Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Lay Away Book Special: The English way

Aside from a few moments where I couldn't help but roll my eyes (a character named "Jack Schitt" being one of them and gene splicer's licenses being "splicenses" being another), the Eyre Affair continues to be interesting. Fforde is very English in his style, and so some of the puns and turns of phrase are inevitable, but another thing has made itself apparent. There is a great deal of description.

As each room is entered, or every new scene begun, we get a quick rundown of what's in it. This grounds you as a reader, and helps to add some colour to the world, but often comes off as unnecessary. Its extraneous quality may well be why I noticed it in the first place. It's a pleasant enough thing to notice, but these descriptions are coming close to pulling me from the story. Too close.

The werewolf that Staker (or should it be "Stoker," as it is on page 84?) had arrested before he picked up Thursday is a nice touch, but I'm sure his bit part will later expand. Thursday shared her belief that Acheron Hades isn't dead with Staker after all, and only because she thought no one else was present to hear it. Inevitably that werewolf will return, English writing demands it. Though, with any luck, he won't return as a mere informant.

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