Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell

This is my sixth and final selection for the Chunky Challenge and is it ever chunky at 782 pages.
I have to say that this is not my usual reading fare but I started it for the book club and decided to make it my last book for the challenge. I've read quite a few reviews at Shelfari and many people seem to love it.  I wouldn't say I love it but it's very imaginative and has a lot of clever literary and historical allusions including footnotes which give the book the appearance of a well researched historical work.
The story revolves around England in the time of the Napoleonic wars and a fairy realm which people have forgotten about but is being revived through the efforts of (you guessed it) Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell.
As we begin the book, Mr. Norrell is a fusty old gentleman who owns and studies virtually all the books on magic that exist in the British Isles.  He convinces people that he is an actual practicing magician by making the stone figures of cathedrals sing.  From there he moves into government to use his skills against the French.  Before he is fully accepted as a magician by society though, he must raise a young woman from the dead and that requires cutting a deal with a rather unsavory fairy/demon.  This sets a lot of the subsequent story in motion. Meanwhile, a young man, Jonathan Strange, comes to study with Mr. Norrell. He shows aptitude for magic and so he is accepted as an apprentice. Then there are two magicians working for the British government against Napoleon. There are long descriptions of  warfare in Spain and the Netherlands and how magic is used to defeat the French.  There are many tongue and cheek descriptions of fictitious history with actual historical figures. Finally, after many twists and turns, Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell defeat the evil fairy but they have to pay a high price.
I think people who enjoy magic and fantasy will enjoy this book.  I thought it could have been much shorter but the author probably didn't want to leave out any details. As  I said, it's packed with asides and throwaways, some of which are quite funny but it requires patience to read.