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Loading... Shades of Grey (edition 2011)by Jasper Fforde
1   parrishlantern | Jul 7, 2012 | 
In a world where color is everything, red seeing Eddie Russett is sent to the outskirts of his world to help his father and to conduct his own chair census. Fforde has the amzing ability to create worlds never before imagined. I love the intricate description of this color world with it's hierarchy based on people's ability to see(or not see) certain colors. (  ) FMRox | May 8, 2013 | Eddie Russett is a young man with promising red color reception in a color-vision-based caste system, except that he has to serve out a stint in the hinterland learning humility by counting chairs. Obnoxious yellows, truculent greys, free-marketeering reds and mysterious deaths interfere with Eddie's plans to get back to normal life quickly. If you're familiar with Jasper Fforde, this book will be unexpectedly serious. It still has the trademark Fforde bizarre premise (this one is a post-apocalyptic world populated by people with small pupils that can only see in one color) but there's less hijinks and more life-altering decision-making. (  ) bkohl | Apr 22, 2013 | I tried reading Fforde in High School but I just wasn't the right reader for Fforde at the time. Now that I'm much older and a bit more experienced with dystopian novels and British humor I find him hilarious. I love how quirky his writing is and how I had no clue what to make of the entire society until the end. This book is part dystopian novel and part mystery which is great. The story keeps you invested and I'm really looking forward to #2 and #3 if they are ever published. I highly recommend this book especially to those looking for a fun mystery or a different kind of sci fi book. It would also be great for those are knowledgeable about paint and color since Fforde makes many jokes using color. My absolute favorite is a character named Dorian G-7. Which I can only guess is Dorian Gray. My second favorite name play was the entire situation surrounding Edward and Jane and Victoria which, let's be honest, is basically the same sort of situation as Jane Eyre and Edward Rochester. (  ) eidzior | Apr 6, 2013 | You could always see the darker side of fantasy with Fforde. He works some hard truths and tough pills to swallow in Thursday Next like war and murder along with the whimsy and wit. Same with Shades of Grey although I think he takes it even further. Funny as always, if you're into that whole dry, sarcastic, biting humor. ( ) akmargie | Apr 4, 2013 | In the future, after the Something That Happened, people's places in society are determined by the color they can see. Purples are the ruling class and Greys are sort of the untouchables. Eddie Russett is a bit of a rogue. He thought of a new idea for queuing and new ideas are frowned upon. After a prank, he is sent to live on the Outer Fringes, where he meets Jane, a Grey with a bewitchingly retroussé nose and a reputation for violence. His fascination with Jane leads him to start questioning what he sees going on around him. I see potential here, but this first book in the series mostly felt like world-building to me. There's plenty of stuff going on, but I really did feel like it was mostly just to show me how very screwed up this society is. That said, let me tell you a couple of things about me that you should probably know. I'm not crazy about dystopian literature as a whole. If an author writes an exciting story with characters that I like, (think [b:The Hunger Games|2767052|The Hunger Games (Hunger Games, #1)|Suzanne Collins|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1267255754s/2767052.jpg|2792775]), I'm fine with dystopias. But I don't love them just because they're set in a world where things have gone wrong. Also, I don't know anything about color theory. I love Jasper Fforde's sense of humor in the Thursday Next series and the Nursery Crimes series, but that's probably because I'm on solid footing with books and nursery rhymes. People who know more about color than me might get more out of this book, just like I'm going to understand more of the humor in [b:The Eyre Affair|27003|The Eyre Affair (Thursday Next, #1)|Jasper Fforde|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1255670270s/27003.jpg|3436605] than a non-reader. I do see potential for me to ultimately like the series. Eddie is a likable chump who is on his way to becoming much more, but Jane is a character that I think I'll really, really like. We just aren't told a whole lot about her in this book. It's really just enough to want to know more. I'll continue on, and I still love Jasper Fforde, but if you're picking up his work for the first time, I don't think I would recommend this one. So far I prefer his other two series much more. (  ) JG_IntrovertedReader | Apr 3, 2013 | Fforde tackles a dystopia with the same flair for the