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judyward 's review for:
The Eyre Affair
by Jasper Fforde
There is something to be said for reading books in a series in the correct order. I stumbled onto Jasper Fforde through an audio book that I checked out of the library. And I'm glad that I did. But this book is the first in the Thursday Next series and, unfortunately, I already knew much of the plot from reading/listening to later additions to the series. But having said that, I loved this book. You have to suspend all sense of reality to make this visit to 1985 England in an alternate reality. Wales is a republic, the Russian Revolution never happened, the Crimean War has been going on for 131 years, Richard III is performed every Friday night with all of the audience participation of the Rocky Horror Picture Show, and people are actively debating the authorship of "Shakespear's" plays. Thursday Next works for Special Operations in the Literary Detective section and her work is cut out for her. Not to give away much of the plot, but her aunt gets caught in one of Wordsworth's poems, original manuscripts of books are being stolen and altered, and the ending of Jane Eyre comes in for a bit of revision. This series of books will either grab you or leave you cold. I found the inside jokes from both literature and movies, as well as the word play, were wonderful. Give this one a try.