The basic premise is that there is a 'Bookworld", where all written characters are real, and whenever someone in our world reads a book, the bookworld characters basically perform the book. There is an interface between the bookworld and the reader, which renders the story to you. In Bookworld, shenanigans happen. In the first book in the series, "The Eyre Affair", someone breaks into "Jane Eyre" and kidnaps Jane. Since "Jane Eyre" is written in first person, suddenly the story becomes empty and quite boring to those reading it. Since without Jane, there is no story. Thursday Next, via her uncle Mycroft, learns how to leap into Bookworld, and does so to find Jane and set the book right again. Or does she?
Confused? Most are, but when you read it, it becomes clear. Or, clearer, at least.
Thursday's adventures continued through 4 more books following "The Eyre Affair", and now we have book #6. Let's see... The real Thursday Next is missing. Since there have been 5 books written about TN, there are 5 fictional versions of TN, and now there's a 6th, since this is the 6th book. TN6 (the written 6th Thursday) must solve the mystery of the real missing Thursday.
Jasper Fforde appeared at a booksigning event here in Kansas City on March 17th. He is a tremendously entertaining author. He is witty, engaging, and welcomes questions of all sorts from the audience. During signing, he is very generous with conversation and chit-chat.
If you have never read anything by Jasper Fforde, I encourage you to get "The Eyre Affair". You'll soon be devouring the rest of the series.
