One star off of fabulous, because it's slow to get going. Fforde has written a book starring the written version of Next, and she's less adventurous, less brave, less quick, less sexy, and much more dignified than the Real Next. By taking her out of her own book and giving her some detective work, her gradually builds her up until her depth rivals that of her Real equivalent. Maybe she is the Real Next? We don't spend much time in the Real world, but the hours there are loaded with events, and the time in the Book World is made richer thereafter.

Fforde has created two marvelously rich worlds. I can happily wallow in them for hours.

Library copy