Comments on things mean a lot: The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

Meghan: Yes, exactly. I can't help but feel th...

2010-08-11T20:46:28.281+01:00

Meghan: Yes, exactly. I can't help but feel that I could be getting more out of them.

Mariel: The problem is that I feel that I'm not, though :P But I'll read Great Expectations soon and then the second book in the series.

Iliana: I promise I'll read it, hopefully before too long!

Iris: Yes, always safest that way, probably :P

Grad: That's what I suspected. I'll make sure I read GE first, then!

Claire: lol - I think he needs not worry ;) But I'm even more curious to read the second book now.

Jen: I hope you enjoy it!

Jeanne: Perhaps I should give myself a few years to catch up and then return to this :P

Naida: Sadly I wasn't too crazy about Inkheart, but I still loved the idea of it.

Sam: It might take me a while, but I'll get there :P

Heidenkind: Once you get through the initial confusion there's nothing to be intimidated about! You do need a bit of patience at first, though.

Elise: The beginning really tried my patience, but I'm glad I stuck with it :)

I love this book, in fact I love all of the Thursd...

2010-08-09T12:09:16.840+01:00

I love this book, in fact I love all of the Thursday Next books!! I agree, I found it difficult to figure out at first but just love it so much. All the little literary quirks are classic!

I have to confess this is one of those books that ...

2010-08-09T06:39:34.994+01:00

I have to confess this is one of those books that has always intimidated me.

Avid Reader: Yes, I noticed he does. I'll keep...

2010-08-08T22:48:27.581+01:00

Avid Reader: Yes, I noticed he does. I'll keep that in mind!

Steph: lol :P Between you and Claire, I'm convinced I'll enjoy book two more than I did this one. And it's definitely not like I disliked this!

Emily: Thank you so much - that's exactly what I wanted to know. I do care about even minor spoilers and would prefer not to know the ending of that particular subplot in advance. So I think it'll be GE first for me.

nomadreader: I'd go with Jane Eyre first - not just because of the spoilers, but because it'll make this more fun!

Chris: You and your weird blocks :P But yeah, what Renay said IS pretty disappointing :\

Emily: I look forward to getting to book three, then!

J.T. Oldfield: Yeah, that's another thing I was wondering about. Knowing the classics he references just makes it more fun.

Andi: I look forward to books 2 and 3, but I think I'll need to be properly introduced to Miss Havisham first :P

Teresa: I can definitely see what you mean about them being more like pop culture representations of the characters than the real deal, and I understand why it bothered you!

Amy: Isn't that a great concept?

Jenners: I look forward to your thoughts on it!

Belle: Yeah, I imagine it being confusing as an audiobook!

Violet, thank you! I love that you acknowledge that this is fan fiction, even though that would apparently offend Mr Fforde :P

ds: Litgeek fun sums it up perfectly, yes. And yes, I do think I'll read GE first - if nothing else it'll make me get more out of the book.

Stephanie: I desperately want one myself :P

Fyrefly: I LOVE that tag!

Darla D: I imagined it would take me forever, but I did recently manage to read Middlemarch in less than a month as a secondary book, so I'm feeling all daring and stuff :P

Darren: Nope, you haven't :P Thanks for your link, and sorry that I missed it before!

Jenny Girl: You're most welcome - hope you enjoy it!

Chris: I hope I will - it goes sounds like it gets better and better.

I'm so glad that you read this one and I'm...

2010-08-08T03:50:25.894+01:00

I'm so glad that you read this one and I'm glad to read your thoughts on it. I read this one awhile back and while I remember enjoying it...I still haven't picked up the 2nd book in this series. Even though I still plan to :) So I'll be even more interested in hearing your thoughts on the 2nd book whenever you get to it. Great review!

this does sound good! I like finding those fun rea...

2010-08-08T01:24:04.302+01:00

this does sound good! I like finding those fun reads.
'a sort of Inkheart for adults'-definitely sounds interesting.
http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/

I'm so glad you read this book! I can see you...