absurd that colors (punned!) his previous works. In Shades of Grey, as with the Thursday Next books, the best parts are the little details, the references and the one liners. The frame of the novel is patently nonsensical. Just accept it and enjoy the delightful tidbits along the way. Eddie is a likable enough main character, if a bit boring. Jane, the grey (thus colorless) who has caught his fancy, however, is fantastic: rude, mocking and sarcastic. In general, a hoot. In fact, she is a bit like me, only much more violent and determined to make a difference. Her ides of romance is one I can totally agree with: "'You may have noticed I have a temper, [Jane] said, 'but when I calmed down, I realized that this world, blighted and imperfect as it is, would be better with you in it.'" Now that's romance! For any book lovers or librarians out there (and who else would be drawn to this book, really?), the chapter about the Unlibrary is a definite highlight. So too are the silly rules by which the society is governed, such as the fact that the production of spoons is forbidden. Each chapter begins with a new rule, so make sure to watch out for those. Many of them made me giggle. Shades of Grey is definitely a bit clunky in places and feels a bit long at times, but was overall quite a fun read. The ending was a bit disheartening, but I suppose I cannot complain about that what with it being a dystopia and all. Still, that was easy to forget and I wanted a slightly happier conclusion. If you enjoy absurdist humor, Fforde is an author not to be missed. ( ) A_Reader_of_Fictions | Apr 1, 2013 | Once again, I was unaware that I was reading the first in a series. I don't remember there being a colon and secondary title when I added this on my to-read list--which I obviously did because I devour and love everything that Jasper Fforde writes. I swear, he could write an adaptation of the phone book and I would read it. (and probably like it) So I was a little let down when I found that I have to wait for more Brunswick and deMauve. Though, really, I should've seen it coming when my Kindle said I was at 96% or so and I thought to myself, "but there is so much unresolved?!" Silly me. This novel is so original and cleverly devised. Fforde had me chuckling pretty consistently throughout and I loved the characters he created (they are just so quirky!--in the best way possible) and the entire society. I loved imagining what the world looked like and the different shades of colors in the spectrum--especially in terms of people only perceiving certain sections of the spectrum. Fans of his Thursday Next Series should like this series as well. Though it is in a totally different vein, Fforde's one-of-a-kind writing style is totally apparent. I can't wait to read more! ( ) FlanneryAC | Mar 31, 2013 | The author had to put in a huge amount of time and effort into creating this world and how it works. I think he was having so much fun establishing the rules of his reality that he kind of forgot the story, then had to rush to get through it near the end. The story never quite picked up enough for me. For example, it's difficult to be engaged and outraged about a death when it's been firmly established by the author that the characters believe death to be nothing special. I would say this is not nearly as fun or as good as his other series, but the world is interesting. Not sure yet if it's interesting enough to pick up the sequel when it comes out; I may not care enough about the characters to go further with them. (Note: I was reading an ARC, so there have potentially been changes. However, I doubt the pacing or plot was updated much before the final book was printed.) _____________ I can generally put a book down and then pick it up again months, or years, later and continue to follow the story without a problem. This is not one of those. It's only a month or so since I started this then put it aside briefly for other books, but the convoluted language and world that the author has created is not easy to step in and out of (and is why I put it aside for a bit as it's a tough one to read on a commute). I haven't resorted to rereading, but I'm certainly reading more slowly than I generally would. Enjoyable, but I'm stalled a bit. Still pushing forward. (  ) Krumbs | Mar 31, 2013 | Phantastic in the best sense, greatly entertining and some laugh out louds. Well done. ( ) Des2 | Mar 31, 2013 | Good concept but not as well executed as I wanted it to be. Yes, I am saying “as I wanted it to be” because this is not essentially a bad novel. Far from it. The world building in itself is a sort of achievement. But considering the fact that the whole book is just that - world building - right upto the last 50 pages or so, I am not sure whether I like it or not. Well, I don't want to properly review this book for you (because I am annoyed as this promised to be a 5 star book for me at the start). And