The World of Fforde

The Big Over Easy
by Jasper Fforde

We were first introduced to the World of Fforde by our good friend, Bill, with The Eyre Affair, a highly amusing telling of how Thursday Next saved Jane Eyre, the book and the character. Mr. Fforde has created an alternate 1980s reality (in England, of course) where the written word is alive and well, literally. There are three other books in the Thursday Next series, but start with The Eyre Affair. I liked them so much I tried to convince Josh we should name a daughter after Thursday. He wasn't so sure about the idea, but there's still time.

The current book is in the same vein. Jack Spratt and Mary Mary are a detective team in the Nursery Crime Division out to solve the mystery of Humpty Dumpty's death. Josh heard this was actually Fforde's first novel that no one would publish until after the success of the others. After reading the book, I can believe it. Some spots are pure Fforde joy. Others are a little rough. I don't want to say too much since it'd be a shame to give away the ending - which is definitely the best part of the story line.

If you're well-read, especially in older books where it's easier to get permission from the copyright owners, you'll love Fforde's books. They're irreverent, pun-filled, and hilarious. It was a Thursday Next book that inspired me to read Anna Karenina, which I found to be one of the best books I'd ever read.

If you haven't seen the Fforde website, you're missing out. Trust me, it's the best way to waste time online. Of course, it's even better if you've read the books.

Special thanks to David and Becca who lent us The Big Over Easy so we wouldn't have to wait 6 months for the library copy (even though I ended up waiting almost that long anyway before actually reading the book).