Cover to Cover: The Eyre Affair
Hello, and welcome to this meeting of the Book Stacks Book Club, Cover to Cover. Today we are discussing The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde. This book has been recommended to me several times over the past few months, so I finally decided to give it a try. I really enjoyed its status as a Sci Fi Mystery, and it threw in enough elements of a thriller to keep me reading (even when I was supposed to be doing something else.) It’s a good thing that this is book one in a series, because otherwise I’d have to pout. I want more, darn it! Well, what did you think? As is becoming customary, I would like to begin the discussion with the following question:
1. Did you like the book?
Oh, yes. Definitely. Thursday Next is a strong, resourceful female character. The plot was interesting in a you-can’t-put-the-book-down sort of way. And I loved all of the literary references. (Shakespeare is a big favorite of mine, just so you know.) The names that Mr. Fforde chose for his characters were just an added bonus.
2. Did you have a favorite character?
For once, my favorite character was actually the main character. Thursday Next was just so well written. She had a history and quirks all her own. As I said in the answer to my first question, she’s a strong female character who is also likable and interesting. Joss Whedon would be proud.
3. Do you think that they could make The Eyre Affair into a film?
Well, they could try. I mean, they’ve made all kinds of things into films at this point. They would have to make a special effort to get the details right, though. I would particularly like to see what they would do with Thursday’s car. Before you ask, no there is no word on a film for this book, yet. I just like to speculate.
4. Do you think that Shakespeare wrote those plays?
Yes. Every new theory about how this “uneducated” man couldn’t have written those plays just makes me laugh. I’d launch into my whole spiel right here, but I would doubtless bore you all, and my friend Eideann does a better job with it anyway. Just for fun though, my favorite line from Shakespeare is from Romeo and Juliet: “With love’s light wings did I o’erperch these walls, for stony limits cannot hold love out;”
5. What level of SpecOps would you work for?
SO-27 for me, thanks. I’m thinking that LiteraTec is the best place for me. Big surprise, I know. Now…I wouldn’t mind a spot in the ChronoGuard if they were hiring, but we already knew about my thing for time travel.
Okay, it’s your turn. What did you think?
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The book which we will be discussing next time is Sabriel by Garth Nix. This is a personal favorite, and I am interested to see what you folks think of this dark fantasy. We will be discussing Sabriel on July 13, 2007. (Yes, that is three weeks away. I’m going to be on vacation on the 6th, so you have an extra week to get the reading done.) Won’t you join us?
The Eyre Affair, Jasper Fforde
June 22nd, 2007 at 7:46 am
I read this book a couple years ago and really enjoyed it. I can’t answer all the questions here, though, because I forget some things and also am really tired!
But anyway, this book was a lot of fun and I liked the next one, too. I think I started the 3rd one and was kind of disappointed. I might try it again sometime, though.
I like your book club even though I can never actually really participate!
June 23rd, 2007 at 10:28 am
I’m glad you enjoyed the book Elisa, seeing as I was one of the muppets to recommend it to you
I loved the book, and found Thursday to be a great main character. The basic premise of being able to dive in to literature and maybe even alter the events intrigued me.
I think this would make a brilliant film, but as you say, they’d have to focus on the detail, and try not to bastardise the story too much.
I’ve got no idea whether Shakespeare was one guy, or a collection of playwrights and scribes. Regardless, the work is genius and the backbone of English literature.
I’d definitely be a member of the chronoguard, that is just too cool for school.
I loved this book, and already have the next 2 waiting to be read. I also have Fforde’s ‘The Big Over Easy’ too, which is a different lead character.
June 24th, 2007 at 2:16 pm
Thanks for participating Emma and Dave!
July 2nd, 2007 at 3:16 pm
[...] Elisa was reading The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde. You can find out what she though of it here. [...]