as this is a 3 star book for me, let me link you to a couple of reviews from my GR friends Aerin and Mark, who gave this book a 2 starred and 4 starred reviews respectively. Everything they have written, I agree completely with both of their reviews. Yep, this was that kind of a book for me. But one thing I felt by the end of this book was that it could have been so much better if this was published as a full length 1200 page novel instead of a trilogy. ( ) Veeralpadhiar | Mar 31, 2013 | I hate it when an author I really like does something I don't like (or just don't care about). I think Jasper Fforde tried a little too hard in this novel. This book tries to be too many books at once and manages to be rather slow and clunky while doing it. I know that it's the first book in a series, and it would be slower paced because of the world building that generally takes place in the first novel of a trilogy (or any series), but I was pretty close to spending time with other books instead of this one. The summary of the book is correct in when it says "Part social satire, part romance, part revolutionary thriller," but I think it's more accurate to say it's part mediocre social satire, mediocre romance and mediocre revolutionary thriller. I could see where Fforde was going, but it could have been done (and has been done) better. I didn't hate it, I was bored by it and I'm just not sure I'm going to bother with the rest of the series. Life is short and there are a lot of other books I am eager to read out there. ( ) suzemo | Mar 31, 2013 | I hate it when an author I really like does something I don't like (or just don't care about). I think Jasper Fforde tried a little too hard in this novel. This book tries to be too many books at once and manages to be rather slow and clunky while doing it. I know that it's the first book in a series, and it would be slower paced because of the world building that generally takes place in the first novel of a trilogy (or any series), but I was pretty close to spending time with other books instead of this one. The summary of the book is correct in when it says "Part social satire, part romance, part revolutionary thriller," but I think it's more accurate to say it's part mediocre social satire, mediocre romance and mediocre revolutionary thriller. I could see where Fforde was going, but it could have been done (and has been done) better. I didn't hate it, I was bored by it and I'm just not sure I'm going to bother with the rest of the series. Life is short and there are a lot of other books I am eager to read out there. ( ) suzemo | Mar 31, 2013 | A world in which social standing is derived from how much of which colors a person can actually see--color blindness is not a handicap but a way of life. Witty writing surrounding a strong idea. I may listen to the sequel when it's available, but I'm not clamoring for it. ( ) librarybrandy | Mar 30, 2013 | Not another Thursday Next book. Not that I'd mind that. This however is a much more thought provoking piece that elevates him from great comical author to visionary author. Expect the unexpected. ( ) wmnch2fam | Mar 28, 2013 | This is typical Fforde fare, yet unusual in its dystopian nature. Although I enjoyed the deeply absurdist nature of the novel (which is not without reminding one of RealWorld from the Thursday Next series), the sheer amount of unexplained backstory about which we are left completely hanging gets irritating early on, and the teasingly small amount revealed toward the end of the novel combined with a bittersweet ending that feels out of palce for Fforde left me annoyingly for more. ( ) circeus | Mar 10, 2013 | I bought this as airport/airplane reading two years ago and really couldn't get into the story, abandoning it after 100 pages or so. (I really, really hated Jane, one of the main characters, and disliked several others.) After my recent successful revisits of Fforde novels, I thought I'd give it another shot, and I'm glad I did-- it still took me about 2/3 of the novel to finally like Jane at all, but I enjoyed it on the whole and look forward to the next. That's actually my biggest complaint about the book: it is CLEARLY written as the first in a series, and who knows when the next will ever come out. That aside, the world-building is interesting (although I think that was part of what bothered me the first time-- so many rules!) and the story becomes more and more engaging as it unfolds. Most characters are still odious, but I'm pretty sure that's part of the point. ( ) kelsiface | Feb 16, 2013 | Shades of Grey fits into two areas I enjoy: it is a dystopia, first, and, second, it is by Jasper Fforde, whose Thursday Next books I really like. Thus, coming into the reading, I was expecting a future, fantastical, dystopic world that was going to keep me laughing from beginning to end, just like everything else I've read by Fforde. Unfortunately, Shades of