On This Page
Description
The Bookworld's leading enforcement officer, Thursday Next, has been forced into a semiretirement following an assassination attempt, returning home to Swindon and her family to recuperate. But Thursday's children have problems that demand she become a mother of invention: Friday's career struggles in the Chronoguard, where he is relegated to a might-have-been; Tuesday's trouble perfecting the Anti-Smote shield, needed in time to thwart an angry Deity's promise to wipe Swindon off the face show more of the earth; and the issue of Thursday's third child, Jenny, who doesn't exist except as a confusing and disturbing memory. With Goliath attempting to replace Thursday at every opportunity with synthetic Thursdays, and a call from the Bookworld to hunt down Pagerunners who have jumped into the Realworld, Thursday's convalescence is going to be anything but restful as the week ahead promises to be one of the Next family's oddest. show lessTags
Recommendations
Member Recommendations
4leschats This book is the closest that I have read to the metafictional aspects of Fforde's work. Kotzwinkle uses a bear to underscore the absurdities within the publishing industry.
TomWaitsTables "The Nearness of You" in Confession & "Jenny" in The Woman Who Died A Lot.
Member Reviews
This is Thursday Next, better than ever. The plot is Fforde-level convoluted, which means you read and try not to think too hard because your brain might hurt, but you know that you like it because it's utterly brilliant.
In this book, Thursday is appointed to be the head of the Wessex Library System, and must deal with budgets while also dealing with the more mundane things of time travel paradoxes, a scheduled smiting from God, a mindworm of a daughter that never was, duplicate Thursdays, and yet another evil Goliath plot.
In this book, Thursday is appointed to be the head of the Wessex Library System, and must deal with budgets while also dealing with the more mundane things of time travel paradoxes, a scheduled smiting from God, a mindworm of a daughter that never was, duplicate Thursdays, and yet another evil Goliath plot.
Thursday Next is back in Swindon and facing the reality that her age and injuries may finally be too much for her to continue to pursue literary criminals. Of course, that doesn't stop her from getting mixed up in yet another Goliath plot, delving into the politics of libraries, and trying to understand Dark Reading Matter. All while trying to keep her husband, Landen, from worrying about her too much, working to help her son, Friday, avoid his fate of murdering someone at the end of the week, and her daughter, Tuesday, as she tries to invent a device to prevent the forecasted smiting of Swindon.
Every time I pick up a Thursday Next book, I know I'll have a good time but I forget just how much fun they are. Puns, ridiculous plots, plus show more riffs on all things books always combine to make for a delightful reading experience. I also had the pleasure of discovering the book is (kind of) dedicated to me as it's dedicated to all librarians. Yay! My only sadness is that I'm finally caught up on this series and have to wait for the next book along with all the other fans. show less
Every time I pick up a Thursday Next book, I know I'll have a good time but I forget just how much fun they are. Puns, ridiculous plots, plus show more riffs on all things books always combine to make for a delightful reading experience. I also had the pleasure of discovering the book is (kind of) dedicated to me as it's dedicated to all librarians. Yay! My only sadness is that I'm finally caught up on this series and have to wait for the next book along with all the other fans. show less
I am a proud Fforde fanatic, and I’ve sadly been a little lax in catching up with the Thursday Next series, but I’ve finally made it to this one! It’s really exciting when I get to read a book I’ve been meaning to read forever, so I was thrilled when I was able to request this from the library. I think it took me only a few days to get through it, because I was so happy to be back in this strange universe Fforde has created.
One of the things I’m most impressed about this series is how Fforde allows it to expand and grow. Seven books is a lot for one set of characters, but their stories don’t stagnate — it’s not seven books of a young Thursday Next fighting crime in the BookWorld; instead, she’s getting older now, and show more while she’s still focused on fighting crime, she has injuries and children and a husband, which means that each novel evolves to become a full-fledged story in its own right. I really love that and it’s sad how many series don’t allow their characters to develop and mature to another stage of life. Of course, with this particular universe, there’s a lot of flexibility for what Fforde can do, but I appreciate that he’s using it to its fullest extent.
