So I read the next Thursday Next book, and didn't feel like writing a blog post, so I started the NEXT Next book, and finished it as well. They're awesome, as usual. A few people complain that Fforde is all over the place, and introduces too many different plot points. Dude, he totally does that. Every other page something new and weird is happening, but that's not necessarily a bad thing! I'm, like, 4 books in and I'm still not sick of it.
Lost in a Good Book I'm not doing a long recap or critique because I'm tired. I'm forcing myself to write this stuff tonight because I still have this blog nagging at me to list every book I read. So, here's my problem with this book: Thursday is introduced to Jurisfiction--the police force WITHIN THE WORLD OF BOOKS--and is chosen as an apprentice under Miss Havisham (yes, that one). The BookWorld is basically a magical place where characters can jump at will into other books, or even into the real world. Why wasn't ANY of this mentioned in the previous book? Rochester and Thursday had many long talks when she was trying to save the book from Acheron Hades, and he never once asked if they needed backup from ANY OTHER CHARACTER IN FICTION. Or offered to help Thursday escape the book. It was stated several times that being trapped in the book forever was a real possibility. Also while reading this book Thursday goes to visit Granny Next, and tells her about her husband's eradication, and Gran reveals that HER husband was also eradicated, but she did get him back. I remember thinking that the women in this family have the absolute worst luck.
Then along comes Well of Lost Plots. Thursday decides to live in the book world at the end of the previous book to hide from Goliath thugs and a warrant out for her arrest from SpecOps, and to try to come up with a get-my-husband back plan. Also--she's pregnant! And she's still working for Jurisfiction. She starts to forget her husband, thanks to Hades' sister Aornis who has special memory-altering powers so strong that even the MEMORY of her can do damage in your mind. Granny Next moves in with her to help her retain her memories and defeat Aornis. In Thursday's home-book, an unpublished novel, the story is crap and they're in danger of getting demolished, but by the end of the book Thursday is head of Jurisfiction and figures out a way to save the book: she turns a hacky police novel into a nursery rhyme/police story crossover. (which is a very cute way to reference one of Fforde's other books--the Nursery Crime books)
After that I read Something Rotten. Two years have passed. She's had her baby, a boy named Friday. She decides to move back to the real world. A whole bunch of shit happens! It's all very entertaining! I've written too much already!!! BUT GUESS WHAT. She gets Landen back. And also, Granny Next is not who we think she is I'M TOTALLY GOING TO SPOIL IT she's actually Thursday herself!! Thursday is the daughter and mother of members of the Chronoguard, so it looks like in her old age she got one of her time travelling family members to take her to Thursday's time to guide her during these troubling times. My gripe with this book: we see glimpses of what Thursday did as Jurisfiction head that make us totally wanna read a book about THAT time period. She dies, also. Spoiler alert. She totally goes to the afterlife. Obviously not for long.
Last thing I want to talk about: Stephen King/Richard Bachmann--The Long Walk. My best friend Book Radio has been playing this when I drive between jobs. I read it, but a very long time ago, and I am enjoying the shit out of it now.