2010-08-06T02:37:32.721+01:00

I'm so glad you read this book! I can see your point about the concept being a little better than the execution, but it's such a wonderful concept I can gush over it for days (and have, as you so kindly noted).

I'd say that the more classics you've read, the more you'll enjoy reading Fforde. His fiction is rife with allusions.

I've heard such good things about these books ...

2010-08-06T00:22:18.628+01:00

I've heard such good things about these books and they sound SO neat! It's been on my wishlist for a long time now. As soon as I clear a few more books off of my TBR shelves, this will be the first thing I pick up from the library.

Ah, on the UK cover (back, I think - too lazy to g...

2010-08-05T22:18:56.796+01:00

Ah, on the UK cover (back, I think - too lazy to go check!) there is this quote from Sir Terry: ‘Ingenious. I shall be watching Jasper Fforde nervously.’

Lenore: It's really hard to avoid spoilers for...

2010-08-05T21:53:39.372+01:00

Lenore: It's really hard to avoid spoilers for Jane Eyre anyway, though. I knew the ending before I read it just from all the pop culture references.

Mrs B: Yes, I hope he'll be able to do more with the premise once the world has been established.

Renay: Wow :S I have no words. I guess I'll take comfort in the fact that I mooched both books? :S

Alex: Even though I enjoyed it more than you did I can definitely see your points, especially about the forces jokes and the lack of emotional resonance in scenes that should have had it.

Sandy: lol! You and me both, my friend :P

Claire: I didn't know about the blurb! I promise I'll read the second book at some point.

Sakura: I'm glad to hear it does get better! And I think I'd have enjoyed the book even more if it had caught me by surprised. Not that I'm blaming your enthusiasm :P

Clare: Yes, it was definitely more on the fluffy side than I expected - which is okay, really. And I should watch Doctor Who, shouldn't I? :P

Joanna: I'll definitely follow your advice :)

Valentina: Yeah, I was basically lost until the Jane Eyre section, but that did make up for the rest. And yes, his stance on fanction is VERY disappointing to say the least :\

Marg: Hmm... I wonder if the same would happen to me!

Elisabeth: I think anyone trying to explain what the books are about will necessarily make them sound worse than they are :P It's just really hard to get it across right.

Laura: It IS baffling, isn't it? I wonder what he thinks he's doing in these books if not writing his own fanfictions.

S. Krishna: I hope we both enjoy the next one!

Amanda: I'm glad to know there are no major spoilers, but I wonder if being familiar with GE would make it more fun. And yes, I can see how already knowing the world would make the rest of the series more enjoyable. Funnily enough I often tell people this about Discworld :P

Kathy: Sometimes that just happens, and it can be really difficult to pinpoint why.

Zibilee: I do plan on reading Great Expectations eventually, even if not before the second book in the series! And yeah, the more you know the more you'll get out of these, I imagine.

Debi: The same happened to me, so at least you're not alone. And yeah... I think he's joining Uncle Orsie on my mental list of Authors I Actually Take Pleasure in Not Supporting, Even if I Enjoy Their Stuff :P

Christina: I do recommend reading it first - one of the reasons being that it's an excellent book :P

Trisha: You know what I really love, though? That feeling of first realising where a very frequent allusion comes from. The world was made new to me after I first read Hamlet, for example :P

Kristina: Sigh, talk about dream jobs, eh? :P

I've read the first four of the Thursday Next ...

2010-08-05T18:20:38.008+01:00

I've read the first four of the Thursday Next series and the 5th, First Among Sequels, is sitting on my TBR pile. I find these books clever, funny, fascinating, imaginative and highly readable. A wonderful way to spend one's time "lost in a good book" if I may add the pun. Well, they are also just plain fun. I think to fully enjoy them it's best to have some basic knowledge of the classics. For instance, knowing what actually happens to Ms. Havisham in GE, who she is and why she is that way, will enhance the pleasure in reading Lost In A Good Book. And when getting to "Something Rotten," is good to have read Hamlet. Great post.

I would love to read this, but I'll tone my ex...