I enjoyed the way this book developed all of the conflicts going on. I expected a lot of different things to happen, but I was always surprised by how things were resolved. As always, I appreciate Fforde’s humor; even when very serious, dramatic things are happening in the story, there is something to laugh about — a little embarrassing when you’re reading at work, but overall a good thing for the novel in general.
The new characters that are introduced in this book are amazing. I thought I was going to hate Phoebe Smalls for taking over what should have been Thursday’s position, but like Thursday, I grew to enjoy her enthusiasm and willingness to put herself in danger for the greater good. Without spoiling too many details, I also really appreciated reading about Tuesday’s attempts to be a normal high school student and the people she meets at high school.
This is a great addition to the Thursday Next series, and I’m so excited to continue the series when a new book comes out. If you’ve read the series, know that this one won’t be a disappointment. If you haven’t — it’s 7 books in, and I’m still loving it. If it sounds like your thing, give it a try.
Originally posted on Going on to the Next. show less
One of the things I’m most impressed about this series is how Fforde allows it to expand and grow. Seven books is a lot for one set of characters, but their stories don’t stagnate — it’s not seven books of a young Thursday Next fighting crime in the BookWorld; instead, she’s getting older now, and show more while she’s still focused on fighting crime, she has injuries and children and a husband, which means that each novel evolves to become a full-fledged story in its own right. I really love that and it’s sad how many series don’t allow their characters to develop and mature to another stage of life. Of course, with this particular universe, there’s a lot of flexibility for what Fforde can do, but I appreciate that he’s using it to its fullest extent.
I enjoyed the way this book developed all of the conflicts going on. I expected a lot of different things to happen, but I was always surprised by how things were resolved. As always, I appreciate Fforde’s humor; even when very serious, dramatic things are happening in the story, there is something to laugh about — a little embarrassing when you’re reading at work, but overall a good thing for the novel in general.
The new characters that are introduced in this book are amazing. I thought I was going to hate Phoebe Smalls for taking over what should have been Thursday’s position, but like Thursday, I grew to enjoy her enthusiasm and willingness to put herself in danger for the greater good. Without spoiling too many details, I also really appreciated reading about Tuesday’s attempts to be a normal high school student and the people she meets at high school.
This is a great addition to the Thursday Next series, and I’m so excited to continue the series when a new book comes out. If you’ve read the series, know that this one won’t be a disappointment. If you haven’t — it’s 7 books in, and I’m still loving it. If it sounds like your thing, give it a try.
Originally posted on Going on to the Next. show less
My favorite heroine in this world or any other is back. There's no BookWorld in this volume, which is a bit disappointing, but Thursday Next has so much to offer that it's all okay.
This book is, essentially, about the people in Thursday's life. In particular, her brother Joffy, her son Friday, and her "daughter" Jenny.
Joffy has managed to get a large enough percentage of the world to become members of his church, Global Standard Diety (GSD), that God revealed himself (yes, himself). Suddenly, with the atheists and agnostics on board, the GSD finds itself with leverage power against God. He is pissed, and is going to smite the city of Swindon in a week.
Friday, since the disbanding of the ChronoGuard due to the discovery that the time show more travel technology they were using will never exist, has no purpose. He joins a support group of other would-have-going-to-be ChronoGuard members, and discovers that all of them are going to be mysteriously murdered before 2041.
Jenny is a mindworm planted in Thursday's head by Aornis Hades, Thursday's nemesis, to make Thursday believe she has a 3rd child. Or is she?
And of course, Thursday has to solve all of these problems, and then some more problems. But she does. Because she's such a badass.
Not the best in the series, but really solidly great. show less
This book is, essentially, about the people in Thursday's life. In particular, her brother Joffy, her son Friday, and her "daughter" Jenny.
Joffy has managed to get a large enough percentage of the world to become members of his church, Global Standard Diety (GSD), that God revealed himself (yes, himself). Suddenly, with the atheists and agnostics on board, the GSD finds itself with leverage power against God. He is pissed, and is going to smite the city of Swindon in a week.
Friday, since the disbanding of the ChronoGuard due to the discovery that the time show more travel technology they were using will never exist, has no purpose. He joins a support group of other would-have-going-to-be ChronoGuard members, and discovers that all of them are going to be mysteriously murdered before 2041.
