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4.05 AVERAGE
4.05 AVERAGE
I am so mad at myself for letting this book sit on my shelf for 12 years, it's brilliantly funny and self-aware. I absolutely love it!
Jasper Fforde is one of my favorite writers. One of the reasons for this is that he's one of the few authors that manages to be super meta and self aware without coming off as bloated with self importance and smugness.
The Nursery Crimes follow along a similar lines to his Thursday Next replacing the classic British literature references with folk tales and nursery stories. What I liked about this book is that it dealt with some popular cliches in good and intriguing ways. One of the highlights of the book is something that seemed weird and cliche at first but turned into a fantastic joke two thirds of the way through the book. It was quite wonderful. The mystery involves the disappearance of Goldilocks and, in traditional fashion, blows up into a really big deal. I kept waiting to get tired of all the in jokes and the self referential nature of the book, but Jasper found a way to keep it light and energetic and not once do you get bothered by any of the jokes, be they subtle or heavy handed.
The Nursery Crimes follow along a similar lines to his Thursday Next replacing the classic British literature references with folk tales and nursery stories. What I liked about this book is that it dealt with some popular cliches in good and intriguing ways. One of the highlights of the book is something that seemed weird and cliche at first but turned into a fantastic joke two thirds of the way through the book. It was quite wonderful. The mystery involves the disappearance of Goldilocks and, in traditional fashion, blows up into a really big deal. I kept waiting to get tired of all the in jokes and the self referential nature of the book, but Jasper found a way to keep it light and energetic and not once do you get bothered by any of the jokes, be they subtle or heavy handed.
Fforde's done it again. Another brilliant mesh of stories, including Goldilocks, Punch and Judy (as marriage counselors!) and Dorian Gray. Utterly delightful.
As always, Jasper Fforde is delightfully absurd. Just what the world needs.
Read it, loved it and looking forward to the next Nursery Crime Book I can get my hands on.
Simon Vance is an excellent narrator. Even though I owned the hard copy of this book, I spent an audible credit to hear Vance read this one and I was not disappointed.
I enjoy the literary puns and the pure fun that Fforde has with these novels. It's humor along the lines of Douglas Adams or Terry Pratchett -- nursery characters, Persons of Dubious Reality, etc. Fforde doesn't get too caught up in the boundaries of his world or how exactly all these book characters co-exist with non-book characters; he just leaves readers to accept that this is a thing and not to ask too many detailed questions.
Recommended to fans of Fforde's other books, but probably better to start with Thursday Next if you aren't already a fan of Fforde.
I enjoy the literary puns and the pure fun that Fforde has with these novels. It's humor along the lines of Douglas Adams or Terry Pratchett -- nursery characters, Persons of Dubious Reality, etc. Fforde doesn't get too caught up in the boundaries of his world or how exactly all these book characters co-exist with non-book characters; he just leaves readers to accept that this is a thing and not to ask too many detailed questions.
Recommended to fans of Fforde's other books, but probably better to start with Thursday Next if you aren't already a fan of Fforde.
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
More like 3.5
I really enjoyed this book up until the last ending arc - the humor was stronger than in the first book, the mystery a bit more defined. But the way that Fforde actually wrapped everything up felt much too convenient for me (and also didn't quite make sense...).
I'm still looking forward to starting his Thursday Next series as well as reading the 3rd Jack Spratt adventure (whenever it comes out).
I really enjoyed this book up until the last ending arc - the humor was stronger than in the first book, the mystery a bit more defined. But the way that Fforde actually wrapped everything up felt much too convenient for me (and also didn't quite make sense...).
I'm still looking forward to starting his Thursday Next series as well as reading the 3rd Jack Spratt adventure (whenever it comes out).
And so my 'books about books' spree continues. As hinted at in The Big Over Easy, the Gingerbreadman has escaped, but Jack and Mary aren't given the case for PR reasons. Instead, Goldilocks has disappeared, and--for more PR reasons--Jack assents to her brother's request to find her.
As always, Fforde writes a great mystery--not terribly cerebral, but exciting. I found myself heading towards the end at a breakneck pace just to see how all the pieces fit together. The Gingerbreadman, Goldilocks, the bears (and the ursine community drug issues), cucumbers, explosions, and QuangTech. And it does all come together.
I liked that Fforde tried to portray the marriages of the Persons of Dubious Reality, even if he...kind of fails completely. The Punches exist on something like three levels of nonreality in this book, so I'll excuse the message there, but Jack and Madeleine's spat is given short shrift.
SPOILERS
Madeleine's anger seems only manufactured, leading to a resolution that also seems manufactured. Sure, Madeleine's belief that Jack was unfaithful compounded the situation a bit, but her anger over Jack's hiding his PDR status is reasonable and it just disappears. Jack is genuinely sorry, but if this element is to be included, it should have been done justice.
As always, Fforde writes a great mystery--not terribly cerebral, but exciting. I found myself heading towards the end at a breakneck pace just to see how all the pieces fit together. The Gingerbreadman, Goldilocks, the bears (and the ursine community drug issues), cucumbers, explosions, and QuangTech. And it does all come together.
I liked that Fforde tried to portray the marriages of the Persons of Dubious Reality, even if he...kind of fails completely. The Punches exist on something like three levels of nonreality in this book, so I'll excuse the message there, but Jack and Madeleine's spat is given short shrift.
SPOILERS
Madeleine's anger seems only manufactured, leading to a resolution that also seems manufactured. Sure, Madeleine's belief that Jack was unfaithful compounded the situation a bit, but her anger over Jack's hiding his PDR status is reasonable and it just disappears. Jack is genuinely sorry, but if this element is to be included, it should have been done justice.
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No