The Eyre Affair

The Eyre Affair is the first published novel by English author Jasper Fforde. It takes place in alternative 1985, where literary detective Thursday Next pursues a master criminal through the world of Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre.

Thursday Next works as part of a Special Operations Network that was created to “handle policing duties considered either to unusual or too specialized to be tackled by the regular force”.

She inhabits an entire alternative world which mixes low-tech, such as travel by airship with high-tech, such as cloning and time travel. Literature seems to be the opium of the masses, a national passion and it has taken the place of activities such as sport.

As such The Eyre Affair Fforde is a humorous postmodern reworking of well know works of literature. It also mingles in versions of historical events, such as The Crimean War. It spans genres such as fantasy, sci-fi, crime, horror, romance, thriller, you name it really. This genre hopping may be off putting for some people but I didn't mind it as such.

It has been described as “Monty Python crossed with Terry Pratchett, or J.K. Rowling mixed with Douglas Adams.” And I think this is a fair description. The book is whimsical and off beat. But it's imaginative and the implied references to famous works is illuminating. But you don't need to be an authority on these referenced books to enjoy the story. If I read The Eyre Affair again I would try to list out the links to other novels or places and research them. By doing this then it would add some texture and depth to the plot.

Fforde's writing style is eccentric and whimsical, but I loved it. This book was something different and was a great first novel, if a little rough around the edges. At times certain parts of the story required re-reading to ensure that the plot was clear. Also, his descriptions of places were slightly too shallow. This meant that visualising settings was sometimes difficult. Also the character point of views seem to get a little muddled at times. But it's all good fun, and educational too.

I'll continue to read the series as I don't often find a book that is as original as The Eyre Affair. If can manage to suspend your belief and use your imagination then you'll enjoy this book. A great start by Fforde; I hope the books in the ongoing series can at least match, if not improve on it.