Grey didn't live up to the hype I gave it. In fact, I don't think I really laughed at all while reading. Perhaps I missed a colossal, book-spanning joke, but the book just wasn't funny. The premise of the dystopia, that everyone is judged by what color he can see and how much of it, wasn't even all that interesting. It gives no clues as to what may have happened to cause the society to become the way it is in the book (referring to the cataclysmic even as Something That Happened), and I was really put off by that. Usually the dystopias I enjoy give some sort of inkling as to how things came to be; nothing like that surfaced in my reading. Not one of the characters is exceptionally likable, though there are several who are very unpleasant indeed. Obviously, Fforde can create memorable characters, since he created ones I strongly disliked, but I felt no bond or camaraderie with any of the characters I "should have liked" - Jane and Eddie in particular. The book took me much longer to read than I would have expected for a paperback that rolled in at under 400 pages, and I found that annoying as well. There were times when I almost didn't want to finish it, but I kept thinking it might get better. Shades of Grey ends with a beg for a sequel. I'm not certain I will actually read either of the two planned sequels, though. I think I will stick to Thursday Next for the time being. (  ) Esquiress | Feb 6, 2013 | Hundreds of years into the future, the world is a very different place, where your path in life, and your position in ‘the collective’ (as the human race is now known) is determined by what colour you see, and how well you are able to see it. Eddie Russet is a Red, which places him quite high in what is effectively a caste system. When he and his father visit East Carmine, he meets Jane, a Grey – which is the lowest class. For Eddie it is love at first sight, but Jane most certainly does not return his feelings. However, strange happenings are afoot in East Carmine (and outside of it), and as Eddie investigates them, he discovers that everything is not as it seems in the collective, and the powers that be might just be hiding a huge secret… I’ve read Jasper Fforde before, and generally find his books to be very enjoyable. Moreover, this one was a dystopian novel (albeit a humorous one), and dystopia is a favourite genre of mine. So I was looking forward to reading this book, confident that I would at least like it, if not love it. And…unfortunately I was wrong. I found that I just couldn’t get along with this book at all. The dystopian world depicted was interesting enough, but I felt that the author was just piling wordplay upon wordplay, to make his point about what a crazy mixed up future this is, and it all got a bit laborious. Even worse, there is very little actual plot, and I didn’t feel that any of the characters were particularly well drawn. I have read other reviews of this book, and for the most part they are extremely favourable, so I am certainly in the minority with my opinion on this one. I should say that I can see why other readers might love this book. It wasn’t dreadful – and indeed some moments did make me laugh, as Fforde can be amusingly inventive in his writing, but – I realised about halfway through that I didn’t like these characters, and I didn’t dislike them either. I just didn’t really care. Perhaps I felt let down by it, because I had such high hopes for the book, but either way, I’m afraid this just wasn’t one for me. ( ) Book_Junkie | Feb 4, 2013 | In this book, apparently the first part of a new series, Jasper Fforde manages to create a dystopian society that I couldn't bring myself to find evil or scary (as most dystopias are). Of course, a world where people are basically color-blind and where your status in life depends on which color(s) you can distinguish can create its share of nightmares, but, like in his Thursday Next series, Fforde manages to create a universe that is incredibly odd, completely absurd, but perfectly enjoyable! The characterization is rather one-dimensional, but then again, that's not what Fforde is about. I caught myself trying to guess what were the various buildings and artifacts from "the Previous" (that would be us) the characters bumped into, but most of the time I was as baffled as Eddie Russett and his comrades. ( ) JRuel | Aug 17, 2012 | I had originally rated this as three stars, but bumped it up to four because I couldn't stop thinking about the world and characters Fforde created. This book is very different from anything else he's written, which is not necessarily a bad thing - it just took me a bit to get into the book. There was some serious world building gong on, and I was absolutely fascinated at the ramifications of a color-based society where people are moved around a caste-like system based on the colors they can see. The one downside to this heavy world building is that the actual