2010-08-05T13:32:32.623+01:00

I would love to read this, but I'll tone my expectations down a little just in case.

Great review, Nymeth! I can't believe I still ...

2010-08-05T00:38:19.075+01:00

Great review, Nymeth! I can't believe I still haven't read any of his books. Sadly, I've even had this one on my shelves for quite some time. So, can't say whether you need to read GE before the next book although I would recommend it anyway. It's a great read.

Oh I loved this series! I do hope you carry on and...

2010-08-04T22:24:40.594+01:00

Oh I loved this series! I do hope you carry on and enjoy them. It definitely helps to be as well read as you.

I think I'd agree with your assessment; they&#...

2010-08-04T21:30:13.575+01:00

I think I'd agree with your assessment; they're fun but not favorites. I've enjoyed the series so far and I quite like Fforde's world; I'm a bit less fond of feeling like I'm missing out on literary jokes because I haven't read the book in question. They are still fun even if I haven't, I just sense that they could be even better.

I enjoyed this one years ago. The last one (Lost i...

2010-08-04T21:22:07.917+01:00

I enjoyed this one years ago. The last one (Lost in a Good Book?) is very good. Maybe you'll enjoy that one.

I really enjoyed his latest book Shades of Gray.

My girlfriend keeps telling me how good this serie...

2010-08-04T20:25:13.805+01:00

My girlfriend keeps telling me how good this series is, but I never remember to look for it. Thanks for the wonderful review and reminder.

I don't think I've hidden the fact I love ...

2010-08-04T19:04:08.002+01:00

I don't think I've hidden the fact I love Fforde's books ;)

They do get better (my favourite is Something Rotten) but I'm glad you at least enjoyed this one!

My review is here:
http://www.bartsbookshelf.co.uk/2004/09/14/toast-marketing-board-thursday-next-2/

*blinks at the date on that review...* (from my pre-bookblogging blogging days!)

Oh, I think you should read Great Expectations<...

2010-08-04T17:12:23.180+01:00
Oh, I think you should read Great Expectations just so I can read your review - I think you'd find so much to say about it! It's a quick read, and I think it would heighten your enjoyment of the next book.

The Eyre Affair is a sort of Inkheart for adult...

2010-08-04T14:24:54.073+01:00
The Eyre Affair is a sort of Inkheart for adults

Yes! They both get my favorite tag that I use on LibraryThing: "permeable boundaries between books and reality." Well, them and The Unwritten.

I haven't read Great Expectations, and I understood Lost in a Good Book just fine, although I'm sure I missed some of the subtler jokes.

This series sounds thoroughly unique. And now you&...

2010-08-04T14:05:02.003+01:00
This series sounds thoroughly unique. And now you've got me wanting a Prose Portal!

The Thursday Next books are a hoot! No more, no le...

2010-08-04T05:09:24.254+01:00
The Thursday Next books are a hoot! No more, no less. Just plain litgeek fun. And it might be a good idea to have some of Great Expectations under your belt before you begin the next Next book (ha ha--sorry): some of the characters are a bit...different...from the original.

I've tried to read Jasper Fforde, but yeah, no...

2010-08-04T05:03:22.501+01:00
I've tried to read Jasper Fforde, but yeah, not my thing, really

As I don't like fanfic in general, and fanfic relating to the Brontes and Austen in particular, I would not "intentionally" read this, but if I happened upon it in the library and it slipped itself into my bag, I might take a peek at it. :)

Great review, btw. Not easy to gather all the threads of a Fforde book and present them in a cogent fashion!

I tried the Eyre Affair in audio, but now that I&#...

2010-08-04T04:25:01.879+01:00
I tried the Eyre Affair in audio, but now that I've read your review, I'm thinking I should give it another try, but in print. I find that books that are more challenging to get into don't work as well for me in audio. And I find the concept of this book very intriquing!

I've been wanting to try this author but I'...

2010-08-04T02:49:58.277+01:00
I've been wanting to try this author but I'm starting with the "easier" The Big Over Easy.