Lost in a Good Book

Lost in a Good Book – Jaspier Fforde

Evan’s ESS = 9 out of 10

Erin’s ESS = out of 10

Content = PG-13 (Adult Content, Violence, Mild Language, Eradication, Demanding Mentors)

“I would so hate to be a first-person character!  Always on your guard, always having people read your thoughts!”

Why: The time between Jaspier Fforde reviews on this blog is appalling.  Appalling.  Rest assured the issue is being addressed and the review scheduler here at Two Bibliomaniacs has been placed on indefinite probation.  The good news is that two, yes two, Thursday Next reviews will be coming over the course of this week – maybe sooner if our editorial board can get things in gear....  

Newly married and enjoying her position as Swindon’s favorite literary detective, Thursday Next is quite content with life.  Unfortunately, life has different plans.  Almost at once Thursday is swept into a blackmail plot that involves the eradication of her husband’s existence.  Her only hope is to become educated in the subtle art of book jumping.  And with Mrs. Havishum as her mentor, the chances of rescuing her husband are greater than ever.  The only problem is that her chances were never really that good to begin with.

It’s very likely that our summary of Lost in a Good Book makes no sense.  Yet, anyone fortunate enough to have read The Eyre Affair will understand that sense is a rare commodity in Thursday Next’s bizarro world.  The second book in the series is no different, which is why Jaspier Fforde rocks!

Lost in a Good Book was a delightful read with plenty of ingenious wordplay and more than a couple well placed puns.  There was an entire cast of fantastic characters, like Lord Volescamper, Akrid Snell, Aornis Hades, and Miss Havisham.  Who knew Miss Havisham was such an adrenaline junkie? 

The novel also introduces the reader to Jurisfiction, which is a watchdog organization that patrols the world of literature.  It’s was a blast to find out all the problems that can occur within the BookWorld – rogue characters, grammasites, and stolen plot lines.¹  In summary, Lost in a Good Book is a treasure for any lover of science fiction and classic literature.  Admittedly, this may seem like a weird combination, but it works for us.  Oh, does it ever work for us.

 

1. “As demonstrated here, one of the coolest bits of technology in the BookWorld is the footnoterphone.  While we don’t pretend to understand all the capabilities, this advancement is used quite effectively throughout the novel.”