09 February 2007

Book Banter -- Lost in a Good Book


Title: Lost in a Good Book
Author: Jasper Fforde
Length: 399 pages
Genre: literary comedy
Plot Basics: Spec-Ops Agent Thursday Next is stuck doing the press junket after her heroic rescue of Jane Eyre. But not everyone, notably the corrupt Goliath Corp., is pleased with her. Goliath Corp wants her to retrieve their operative and as leverage, they eradicate Thursday's new husband, Landen Parke-Laine. To help him, stop Goliath and keep the world from end (literally) Thursday turns to the office of Jurisfiction, the in-book police (whose agents include Miss Havisham and the Cheshire Cat) and begins her training as an agent there.
Banter Points: "Lost in a Good Book" doesn't suffer at all from second book syndrome (a condition where the sequel in no way measures up to the first book). In fact, it's possible this one is better. Fforde's subtle puns just keep coming (ex. the pair of agents following Thursday around? Agents Lamme and Slorter...)
Bummer Points: Don't be fooled by the comedy tag. Not everything turns out OK... which at first seems disconcerting because it's a funny book, but actually Word Nerd thinks it's nice that an author can be serious too.
Word Nerd recommendation: She'll dive into "The Well of Lost Plots" soon.

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