plot was a bit slow to get going. And then once the plot does appear it is somewhat rushed and almost info-dumpish. Still, I really really want to know what happens next, given the ramifications of everything that came out at the end of the book. ( )1 wisemetis | Jul 15, 2012 | In colorimetry, the Munsell colour system is a colour space that specifies colours based on three colour dimensions: hue, value (lightness), and chroma (colour purity). It was created by Professor Albert H. Munsell in the first decade of the 20th century and adopted by the USDA as the official colour system for soil research in the 1930s. Several earlier colour order systems had placed colours into a three dimensional colour solid of one form or another, but Munsell was the first to separate hue, value, and chroma into perceptually uniform and independent dimensions, and was the first to systematically illustrate the colours in three dimensional space.[1] Munsell’s system, and particularly the later renotations, is based on rigorous measurements of human subjects’ visual responses to colour, putting it on a firm experimental scientific basis. Because of this basis in human visual perception, Munsell’s system has outlasted its contemporary colour models, and though it has been superseded for some uses by models such as CIELAB (L*a*b*) and CIECAM02, it is still in wide use today. [2] Imagine that you live in a post catastrophic world, where almost everything has been wiped out & spoons are a rare & highly valued commodity. This monumental incident referred to as "The something that happened" has left people blind to most colours & a persons life, social standing, job, partner etc. are defined by what colour they can see. Welcome to Chromatacia a society set 500 years after the collapse of a society very similar to our own, whose very foundations are based on the rules laid down by Munsell the founder of Chromatacia. In this post apocalyptic future everyone (almost) follows the rules without questioning them, no matter how strange, absurd or illogical they seem to be. "The word of Munsell was the rules, & the rules were the word of Munsell. They regulated everything we did, & had brought peace to the collective for nearly 4 centuries. They were sometimes very odd indeed- banning of the number between 72 & 74 was a case in point, & no one had ever fully explained why it was forbidden to count sheep, make any new spoons or use acronyms. but they were the rules- & presumably for some very good reason, although what that might be was not entirely obvious." In this world we meet Eddie Russet, who has been sent to an outer fringe town to conduct a chair census as a punishment & to learn humility because of some prank he played on a prefect's son. It's in this town he meets & falls head over heels for Jane a lowly grey & through her learns about how ruthless & controlling this world is beneath it's surface. "Continuous sustainability. A community where everyone has their place, & everyone knows their place, & everyone works ceaselessly to maintain continuance. If you were to dispassionately consider the principle aim of society to be longevity rather than fairness, then everything is downgraded to simply a means of attaining that goal. Rather than wait for a resident to prove themselves disharmonious, they are flagged early & sent off to reboot as a precaution. If you think about it, the whole notion is quite ingenious. " Being new to the writing of Jasper Fforde, I looked him up on Wikipedia & it seems the genre's he writes in are- Alternate History, Comic Fantasy & Postmodern Literature, to which can be added Comic Dystopia & Just Plain Funny. "This is where The Little Engine that could once sat.' She lapsed into silence & we all stood there respectfully, staring at an empty space in the air. What was it about?' asked one of the junior librarians, as clearly a tour was an honour not often bestowed. "It was about an engine", said Mrs Lapis -Lazuli,"that could". Shades of Grey- The road to high Saffron, is the first in a series of books planned by Jasper Fforde & although not a great fan of Fantasy Fiction, I picked this up in my local library because of the writing on the back cover which said- part satire, part romance, part revolutionary thriller, it didn't disappoint, plus I was also intrigued to find out Where have all the spoons gone ? http://parrishlantern.blogspot.co.uk/2010/08/shades-of-grey.html ( )1 parrishlantern | Jul 7, 2012 | I have always been a Jasper Fforde fan, but this is my new favorite of his. It is a clever blend of humor and social commentary that defied even my rather high expectations. