The The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

QUOTE

In Jasper Fforde's Great Britain, circa 1985, time travel is routine, cloning is a reality (dodos are the resurrected pet of choice), and literature is taken very, very seriously. England is a virtual police state where an aunt can get lost (literally) in a Wordsworth poem and forging Byronic verse is a punishable offense. All this is business as usual for Thursday Next, renowned Special Operative in literary detection. But when someone begins kidnapping characters from works of literature and plucks Jane Eyre from the pages of Brontë's novel, Thursday is faced with the challenge of her career. Fforde's ingenious fantasy-enhanced by a Web site that re-creates the world of the novel--unites intrigue with English literature in a delightfully witty mix.

Since all of you enjoyed Harry Potter (and who doesn't?), I thought you might enjoy this. It's best if you've actually read Jane Eyre, but if you sparknote it first you'll be fine. The book is fascinating in the way it blends fantasy so matter of factly with reality. You find yourself thinking "Why, yes, Londoners having Dodos is perfectly reasonable." It's an easy read, but a lot of fun. The author loves wordplay (Mr.Jack Ron Language! said Hermionet, Mr.Braxton-Hicks, The Hotel Finis -the last word in luxury are just a few examples) and you feel like you're in on some great inside joke, hehe.

Shimmer

I've got to pick up on this thread. I was lucky enough to go to a book reading by Jasper Fforde a couple of weeks ago, and he's completely hilarious. Get your hands on any of his books and I'll guarantee you'll love them. My favourite this far is his latest in the series Something Rotten. He's also contracted to write three more books in the next three years, so there's no real waiting around for updates.

Get yourself to the bookshop now!

His main character is called Thursday Next and she's a Literary Detective, with the ability to slip into novels and interact with the characters. Books are real in Fforde's world, and when an evil villain kidnaps Jane Eyre (after he's murdered a minor character from Martin Chuzzlewit), the book is in serious danger. Without Jane (the book's in first person narrative), the remainder of the plot is barely a chapter long. One of the world's best loved books may no longer exist and Thursday has to rescue Jane before permanent damage is done.

I love his completely random humour. Thursday's son (Friday) talks in nothing but Lorem Ipsum, dodos are alive and kept as pets, his character names are things like Braxton Hicks.

If you want to check him out more online first try his own website at JasperFforde.com, but I'd wholeheartedly recommend you read him. Most are very good and book 4 has a wholehearted thumbs up from me!

Imogen

I read Jane Eyre. It was okay.

Did I enjoy "The Eyre Affair"?

Well lets just say It's Imogen's (well, she did recomended it to me) fault that time that could be spent working on "Thunder and Rainbows" is instead being spent reading the next three books in the series...

Bart

I got this book for my birthday and although I am not finished yet I must say I am in love with it.

It is definately going down to uni with me as my one of my non course books.

Helen

QUOTE (bart @ Sep 3 2004, 11:49 PM)

Did I enjoy "The Eyre Affair"? Well lets just say It's Imogen's (well, she did recomended it to me) fault that time that could be spent working on "Thunder and Rainbows" is instead being spent reading the next three books in the series... Bart

A slightly more comprehensive review is now up at my blog.

Darren

I love the Thrusday Next books. All of 'em. Well except Somthing Rotten, which I haven't read yet, but I'm sure I'll love that one too.

I love the feeling of when you catch one of Fforde's little references and know exactly what he's talking about. I'm sure that I miss ten for every one that I get, but it makes the reading so much more fun.