The Eyre Affair (Thursday Next)

by Jasper Fforde

Audio cassette

Published Aug. 2, 2004 by Hodder & Stoughton Audio Books.

ISBN:: 978-1-84032-863-9

View on OpenLibrary

(11 reviews)

3 editions

jonn reviewed The Eyre Affair (Thursday Next) by Jasper Fforde (Thursday Next (1))

Delightful world-building. All the lines converge into a fiery culmination and the ending is spectacular.

5 stars

Amazing worldbuilding. I'm a fan of Emily Short's "Counterfeit Monkey" interactive fiction game and this one feels like being set in a very similar universe.

Even though I'm almost over sci-fi which isn't hard sci-fi, this book is rigorous about the rules and there is only one deus ex moment here, but it was foreshadowed many times.

I love how Thursday's dad always ends his appearances with the same lame catchphrase even when he talks to her times in a row. It makes sense because in his timeline a lot more time passes.

This book handles time travel really well and plots a hook for the continuation of the series quite well. Or should I say... Hides it behind a wheel?

As usual, ending the review with the quote of the book:

My brother had fucked up. Nobody had bothered to put it so simply before; the military tribunal spoke …

Amazing worldbuilding. I'm a fan of Emily Short's "Counterfeit Monkey" interactive fiction game and this one feels like being set in a very similar universe.

Even though I'm almost over sci-fi which isn't hard sci-fi, this book is rigorous about the rules and there is only one deus ex moment here, but it was foreshadowed many times.

I love how Thursday's dad always ends his appearances with the same lame catchphrase even when he talks to her times in a row. It makes sense because in his timeline a lot more time passes.

This book handles time travel really well and plots a hook for the continuation of the series quite well. Or should I say... Hides it behind a wheel?

As usual, ending the review with the quote of the book:

My brother had fucked up. Nobody had bothered to put it so simply before; the military tribunal spoke of “tactical errors in the heat of the battle” and “gross incompetence.” Somehow “fucked up” made it seem more believable; we all make mistakes at some time in our lives, some more than others. It is only when the cost is counted in human lives that people really take notice.

Michael @ Knowledge Lost reviewed The Eyre Affair (Thursday Next) by Jasper Fforde (Thursday Next (1))

Review of 'The Eyre Affair (Thursday Next)' on 'Goodreads'

2 stars

A book set in an alternate reality where a literary detective chases after a criminal into the world of Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre, sounds like an awesome idea for a book. I love books about books, and adding a detective should have been a recipe for success. Sadly this wasn’t the case for The Eyre Affair, which is book one in the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde. While some people like the mix between fantasy and humour, I could never really get into this book. It was a light read with nothing that really appealed to me. While a lot of people loved these books, I’ve found it a little too smug and in need of a rewrite. It was missing the right formula for a good fantasy or detective novel.

patchworkbunny reviewed The Eyre Affair (Thursday Next) by Jasper Fforde (Thursday Next (1))

Review of 'The Eyre Affair (Thursday Next)' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Reading The Eyre Affair is like slipping on a comfy jumper, made just for book lovers. It's set in an alternative past where the Crimean War never ended and literature is revered enough to get its own branch of law enforcement. It's full of 'in-jokes' and word play that kept me smiling throughout. I think a basic knowledge of Jane Eyre is required to get the most out of it, even if you just read a plot summary first.