The problem with this comic/detective/science fiction/alternate reality/romance/literature referencing novel is that the author took all these excellent ingredients, mixed them together, and created a bland mush. The saving features are that the basic premise is pretty nifty (though not original), and the book can be read very quickly.
The nifty plot device is that a new invention makes it possible for a reader to actually insert himself into the world of the original manuscript of a book and kidnap or kill one of the characters, thus changing the text of the novel for all time in all subsequent copies. I just wish the author had been able to make better use of his scenario.
Throughout, Fforde tries desperately to be wacky and funny, only periodically succeeding. He gives his characters funny names: the hero detective is Thursday Next; the arch villain is Acheron Hades; there are characters named Paige Turner, Jack Schitt, Braxton Hicks, and even Millon de Floss (Mill on the Floss, get it? haha.) He includes a bit of word play and quite a few ludicrous situations, but I can think of several humorous writers who are capable of doing better (Douglas Adams, Terry Pratchett, Connie Willis, for example), and I don't even read much in that genre.
I did like the idea of a world where everyone is passionate about literature, so that millions of dollars of ransom money would be paid to keep the character Jane Eyre from being killed off.
This is not a book to hate, or even actively dislike. It's just not very tasty.
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