PissWeakly Reviews: Something Rotten / Jasper Fforde

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Something Rotten / Jasper Fforde

Something Rotten

(Thursday Next #4)

by Jasper Fforde

humour, fantasy

read in November 2019

rated 7/10: well worth reading

An enjoyable romp through time and literature. So many references -- clever & funny references -- to "the classics". And to history. As I'm reading I would think, Is that a reference to..., then I'd look it up... and enjoy it even more. Though it's possible that other readers would see much of it as vaguely insulting "insider humour".

Much of the humour stands by itself but a lot depends on some knowledge of literature. Some, I could see. Other jokes I needed to research. Some humour I simply thought, That's probably a reference to... something... and I was satisfied.

I enjoy this book for its cleverness. For its assumption of shared knowledge, reader and author. Even when I know that I miss the point -- I enjoy the knowledge that there is a point to be missed.

Most of the plot is literary. There is also a major sub-plot based on time travel. So casual in its acceptance of anachronism, paradox and sheer unlikelihood that I would not dream of calling it "science fiction". There are science fiction ideas -- as a basis for a very funny fantasy romp.

This book is fourth of a series, it may be read alone. Characters and situations are well introduced and the conclusion is very... concluding? There is a lot more material for future books yet plots in this book are well and truly wrapped up.

My only complaint with this book is due to its complexity: it feels like a series of independent scenes tacked together. There is so much going on, it is hard to believe that each scene adds to the plot. And yet... at the end... it all seems to come together.

This is a clever and enjoyable book. Weird science, unbelievable fantasy, intelligent (and unintelligent!) humour. Well worth reading. And well worth reading other books in the series.