Jenny is a mindworm planted in Thursday's head by Aornis Hades, Thursday's nemesis, to make Thursday believe she has a 3rd child. Or is she?
And of course, Thursday has to solve all of these problems, and then some more problems. But she does. Because she's such a badass.
Not the best in the series, but really solidly great. show less
Thursday Next returns for a seventh outing, a bit battered, achy, and with a pronounced limp, but otherwise in fine form. A few years have passed in Swindon, enough time for Thursday’s children, Tuesday and Friday, to have reached their active teen years. SpecOps has been disbanded, but there are reports that it may be resuscitated. Unfortunately, Thursday is overlooked in her application for head of the service, but, luckily for us, she is offered the post of head of the Wessex Library instead. It’s a library that packs a punch, especially given the full combat librarians of the Special Library Services (SLS). As you would expect from a Thursday Next novel, the grasping and mendacious global corporation, Goliath, is also back in show more the form of none other than Thursday’s old nemesis, Jack Schitt. Expect gunplay, a high body-double count, and the odd smiting from that Olde Testamente player of yore.
Jasper Fforde is once again writing with the confidence and verve that one expects of the creator of Thursday Next. There are plenty of twists and turns here with the introduction of Day Players—replicants whose lifespan is predictably announced in their name—and the extreme bendiness of the event timeline, which solves as many plot problems as it creates. There is even a gradual introduction of DRM, Dark Reading Matter, which undoubtedly will form the basis of Thursday’s next great adventure.
If you followed Thursday Next through the previous roller-coaster novels, then you will definitely want to stay in the car for this exciting turn around the track. Recommended for Thursday Next fans. Others may want to stick to safer fare, or better yet get started with the first in the series and catch up. show less
Jasper Fforde is once again writing with the confidence and verve that one expects of the creator of Thursday Next. There are plenty of twists and turns here with the introduction of Day Players—replicants whose lifespan is predictably announced in their name—and the extreme bendiness of the event timeline, which solves as many plot problems as it creates. There is even a gradual introduction of DRM, Dark Reading Matter, which undoubtedly will form the basis of Thursday’s next great adventure.
If you followed Thursday Next through the previous roller-coaster novels, then you will definitely want to stay in the car for this exciting turn around the track. Recommended for Thursday Next fans. Others may want to stick to safer fare, or better yet get started with the first in the series and catch up. show less
Enjoyed this way more than I thought I would. It's kind of cracky and kind of fluffy and kind of runs on handwavium, but, happily, that is exactly what I was in the mood for. Objectively, it's probably even worse at linear narrative than usual, but this time I was too charmed and/or distracted to care. *g*
Disability tag for both Thursday and Landon this time, as well as various other casual walkons. Very wonderful to read a fun and entertaining book where a disabled woman is the heroine. That nearly never happens, so I'm probably giving bonus points. Yay relatability!
Disability tag for both Thursday and Landon this time, as well as various other casual walkons. Very wonderful to read a fun and entertaining book where a disabled woman is the heroine. That nearly never happens, so I'm probably giving bonus points. Yay relatability!
One of the better Thursday Next books in the series, I thought. Fforde's on form, and while we don't get to venture much into the BookWorld this time, libraries and their importance in society are one of the major elements here. Fforde's even dedicated the book "To all the librarians who have ever been, ever will be, are now," and there are a whole bunch of absolutely fantastic quotes about librarians and librarians throughout.
Filled, as usual, with Ffordean flights of fancy, biblio-puns, and some of the most amusing characters in literature (plus a very slow dodo).
Filled, as usual, with Ffordean flights of fancy, biblio-puns, and some of the most amusing characters in literature (plus a very slow dodo).
