Metaliterature

So, maybe metaliterature isn't really a word, and maybe it isn't what I mean anyway, but meta seems to be the thing, so how could I pass up the chance to metafy?

This week, I finished reading The Eyre Affair, by Jasper Fforde. It's a good read. Not a "can't put it down" book, because I could put it down, but it did crowd out some other things I was reading, which I think makes it a compelling read at the very least, although I'm not sure I'd describe it as compelling in the connotative sense of the word. But, I'm getting ahead of myself.

First, the biography of this book.
Genre: novel, sci-fi/alternate history, female protagonist, bit of a love story as a secondary plot, mystery/detective fiction.
Main character: Thursday Next
Setting: England, 1985
Premise: Time travel is a given, and this has interesting consequences on history and on literature. Then someone figures out how to travel into literature, and how to bring fictional characters into reality. Villain threatens to destroy famous piece of literature, and heroine's job is to stop him.

What really stands out about this book is the premise. What if we could travel into fiction and bring fictional characters into reality. The writing is good (it's not Dickens or Austen or anything, but it's good writing), the characters are likeable enough (although somehow I never feel like I really know Thursday Next. I think her dad is pretty fantastic, though. This may not be your experience though--who knows why I didn't connect with the main character). I will say that it helps to be familiar with the plot of Jane Eyre, and this may be part of why I felt a bit distant from the characters. I have read Jane Eyre, but it has been a long time, and I'm not extremely familiar with the plot or the characters. So when Rochester takes on a behind the scenes personality, I don't know how congruous it is with his character in the novel. You can get by with a vague idea of the plot, but I recommend brushing up on it. I think it would have improved the reading experience.

Like I say, though, what really snagged me was the premise. The idea behind the book is pretty original, and the author does a good job of not ruining a good plot idea. Nothing is so sad as a great plot with poor execution. (I myself am an idea person, but not necessarily an idea executioner, so I appreciate people who can take a good idea and make it the best it can be). I think it's an idea that can go a thousand directions, and I never would have predicted this particular direction, but I was intrigued and enjoyed it.

The premise also led the book to be literature about literature itself, although not in an analytical or academic way. There are continuous discussions by the characters about the true author of Shakespeare's plays and various poets and novels and so on, which possibly makes the book read like this blog--the author's opinion on various literary works. This thread is in and of itself an interesting thing to consider (and it reminds me of Don Quixote, which I should review at some point. Fantastic literature, that.) It's fairly overt metaliterature, so be warned if that kind of thing bugs you. But on the whole, it's just good light reading, and I'm planning on reading more Thursday Next novels.

And is it just me, or does Jasper Fforde kind of vaguely remind anyone else of Daniel Craig?