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys having their mind taken out, turned sideways, and replaced. I am disappointed that one of the reviews used on the cover of the book makes reference to its "goofiness," because this is not a goofy book. It is fun, but not frivolous. ( ) mathrose | Jun 17, 2012 | The fun in reading a Jasper Fforde novel is experiencing the clever ideas and landscapes that he can come up with, and here (Shades of Grey) is no exception. What a world! Governed by colors and filled with people that can only see certain colors, and what colors you can see determines your place on the heirarchy. Sort of ingenious. Then on top of that you have to marvel at the clues he laid about the beginnings of this clearly dystopian society. Where did it come from? Why do the people have such narrow pupils that they can only see during the day? Who built the amazing technology they have (embedded into their roads, for instance)? And why are their supposedly modern maps based on a Parker Bros. Risk (tm) board? That said, with all of that fun going on, it was a little frustrating to read. Just a little. Let me explain. First of all, not much happened in the first three-quarters of the book. Lots and lots of setup and exposition. And when things did start happening, they resolved themselves quickly. The ending of this story left *nearly* everything wrapped up neatly, with a few minor cliffhangers which, combined with the truly unique world Fforde created, makes me quite interested/curious about a sequel (which I understand he's working on already, if Wikipedia can be believed). Second, even though obvious dangers lurked throughout, I never really got a sense of dread from the protagonist (a young man, a "Red," named Eddie) even though people (and things) were trying to kill him and he seemed to be walking into more and more dangerous situations every time he turned around. And each time he did, he (for the story was told in first person narrative) was never too concerned. Therefore I, the reader, was never too concerned. I think that says something about the story, but I'm not really sure what. It didn't make me like it any less. But it didn't help me like it any more, either. Overall a very fun and enjoyable read. I listened to most of it on a cross-country road trip and read the last 100 pages or so when I got where I was going. If the sequel had been out, I would have picked it up immediately after finishing the last page. (  ) invisiblelizard | Jun 7, 2012 | For as entertaining, thought-provoking, hilarious, and downright awesome Fforde's books are, I'm surprised that more people don't know about him. If you are one of those who haven't read any of his books yet, then take note: I have thoroughly enjoyed all the books I've read by him, and while his Thursday Next series is a personal favorite of mine, Shades of Grey is also a nice place to start. For one thing, it's a dystopia (and well-written, which automatically makes it a must-read). For another, I couldn't stop reading it. From start to finish, I was completely enthralled by this strange world ruled by the color spectrum, of all things. Eddie is an average guy who follows all the rules and who is just about to officially become an adult. Going to one of the outskirt cities to complete a disciplinary assignment, he is faced with corruption on a scale he has never known before. Between trying to solve a mystery involving a Grey (one who sees no color) who was masquerading as a Purple, arranging his marriage with the illustrious Constance Oxblood, and finishing his assignment so he can return home, Eddie finds himself in more trouble than he ever thought possible. The one thing I love most about Fforde is his ability to mix genres into something completely unique. Shades of Grey is a humorous coming-of-age dystopic mystery that has something for everyone. At first, I had a little trouble adjusting to the strange world Fforde has created, but after the first few chapters, I got the hang of it. Eddie is incredibly easy to relate to, and I thought all the characters were a treat to get to know. There is a great deal of humor mixed in with what are really horrible realities of the world Eddie lives in so that instead of being horrified, I was thoroughly amused throughout the entire book. It's hard to talk about specific plot points without ruining the rest of the novel, as everything is neatly woven together, but I will say that there is a good deal of intrigue, mystery, and drama. As is expected, this society that is governed by a handbook of rules for pretty much everything (from what to wear while traveling to what items are able to be produced -- spoons, sadly, didn't make the cut), is completely run by underhanded and corrupt dealings of those in power. While this book is excellent and I think everyone should read it, I will say that it's probably better to wait until a sequel is out for this one. While Shades of Grey doesn't end on a cliffhanger, there are enough unresolved issues at the end to have made me incredibly frustrated. ( )1 sedelia | Apr 18, 2012 | Frankly, I don't know how to describe or rate this book. Is it a 2-star or a 4-star story? Yes, it is a