The Eyre Affair
By Jasper Fforde
Penguin February 2003
374 pages
From my to-be-read shelf
Penguin February 2003
374 pages
From my to-be-read shelf

Thursday Next lives in a version of England that is a bit
different from our own. Thursday works in a special unit of the police that
solves literary crimes. The line between reality and fiction is blurred
in her world. People take literature so seriously that it is not uncommon for
brawls to break out over the authorship of the Shakespearean plays. Have I mentioned that her father
was an agent in the time travel unit and Thursday enjoys the company of her pet
dodo? Things take a turn for the stranger when someone begins kidnapping
characters from beloved works of literature.
In the midst of this bizarre and wonderful world, we get a
very serious narrator. Thursday has some serious mental scars from her service
in the ongoing Crimean War, compacted by the tragic death of her brother. She
is a tough cookie, ready to argue with her boss or take on the most evil
villain the literary world has seen yet. I think this is a bold choice for
Fforde. It would be easy to have a lovely, precocious heroine who wanders
through the pages of books (sometimes literally). Instead, Thursday is a woman
who truly loves books but has lots of baggage and some serious attitude.
The Eyre Affair
obviously has much to do with that beloved novel. I don’t think it is necessary
to have read Jane Eyre in order to
enjoy this book, but I think it does add another layer of understanding. I
actually found myself understanding the character of Rochester much better in
the pages of this novel than I did while reading its inspiration.
I feel like this book is a huge hug from Mr. Fforde for
everyone who loves books. The Eyre Affair is a lot of fun and a perfect break for the
reader who is traveling through the gigantic tomes of classic literature. Who
hasn’t imagined actually living in their favorite book and meeting the
characters that they love best?
I enjoyed this book, but I don’t feel the need to run out
and grab the sequel immediately. I am curious, though, about what else Fforde
can do in this quirky world he has created. Have you read the rest of the
series? Did you love it?
I'm sorry we missed our Wednesdays with David post yesterday. We were saying a tearful goodbye to our newest sister/aunt, a foreign exchange student staying with my parents for the past year. We promise to have a great kid's book for you next week!
I've been meaning to read this one for years. I think it will be the next series I dip into!
ReplyDeleteI know! I kept hearing about it and I'm glad I finally took the leap. :)
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