Archive for 'Fforde, Jasper'
The Fourth Bear by Jasper Fforde
ISBN 0-670-03772-9
Reviewing The Fourth Bear solely as a mystery is hard – it has so much of everything in it. The Fourth Bear is a Nursery Crime book by Fforde and features detectives Jack Spratt and Mary Mary. They are investigating the disappearance and subsequent death of Goldilocks and trying to determine if her death is related to an unusual story she was researching just before she disappeared.
The three bears make an appearance, of course, as does the violent Gingerbread man (who has escaped from his asylum), Punch and Judy, and a truly horrifying character named the Great Long Red-Legg’d Scissor-man who cuts off thumbs if children suck on them. Makes me want to sit on my hands!
But with all these interesting side trips, there is still a good mystery underneath it all. Although Jack Spratt and Mary Mary are PDRs (Persons of Dubious Reality), they are believable as detectives and take their jobs seriously and their investigation proceeds apace. And Jack’s problems at home (Punch and Judy have moved in next door and he has to tell his wife that he isn’t REAL) and Mary’s love life issues are treated much as they would be with any book protagonist.
Favorite character? A tough question. Ashley the alien is right up there. Did I guess it? Some of it. Will I read another? Definitely.
Mystery Book Reviews by Liz at http://reviewedbyliz.com ©2007
Posted: March 5th, 2007 under Fforde, Jasper, Reviews by Author.
Comments: none
The Well of Lost Plots by Jasper Fforde
ISBN 0-14-303435-9
Every once in a while, I get a book that is hard to describe. The well of Lost Plots is one of them. It is a mystery, but it is also sort of science fiction/fantasy. It is also really good and I am going to order the previous two books in the series immediately.
Our heroine, Thursday Next, is hiding in The Well of Lost Plots, a part of Bookworld, where books are created. Bookworld is a dynamic and dangerous place – books, characters, and words change according to circumstances and problems ensue. Thursday is a member of Jurisfiction, which polices this odd world and sorts out problems. What kind of problems? Stolen punctuation, striking nursery rhyme characters, and black market plot devices are just a few of the crimes confronting Thursday.
This book is a lark, but it is also great literary fun. Characters and plots from classic literature, children’s books, science fiction, romance, and mysteries are woven into the book. While this might seem to exclude people who aren’t widely read, Fforde has included enough description to keep the reader from being completely at sea. For example, Jurisfiction staff Beatrice and Benedict are never revealed to be the main characters in Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, but Fforde shows them constantly sniping at each other, which is all that is required of these minor characters in this story. Other references are more subtle. One character reminisces about past jobs, including being god-emperor of the universe for a day – while there are probably other god-emperors I have missed, I took this as a reference to Frank Herbert’s Dune series.
The one drawback that I see with this book is that you are dumped into Bookworld without enough information. This is frustrating in the beginning, but keep going at it and and all be explained. Better yet, start at the beginning with book one and get up to speed.
Favorite character? I loved them all. Did I guess it? No. Will I read another? As soon as possible.
Mystery Book Reviews by Liz at http://reviewedbyliz.com ©2007
Posted: February 3rd, 2007 under Fforde, Jasper, Reviews by Author.
Comments: 1