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will love Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. Love, love, LOVE this book. The story of a literary detective, Tuesday Next, who works for the special police tracking countefeiters, forgers, and (I suspect) people who don't return library books on time. This is the first book in her series of adventures, involving Acheron Hades and the original manuscript of Bronte's Jane Eyre, and I can't wait to read the others. Part mystery, part thriller, part science fiction, Fforde creates an alternative universe (in this case, 1985 England where the Crimean War is still going on and supernatural creatures have their own branch of the police) that is engaging and fascinating. Fforde is probably not for everyone, but if you enjoy a touch of whimsy, this is an excellent book. Recommended. (  ) Meggo | Jan 1, 2010 |  I read this book for my bookclub some time back and expected a lot more from it than what I got. The storyline was clever and had the potential to be really great but it just didn't get there for there. The characters felt mish-mashed together and they were all more ridiculous and annoying than comical. I read it from start to finish but can't say I particularly enjoyed it. I think it's one of those books that you'll either like or you won't, there's no real middle ground with it. (  ) Sefarina | Dec 29, 2009 | In an alternate version of England where dodos are no longer extinct and Neanderthals have been brought back to life, Thursday Next works for a literary detective agency, breaking up forgery rings and protecting original copies of literary works. When the original copy of Jane Eyre disappears from a secure glass case in the Bronte family home with no trace of tampering, Thursday is brought in to track it down. What follows is a string of events that get progressively weirder as she learns a former professor has gone bad and is killing off fictional characters to ruin great works, and the only way to stop him is to jump into the books herself. This is a British literary geek's dream. The humor builds as things get more and more ridiculous. Thursday Next is a strong and smart protagonist in an insane world. The way Fforde twists classic literary narratives to suit his story (only to twist them back in the end) is ingenious and allows for clever plot twists. Literary characters are real living people... except now quite. I love this book and every time I read it, I'm immersed all over again. ( )1  flouncyninja | Dec 2, 2009 | What a fun little book! I was not sure how much I would like this story since I have not read Jane Eyre, but I loved it (and now I have to read Jane Eyre). The protagonist was smart and the story was imaginative and quick moving. It had everything that I could want; love, books becoming real, and a bit of whimsy. Will definitely check out more books in the Thursday Next series. Who can resist a smile when there is a character named Jack Sh*t. Although technically it is Jack Schitt...more What a fun little book! I was not sure how much I would like this story since I have not read Jane Eyre, but I loved it (and now I have to read Jane Eyre). The protagonist was smart and the story was imaginative and quick moving. It had everything that I could want; love, books becoming real, and a bit of whimsy. Will definitely check out more books in the Thursday Next series. Who can resist a smile when there is a character named Jack Sh*t. Although technically it is Jack Schitt. (  ) taramatchi | Nov 28, 2009 | Thursday Next, Literature Detective, is a combination of Hermione Granger, Bridget Jones, and V.I. Warshawski -- hard to imagine, but there it is.Some of the plot points are a little thin, but it's a quick and enjoyable read. (  ) catalogthis | Nov 24, 2009 |  no reviews | add a review
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| Book description |
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Imagine this. Great Britain in 1985 is close to being a police state. The Crimean War has dragged on for more than 130 years and Wales is self-governing. The only recognizable thing about this England is her citizens' enduring love of literature. And the Third Most Wanted criminal, Acheron Hades, is stealing characters from England's cherished literary heritage and holding them for ransom.
Bibliophiles will be enchanted, but not surprised, to learn that stealing a character from a book only changes that one book, but Hades has escalated his thievery. He has begun attacking the original manuscripts, thus changing all copies in print and enraging the reading public. That's why Special Operations Network has a Literary Division, and it is why one of its operatives, Thursday Next, is on the case.
Thursday is utterly delightful. She is vulnerable, smart, and, above all, literate. She has been trying to trace Hades ever since he stole Mr. Quaverley from the original manuscript of Martin Chuzzlewit and killed him. You will only remember Mr. Quaverley if you read Martin Chuzzlewit prior to 1985. But now Hades has set his sights on one of the plums of literature, Jane Eyre, and he must be stopped.
How Thursday achieves this and manages to preserve one of the great books of the Western canon makes for delightfully hilarious reading. You do not have to be an English major to be pulled into this story. You'll be rooting for Thursday, Jane, Mr. Rochester--and a familiar ending. --Otto Penzler
(retrieved from Amazon Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:57:56 -0400)
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