jcmorrigan 's review for:

The Well of Lost Plots by Jasper Fforde

4.5

adventurous dark emotional funny inspiring lighthearted tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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Yes, I realize I've rated this as both "dark" and "lighthearted." The great thing about this series is that it balances both, and this book is an expert showcase of that, mixing dire consequences with absurd humor. 

This is more of the madcap crossover stuff that we got into during Lost in a Good Book, and I kinda see that one and this one as feeling like "part one" and "part two." They're inseparable as a unit. So basically, all my praise from LiaGB transfers over here.

Lots of great expansion of the Bookworld and exactly how it works. Still such a unique fantasy concept! And while we switch to some more boring villains for this one, the villain of LiaGB who I love so much still does put in a couple stellar appearances!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Racism

There's a scene where Thursday has her memories nearly wiped out, and it leads to a "Why do I even exist" moment where she's tempted to slip into oblivion because she can't remember her reason for doing anything. I'm not sure if this counts as suicidal ideation, but it's in that ballpark. Also, if memory serves, this is the book where the villain squad briefly employs Legree from Uncle Tom's Cabin, hence the racism tag - he doesn't actually do anything specifically targeted toward black people in this book, but if you know the context behind him in his source material, then you know what he's about. (No, the villain I love, one Ms. A.H., has nothing to do with him.)