Something Rotten - Jasper Fford

Thursday Next, Head of JurisFiction and ex-SpecOps agent, returns to her native Swindon accompanied by a child of two, a pair of dodos and Hamlet, who is on a fact-finding mission in the real world. Thursday has been despatched to capture escaped Fictioneer Yorrick Kaine but even so, now seems as good a time as any to retrieve her husband Landen from his state of eradication at the hands of the Chronoguard. It's not going to be easy. Thursday's former colleagues at the department of Literary Detectives want her to investigate a spate of cloned Shakespeares, the Goliath Corporation are planning to switch to a new Faith based corporate management system and the Neanderthals feel she might be the Chosen One who will lead them to genetic self-determination. With help from Hamlet, her uncle and time-travelling father, Thursday faces the toughest adventure of her career. Where is the missing President-for-life George Formby? Why is it imperative for the Swindon Mallets to win the World Croquet League final? And why is it so difficult to find reliable childcare?

Why Read – I have read a previous book of Jasper Fforde and really liked his style and when I saw this in the (charity) shop, I wanted to see if this was on Par.

Japer Fforde is a rather quirky writer. He delves you into a intricate fantasy world. This book is one of the Thursday Next series, where our main character flips between the fiction world and her world. This is such an interesting topic for a story and made the plot rather enjoyable. Bringing familiarity to the story by using famous scenes and characters from popular fiction. Sometimes I do find these styles of books difficult, trying to imagine what is going on and how he is thinking. I found myself getting the gist of the story, but somewhat found it hard to picture fully whats going on.

I read books like this one on a very surface level. Not always being able to understand the depths of the story line. I also found this with his previous works. However despite this I do enjoy his books and the stories he portrays. He is a very witty writer and the stories are usually very colourful. This book is interesting, gripping, and despite you knowing it has to be a happy ending its a very enjoyable read.

Overall I did enjoy this book, I just want to understand it fully on the way that Fforde means you too (maybe this will come with reading it twice). I do think I underestimated the cleverness and wit of this book.