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jules60657's review against another edition
2.0
Loved the premise, but there was way too much sci-fi jargon that had me wondering (too much) what was being referenced.
technicallybasic's review against another edition
5.0
It was an unexpected adventure that reminded me of the infinite jest in some ways and Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy in others. Really enjoyed the British humor and way of processing events.
klenarto's review against another edition
2.0
Didn't finish, got to page 40. Got an extra star for the premise. You get thrown into this dystopian world too hard, too fast with too much stuff going on; every paragraph or so ended with me in confusion on what I just read and why it needed to be written in the first place.
michelleneer's review against another edition
4.0
This book is everything you expect from Fforde which means it is absurdist, allegorical, and every sentence has something witty to say. I give it 4 stars because I loved it by the end- however, it was 3 stars for most of the book. It took the main plot too long to get started (almost halfway through book) as it was trying to give us time to understand the rules of the complex parallel universe he created. Not a great intro book for those that never read Fforde before, but if you’ve loved his previous works, you’ll find it pays out.
trr3656's review against another edition
4.0
Really fun and quirky, it’s a bit slow in the middle, as usual it could be about 75 pages shorter.
purplepeanutbutterpants's review against another edition
Terrible book - author tries too hard to be witty and clever and efforts at humor are not funny
stephs1's review against another edition
4.0
I always enjoy a Jasper Fforde book and while this doesn't top the Thursday Next series for me it was a delight to read. As someone who revels in winter I love his depiction of the season and of Charlie Worthing's adventures in the months that most sleep through.
jumpin_bumpin's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
collinaj's review against another edition
medium-paced
2.75
This is probably my least favorite book of all of the author's. The plot twists seemed too obvious. It took too long to get into and understand the rules of the world. I know it's an absurdist fantasy, but the magical elements still seemed weird and a little much to me.