The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

The Eyre Affair
Jasper Fforde

The word "unique" is overused and frequently misused. Here, however, is an instance where it truly applies. But to call The Eyre Affair a unique first novel featuring a fearless fictional adventurer barely begins to tell the story. When asked to summarize his creation is a single sentence, Jasper Fforde described it as "a literary detective thriller with romantic overtones, mad-inventor uncles, aunts trapped in Wordsworth poems, global multinationals, scheming evildoers, an excursion inside the novel Jane Eyre, dodos, knight-errant-time-traveling fathers, and the answer to the eternal question: Who really wrote Shakespeare's plays?"

Swindon, a traditionally tranquil English town, is the ironic setting for most of these oddball characters and peculiar goings-on; the year is 1985. Fforde spins his wildly imaginative crime caper in language every bit as ingenious as the madcap plot; his devilishly clever turns of phrase take the form of verbal puzzles, anagrams, and literary and cinematic in-jokes.

Long involved in the movie-making business, Fforde gives a starring role to Thursday Next, a captivating sleuth whose respect for literature matches that of her creator. The essence of Thursday's quest is the capture of Acheron Hades, a wily cad whose dastardly crime is murder of characters from the classics.

My Thoughts:

When I started reading The Eyre Affair, I wasn't sure how much I would like it. The ideas and concepts seemed a little strange to me, and I was confused with the alternate world painted out in the novel. I'm so glad I decided to stick with this book, though, because it was simply amazing.

As the story continued, I found myself falling in love with the quirky characters and plots. It was also fun to pick up on the references made to other novels, mostly classics. If you haven't read some of those classics, like Jane Eyre, you might not enderstand everything avout the novel, but I don't believe it would stop you from enjoying the book.

The writing style of Jasper Fforde was light and fun, and this book was a wonderful quick read. The Eyre Affair is perfect for anyone looking for a fun, but still intellegent, read. I have the second book in the Thrusday Next series, Lost in a Good Book, and I am very much looking forward to reading it.

Overall Grade: A-