The second book in Fforde’s Thursday Next series picks up soon after book one, The Eyre Affair, finished. Thursday is uncomfortably in the spotlight after her adventures in Jane Eyre, with her boss constantly trying to push more publicity work on her. She is happily married to Landen and generally keeping herself out of books. That is until the Goliath Corporation eradicates Landen and threatens that it will be permanent if she doesn’t go into The Raven to save Jack Schitt. Goliath can’t be trusted, and even regular book jumpers refuse to go into Edgar Allan Poe works, but if she is to have any hope of seeing her husband again in the flesh she must find a way. In attempting to save her husband she joins forces with Jurisfiction, an organisation which polices the literary world, and is apprenticed to Miss Havisham. Without access to the Prose Portal which allowed her to jump into Jane Eyre, she must learn to read herself into the books she needs to access, something which doesn’t come particularly naturally.
If all that sounds quite wild, then this is exactly the sense of the novel. Puns and literary allusions come thick and fast and you feel yourself in a farcical world while having a great time. Undoubtedly these books will appeal to avid readers with a chance to hop into novels and see your favourite characters through a different lens. Despite all the craziness of the novel there is still a human heart to it. Thursday has lost her husband, forgotten by all around her, and only accessible through her memories. Her own mother is able to relate, having lost her husband in similar circumstances. We do see Thursday interact with her father throughout the novel, but are constantly aware that he is only a fleeting figure in her life, she’s never sure when she’ll be able to see him again, and she fears the loss of Landen permanently.
We see characters both within their literary setting, and without. Miss Havisham roams the Library where the Cheshire Cat presides, and we hear of Heathcliff’s brief Hollywood career. Miss Havisham and the Red Queen have a brutal rivalry and a book sale becomes very violent as they fight to get their hands on a rare bargain. Jurisfiction meetings are held in the world of Sense and Sensibility and we have the unusual pleasure of seeing characters who are used to book wanderers appearing in their stories interacting. The considerations that need to be made about exactly when to appear in the novel for maximum impact, or minimum detection are made frequently, and we wonder at length how Thursday will ever succeed in what feels like an impossible mission. This is a fun book, best read with expectations left at the door.
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