than I am a... a..." "A magician?" suggested the unlikely milliner. "You must certainly admit that is not your only profession. After all you just picked my pockets."

Incredibly fascinated by the fact that the yellow tents are spoken of as something of the past, especially considering the fact that the church which Vinculus' tent is placed in front of (St Christopher's le stocks) was demolished in 1781, almost thirty years before the book takes place.

I had to make use of sketches and copper engravings as well as someone's minecraft model to draw it!

[thinkanamelater]

Assorted JS&MN memes and text posts

[fluentisonus]

still so crazy to me there's only 7 childermass/vinculus fics on ao3. did no one else read their ending. am i crazy

[lacnunga]

*me gripping my pen so so tight and blood is streaming Out of my nose & eyes & ears* im writing this for me :)

[algumaideia]

Vinculus, you are such an icon.

[slow-burn-sally]

An affordable way to confound local milliners!

"tator" cards from a Milwaukee goodwill

[recurringtransgender]

Vinculus: There will be two magicians. Both of their futures are going to suck

Jonathan Strange: Well, then I won't be one of them

Jonathan Strange, later the same day, trying to impress his girlfriend: I'm going to become a magician

[cliozaur]

JSAMN 20 Readalong. Week 3. Chapters 13–19

This week’s chapters are much darker compared to last week's, which featured resurrection and magical military experiments. The only comic relief came from Childermass and his reaction to Vinculus’ visit: “Yes,” agreed Childermass, “very great harm! For while he was in the pantry, he ate three meat pies.” We need more Childermass moments in this book!

Jonathan Strange is introduced, and he’s such a Persephone figure: spending half the year in a good place with his mother’s family and half in a bad place with his terrible father. The good place on Charlotte Square was clearly inspired by the lovely Georgian House museum in Edinburgh! (I highly recommend visiting it!)

Servants play an increasingly important role in these chapters. We have the manservant in Strange's household who, after enduring a night and morning of bullying from his asshole master, gains the upper hand thanks to his youth and better health. Then there's the entire situation with Lady Pole's city and country servants. It’s fascinating how the servants are portrayed as more sensitive and susceptible to faerie manifestations—they see and hear things their masters cannot. Is it because they are believed to be more superstitious and 'closer to nature'?

The theme of race is introduced through Stephen Black, who is described as intelligent, beautiful, respected, and highly competent, yet still lives under the constant threat of being accused of wrongdoing for no reason. His flashbacks to the dark place with chains are deeply unsettling.

The enchanted state of Lady Pole—and to a lesser extent, Stephen Black—feels like a vivid portrayal of clinical depression, making it truly painful to read.

The contrast in perceptions of Lost-Hope is striking. While it’s a bleak and oppressive place for both Lady Pole and Stephen Black, it’s amusing that, for the Gentleman, it’s a joyful, merry world of feasts and celebration.