Members
- Recently Added By
Lists
Most-anticipated future releases
40 works; 25 members
Books Read in 2012
816 works; 34 members
Books Read in 2013
1,630 works; 51 members
Favorite Books Published in 2012
57 works; 17 members
Books Read in 2016
4,666 works; 199 members
Books Read in 2019
4,052 works; 110 members
Amusing Book Titles
146 works; 39 members
Books Read in 2024
4,623 works; 126 members
Paranormal investigators and space detectives
274 works; 9 members
Talk Discussions
Past Discussions
The Woman Who Died a Lot in Fforde Ffans (February 2013)
Author Information
39+ Works 74,803 Members
He worked for many years in the film industry as a camera technician. He was raised in England, he lives & works in Wales. (Publisher Provided) Author Jasper Fforde was born on January 11, 1961 in London, England. He spent numerous years as a focus puller in the film industry, where he worked on films such as Quills, Golden Eye, and Entrapment. show more His first novel, The Eyre Affair, was published in 2001. He is the author of the Thursday Next, Nursery Crime and Dragonslayer series and the novel Shades of Gray. In 2004, he won the Wodehouse Prize for comic fiction for The Well of Lost Plots. In 2013, his title The Last Dragonslayer made The New York Times best seller list. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Some Editions
Awards and Honors
Awards
Series
Work Relationships
Is contained in
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The Woman Who Died a Lot
- Original title
- Dark Reading Matter (working title) (working title)
- Original publication date
- 2012-07
- People/Characters
- Thursday Next; Tuesday Next; Friday Next; Landen Parke-Laine; Jack Schitt; Aornis Hades (show all 31); Phoebe Smalls; Braxton Hicks; Stiggins; Newton Chumley; Bunty Fairweather; Cornelius Scampton-Tippett; Pickwick; Gavin Watkins; John Duffy; Mel Wexler; James Finisterre; Lupton Cornball; Millon de Floss; Daisy Mutlar; St. Zvlkx; Akal Chowdry; Sharon DeWitt; Flossie Buxton; Miles Hawke; the Manchild; Conrad Spoons; Jennifer Houson Parke-Laine-Next; Joffy Next; the Cleaning Lady; Brother Henry
- Important places
- Swindon, England, UK; Liddington, Wessex, England, UK
- Dedication
- To all the librarians
that have ever been,
ever will be,
are now,
this book is respectfully dedicated. - First words
- Everything comes to an end.
- Quotations
- "A drawn elephant has a desire to exist?"
"Certainly. All of existence came into being simply because it wanted to be. The big bang wasn't so much a big bang as a hasty dash toward an opportunity to trade nothingness f... (show all)or somethingness. The main contributory factor to the entire universe was a momentary effect in need of a cause. And in that split second, everything that wanted to have existence -- which is everything -- came racing through in one huge hot mass. They've been trying to sort themselves out ever since."
Budget meetings have never been interesting, ever, despite numerous attempts over the years to try to josh them up a bit. Notable uplifting techniques involved the use of fire-eaters and performing elephants, but they didn't ... (show all)work. The dry proceedings are well known to bring on a form of lethargy that can stay with attendees for the rest of the week, and Budget Therapy was used with great success in the treatment of patients suffering an excess of good-natured perkiness.
"Working in fiction does give one a somewhat tenuous hold on reality, but it's not the hold that's tenuous -- it's the reality: Which reality? Whose reality? Does it matter anyway? And will there be cake?"
"What a beautifully described morning!"
"Do I have to talk to insane people?"
"You're a librarian now. I'm afraid it's mandatory." Chap. 22
"And he'll hide chocolate in the back of the fridge so only he can find it -- something a truly righteous man would never do." Miles, speaking of Joffy Next, Chap. 27.
I'd also like to thank the Van Allen belts for protecting us from the harmful solar wind, and the earth for being just the right distance from the sun to be conducive to life, and for the ability of water molecules to clump s... (show all)o efficiently, for pretty much the same reason. Finally, I'd like to thank every single one of my forebears for surviving long enough in this hostile world to procreate. Without any one of you, this book would not have been possible. (Acknowledgments) - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)We sat in silence for a while until the Skyrail car passed Aldbourne's church, and the yew tree with the warm sunny spot beneath it, and a memorial stone.
"Do you ever think of Jenny?" I asked, staring out the window.
"All the time."
"Me, too." - Publisher's editor
- Mays, Carol; Kendall, Josh
- Original language
- English
- Canonical DDC/MDS
- 823.92
- Canonical LCC
- PR6106.F67
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 1,968
- Popularity
- 10,765
- Reviews
- 97
- Rating
- (3.99)
- Languages
- English, French, German, Korean
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 19
- ASINs
- 12