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This is one of her Regency romance novels, long out of print, borrowed from the library. I’ve read and liked several of her other works (her mysteries and some of her fantasy), including one of her other romances (also from the library), and wanted to like this one, but could not finish it. I like her writing, was interested in the characters, and was curious how everyone would get their happy endings, but did not like and could not get past most of the characters’ attitudes towards Lady Juliette (the lead). I’ve already returned it, so will have to be vague with names.
Lady Juliette is an only child of a wealthy man; her mother died when she was very young, and her father essentially raised her as his estate agent. She planned to go to London for the Season under the sponsorship of family friends, but they could not go for some reason. She ended up hiring a companion and going anyway, but was not particularly successful despite her fortune; this was probably due to a combination of her hired companion, her personality (very managing), and her clothes. Her maid was her mother’s, and she took her advice on the matter of fashion, resulting in an extremely out-of-date wardrobe in unflattering colors. This was actually my first stumbling block; she does not see much difference between what she wears and what everyone else is wearing, despite the fact that her styles are much more ornate and the colors much brighter. I could accept not caring, but not seeing is a different matter.
The story begins after the Season; Juliette is attending house-parties in an effort to avoid a summons to her great-aunt’s house. The current house has a marriageable son and a hopeful mother, though Juliette and the son are aware of his mother’s hopes but are not interested in each other. The son is very easygoing and not particularly discriminating about his friends; one of his friends (invited to the party) is someone with a deservedly bad reputation (was disowned and decided to ruin himself further). Among the other house-guests are Juliette’s friend Althea, her sister Isobel and their family; Juliette’s cousin Anthony arrives later with instructions to take Juliette to her aunt. The rake meets Juliette while she is out riding, and kisses her; they are surprised to meet again as fellow house-guests. He was not planning on staying more than a night, but decides to stay longer because of her. Complications ensue, mostly due to money and expectations of money and relationships forming occasionally because of those expectations, but mostly despite them.
I was interested in the plot; at the point where I stopped, I didn’t see how any of the projected couples could have ended up with a happy ending. Everyone’s thoughts of Juliette include mention of how ridiculous her wardrobe is or how badly she interacts with people or other negative thoughts (varying from mild to scornful); this was the reason I could not continue. I cannot read or watch things where everyone is mocking the lead behind their back. If it hadn’t been overdue, I might have kept at it longer (a chapter here and there), but I didn’t care enough to renew it. I might try it again some other time, though.
This is the latest in the Thursday Next series; it is set fourteen years after the last one. She is married to Landen, and lives quietly with him and their three children. She supposedly works at Acme Carpets, but is secretly still working for SpecOps, and even more secretly for Jurisfiction; Landen is one of the only people who doesn’t know this. Her oldest son, Friday, is eighteen; he was supposed to have joined the Chronoguard at sixteen (Thursday has met his older self), but did not and is a stereotypical lazy and sullen teenage boy. The end of the world is approaching and only he can save it, apparently.
I was vaguely curious about what happens in this book, but didn’t really care about any of the characters, especially Thursday Next herself. She is the narrator, so this is problematic. Thursday has an apprentice, and spends far too much time explaining the workings of the Bookworld to her; I am glad that Fforde has the mechanics of the world worked out, but I don’t like long infodumps. I didn’t care enough about the plot to get past my indifference to the characters, either. The lying to her husband about her job (for fourteen years?) really bothered me; I was waiting for (but didn’t want to see) the inevitable scene, especially since it seemed like everyone knew and were advising her to tell him.
I loved The Eyre Affair, but have had mixed feelings about the later books. I have them all, but it’s been a while since I read any of them; I do remember that my least favorite before this was the second one (Lost in a Good Book) and know a few people who stopped reading there. I did like the other two better than the second. I think I like the world itself better than any of the characters, and this book (at least as far as I read) wasn’t as much fun as the previous books; it was all Thursday explaining her current situation and the mechanics of the Bookworld and worrying about her son.
I will eventually try this again, maybe after re-reading the others. Part of the reason I didn’t finish it is because I ran out of time: it’s a library book, I didn’t have as much time as I expected to read it, and it’s due and non-renewable (though there are other copies available). I made it about halfway through only because I was out of town and had finished everything else I had. Maybe rereading the others would make me more interested in the characters. I do want to read this someday, and will probably buy it eventually because I have the others and am not ready to give up on the series yet.
Someday I will finish this book; today is not the day. At least I made it to the beginning of the plot this time; unfortunately, it’s due back to the library, and I’m not in the mood to finish it right now. I don’t think I read any of the books I checked out with this one (started the new release but got distracted, never opened the other).
I like what I’ve read of Murakami (adored Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World and liked After Dark; on the other hand, I own but haven’t read Kafka on the Shore (distracted when had library copy, haven’t started mine yet), The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles (wasn’t interested, will try again eventually), and Sputnik Sweetheart (bought used, never opened). I don’t know why I haven’t been able to read this one; this was the second try. I started it, got distracted by Territory, and never picked it back up. Maybe next time will be better; I want to read it, and will probably buy it at some point.