dystopian novel in which hierarchy is based on what colors one can see. No one can see in the dark anymore and no one seems to be able to see all colors. The lowest, most oppressed class are the Greys, who don't see any color. Life is restricted by The Rules, set by someone named Munsell who is in the distant past. Into this background comes a young man with red perception, Eddie Russett with his father, who is the equivalent of a physician, except that he cures most illnesses by having people look at specific colors. This is odd, funny, sometimes so complex that it is easy to forget who said what, the significance of some complicated deal that is sure to be important later but at the moment seems simply tedious. And yet, between Eddie (who is a high Red) and Jane (who is a Grey), there is a promise that society may yet be saved from itself. Despite giving this book 3 stars, I will probably read the next 2 in the series (once they come out) to see how this mismatched pair go about undermining the present system. ( ) krazy4katz | Mar 4, 2012 | |
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Several earlier colour order systems had placed colours into a three dimensional colour solid of one form or another, but Munsell was the first to separate hue, value, and chroma into perceptually uniform and independent dimensions, and was the first to systematically illustrate the colours in three dimensional space.[1] Munsell’s system, and particularly the later renotations, is based on rigorous measurements of human subjects’ visual responses to colour, putting it on a firm experimental scientific basis. Because of this basis in human visual perception, Munsell’s system has outlasted its contemporary colour models, and though it has been superseded for some uses by models such as CIELAB (L*a*b*) and CIECAM02, it is still in wide use today. [2]
Imagine that you live in a post catastrophic world, where almost everything has been wiped out & spoons are a rare & highly valued commodity. This monumental incident referred to as "The something that happened" has left people blind to most colours & a persons life, social standing, job, partner etc. are defined by what colour they can see.
Welcome to Chromatacia a society set 500 years after the collapse of a society very similar to our own, whose very foundations are based on the rules laid down by Munsell the founder of Chromatacia. In this post apocalyptic future everyone (almost) follows the rules without questioning them, no matter how strange, absurd or illogical they seem to be.
"The word of Munsell was the rules, & the rules were the word of Munsell. They regulated everything we did, & had brought peace to the collective for nearly 4 centuries. They were sometimes very odd indeed- banning of the number between 72 & 74 was a case in point, & no one had ever fully explained why it was forbidden to count sheep, make any new spoons or use acronyms. but they were the rules- & presumably for some very good reason, although what that might be was not entirely obvious."
In this world we meet Eddie Russet, who has been sent to an outer fringe town to conduct a chair census as a punishment & to learn humility because of some prank he played on a prefect's son. It's in this town he meets & falls head over heels for Jane a lowly grey & through her learns about how ruthless & controlling this world is beneath it's surface.
"Continuous sustainability. A community where everyone has their place, & everyone knows their place, & everyone works ceaselessly to maintain continuance. If you were to dispassionately consider the principle aim of society to be longevity rather than fairness, then everything is downgraded to simply a means of attaining that goal. Rather than wait for a resident to prove themselves disharmonious, they are flagged early & sent off to reboot as a precaution. If you think about it, the whole notion is quite ingenious. "
Being new to the writing of Jasper Fforde, I looked him up on Wikipedia & it seems the genre's he writes in are- Alternate History, Comic Fantasy & Postmodern Literature, to which can be added Comic Dystopia & Just Plain Funny.
"This is where The Little Engine that could once sat.' She lapsed into silence & we all stood there respectfully, staring at an empty space in the air. What was it about?' asked one of the junior librarians, as clearly a tour was an honour not often bestowed. "It was about an engine", said Mrs Lapis -Lazuli,"that could".
Shades of Grey- The road to high Saffron, is the first in a series of books planned by Jasper Fforde & although not a great fan of Fantasy Fiction, I picked this up in my local library because of the writing on the back cover which said- part satire, part romance, part revolutionary thriller, it didn't disappoint, plus I was also intrigued to find out
Where have all the spoons gone ?
http://parrishlantern.blogspot.co.uk/2010/08/shades-of-grey.html (