The Constant Rabbit - Jasper Fforde - 2.5 stars

[Robin P]

I loved the Thursday Next series by this author, but I found this book tiring. The idea is that rabbit suddenly grew to human size and had human abilities of language, reasoning, hobbies, etc. (though they still ate vegan food and enjoyed bouncing, as well as many sex partners.) After a short time, humans realize that with their rapid reproduction, rabbits will outnumber them. Overt hate groups and subtle political campaigns develop to restrict, surveil, and even eliminate the rabbits. The hero is a "spotter", that is one of the few humans who can tell rabbits apart so he works for an agency that polices rabbits. Yet he has fond memories of his college friend Connie, a rabbit. When she and her family move next door, sparks fly in both emotional and political circles.

The satire of racism, government bureaucracy, popular culture and even old movies is very broad and I got tired of it quickly. It seemed to go on a long time.

[KateNZ]

I have this on my Subdue shelf and might get to it. I’d started it before but hadn’t got far - it wasn’t grabbing me at all and I wasn’t in the mood. It sounds like it might not improve, which is a shame.

I do love the Thursday Next books and ‘Shades of Grey’ (not to be confused with the other of a similar name!!) is on my all-time favourites list - crazily inventive. I also love the Nursery Crimes series, and I even finally enjoyed ‘Early Riser’ though it took me a long while to get into it, and it never quite clicked in the same way as the others. The man has the most wonderful imagination though. I saw him at a Readers and Writers Week gig a few years back and he was both entertaining and thoughtful

[NancyJ]

Robin P wrote: "I loved the Thursday Next series by this author, but I found this book tiring. The idea is that rabbit suddenly grew to human size and had human abilities of language, reasoning, hobbies, etc. (tho..."

Oh, I'm sorry you didn't like it. I thought it was very creative. I also remember it as having a hyperactive energy too (maybe it was all that bouncing), so that can be tiring. I borrowed a copy of the first Thursday Next book last year but the timing was bad and I didn't get past the first few pages.

[KateNZ]

I think you’ll enjoy ‘The Eyre Affair’, Nancy :)

The thing about Jasper Fforde is that you just have to go with it, dive in, and accept that the way things work will probably become clearer as you go along. He unapologetically drops you straight into the world that he’s fully imagined, with no explanation or map, and because that world is so novel, you’ve got no other frame of reference to help you navigate. So clever. I love that sense of disorientation. And things generally (though not always) start to come right.

[Robin P]

KateNZ wrote: "I think you’ll enjoy ‘The Eyre Affair’, Nancy :)

The thing about Jasper Fforde is that you just have to go with it, dive in, and accept that the way things work will probably become clearer as yo..."

That wasn't the problem for me. If anything, he explained too much and was too obvious for my taste.

[KateNZ]

I think you’ve nailed it Robin - that might have been what was bugging me too

[Theresa]

I agree that he is incredibly imaginative and until I read Tamsyn Muir was on a lofty author pedestal all alone in my estimation. Both require the reader to just let go and freefall into and through the book. You emerge windblown and dazed, saying "what the HELL was that?!" Smiling ear to ear.

I am behind though. Last I read after Thursday Next and Nrsery Crimes is Shades of Grey which I was lukewarm about.

[Mary]

It did take me two tries to get into this one but I ended up really enjoying it. I think Early Riser was more of a page-turner but less memorable somehow. Mostly I'm just excited that we're finally getting a Shades of Grey sequel this year!