One of Our Thursdays is Missing

A Novel

By: Jasper Fforde

Narrated by: Emily Gray

Length: 11 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's Summary

Deftly blending such genres as mystery, science fiction, and classic literature, Jasper Fforde’s gleefully irreverent New York Times best-selling Thursday Next novels defy categorization. In this sixth installment, the threat of all-out Genre war looms over BookWorld. But with the real Thursday Next retired in the real world, the Council of Genres has no other choice than to tap the fictional Thursday to save the day. Her mission as emissary is to prevent the brewing war—but her task is made more difficult by a hidden foe manipulating events.

©2011 Jasper Fforde (P)2011 Recorded Books, LLC

Not really a Thursday Next book

I went into this book expecting to listen about the Thursday Next that we all have grown to love. Unfortunately for me this book is about an entirely different character (albeit her name is Thursday Next). While I was disappointed to read about the fictional Thursday instead of the "real" Thursday, this book really came together well in the end. The beginning is a bit slow (Jasper Fforde is setting up new characters) but it picks up pace and really comes together in the end. The Narrator does a fantastic job with the voices but the periods between chapters are agonizingly long. As ashamed as I am to say it, I think the Thursday Next series is running out of steam. I continue to enjoy the references to other works of fiction, but there are many reused jokes.

Time to impatiently wait for the next books for the other series.

Didn't Work for Me

I absolutely loved "First Among Sequels", so was looking forward to this. For some reason, the narrator changed her style to leave pauses at the end of every sentence that threw off the pace of the book. I just couldn't get into it. I tried to listen to it, and didn't feel like I was getting anywhere, so I skipped to the second to the last chapter. I didn't hear anything that made me want to go back and finish the rest of the book. Maybe "Next" time...

Not all that I hoped for

I downloaded this book without even reading the description, because I have enjoyed all of the other Thursday books. Sadly aside from a few cameo appearances by Spike, Landon and Commander Bradshaw, NONE of my favorite characters appear - no Cheshire Cat, no Stigg, no anybody! After I got over the lack of all I have come to love and expect of this series, I was able to enjoy the book, though Thursday 5 is such a ditherer at the start tnat I nearly put the book down! Overall, not a bad read, but I was hopeful of so much more.

Nice return to the BookWorld

I love Jasper Fforde's books, and buy them as soon as they come out, for the most part, but I wasn't sure about this one. The last TN book wasn't quite as fun for me - Thursday has gotten a bit too good at what she does and cynical about life, I enjoyed her more when she was having to discover everything about the BookWorld and motherhood and such.

However - this story was a great return. The Written Thursday was great - a nice return to the feeling of discovery the first books had. W.Thursday was fallible, made rookie style mistakes and all the other things that were endearing about younger Thursday.

*Possible Spoiler*

I'm still a touch disappointed that Fforde didn't pick up the Sherlock Holmes/Temperance Brennan series hook he laid down at the end of First Among Sequels. I thought that had promise. Maybe he'll pick it up again later with the Real Thursday. One can only hope. :)

Delightful Irreverence Not Quite Enough

I love the political commentary and irreverence presented in these novels. The characters are highly entertaining. Fforde has an unusually gifted imagination and must be remarkably well-read given the wide variety of literary references. However, I found this one to be just a little too much in that I wish there were fewer storylines happening at the same time. I found it a little hard to remain concentrated throughout the story.

(Please note that I have (accidentally) read these books out of order, and read this one second. I likely ended up a little more easily confused than the true series aficionados.)

The narrator is wonderful. I even went in search of other books she had narrated, I liked her so much.

OK

I think I would have enjoyed this book a whole lot more if it were read by Elizabeth Sastra. Emily Gray does NOT fill her shoes.

GREAT book. TERRIBLE narration

I'm a big fan of Jasper Fforde & the Thursday Next series. I really enjoyed the book, but the purpose of this review is to comment on the narration. The narrator can't do voices at all, in particular male voices. The voice of Landen, one of the most important characters in the book, is done in a dull monotone, which doesn't even sound human. It's difficult to imagine the main character in love with him. Other male voices are done in a similar slooooow, deeeep voice which is more distracting than anything else. Plus there are careless mistakes, where she uses the wrong voice, or stays in character when she shouldn't, or vice versa. But I guess that's an editing problem. I had to buy a print copy because I couldn't stand it any more. My plan had been to buy all the books in the series on audio, but I won't buy anything else from this narrator.

I love Jasper Fforde

What made the experience of listening to One of Our Thursdays is Missing the most enjoyable?

The narrator is amazing. I love her and her lovely English accent. I also love the pithy and literary humor. It is very amusing for an avid reader.

What did you like best about this story?

It is a very creative story and actually sort of how I have always viewed books, as a different, parrallel universe where the characters are actually alive and living their own lives when not acting in their book as it is being read. I love the idea that there are people who can jump in and out of the world.

What about Emily Gray’s performance did you like?

She is amazing. One of the best.

Who was the most memorable character of One of Our Thursdays is Missing and why?

I love all of the characters. Of course I love Thursday and her gram. I also always love her father jumping in and out of her life asking her bizarre questions about historical timeline. I also loved Pickwick in this story.

Any additional comments?

Jasper Fforde needs to write more books faster! I love this series and the Jack Spratt Nursery Crimes series. He is one of my favorites.

So fun

The Thursday Next series is a fun reinvention of literature. Using their original voices, Jasper Fforde shows us the classics as we have never envisioned them, and it works out fantastically. As always, Emily Gray is brilliant.

Can't get enough

I love this series and I love everything by Fforde! It makes me laugh and it's honestly too bad the rest of my family just doesn't get it :) Great read - good twists and I can't wait for more.