Book Review: The Eyre Affair

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

[4 stars]

The Eyre Affair Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Jasper Fforde
Class/Genre: Mystery Science Fiction Time Travel Alternate History
Series: Thursday Next # 1
Viking, Feb 2002, $23.95, 374 pp.

In 1985 time travel and cloning are a consistent part of life. In Britain, English literature has become so in vogue, original manuscripts are quite valuable. Just ask any of the zillion Williams, Charles, or Miltons. Acheron Hades, currently ranked as the third most wanted man in the world, wants to move up to numero uno. He steals the original manuscript of Dickens’ Martin Chuzzlewit and "kills" off a secondary character by erasing him from the first book. All subsequent copies of the novel no longer contain that character because he does not "exist" in the pre-printed prototype.

Word amongst the secretive publishing industry is that Acheron plans to remove Jane Eyre next. This calls for a special literary agent, Thursday Next of the undercover Special Operations Network’s Literary Detective Division. She begins her inquiries with the Dickens’ tale and soon follows the pages to Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew and a Rocky Horror version of Richard III. Will Thursday save the literary world in time to return home by Friday or will she become an editorial delete due to a poor critical review?

Jasper Fforde writes a zany, wild and weird affair that is part science fiction, part alternate history, part classic literature and all amusing satire that never stops to look back at what is ripped besides a page or two. The story line is fast-paced and loaded with action, but never forgets to wink at the audience. Acheron is quite a villain and Thursday is a superb heroine. Along with a strong support cast that rounds out what is on, the characters insure that this novel is going to be recognized as one of more jocular tales of the year.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner