Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde, 390 pagesBefore I get started, I want to say that describing any Jasper Fforde novel is ridiculously hard to do, and Shades of Grey is probably the most difficult. It's also the most difficult to understand. So, if, as you read this review, you find yourself getting frustrated, confused, or ready to punch through the screen of the device upon which you are reading this, take a deep breath, realize how much that would hurt, and know that you are not alone. I am certain to confuse myself while writing this. I feel your pain.
Shades of Grey is set in a dystopian caste-based world where people can only see one color; the rest of the world exists in shades of grey. The better you can perceive that one color, the higher up you are in your caste (someone who picks up 95% of yellow is infinitely better than someone who can see only a measly 15%). And then the colors are ranked according to the classic rainbow mnemonic ROY G BIV, with purples/violets at the top and reds about as low as you can get without being a worker-bee nonentity, AKA a Grey.
As with any world like this, there are lots of hard and fast rules, many of which don't make sense, and our protagonist, Eddie Russett (a Red), is just curious enough and just enough of a troublemaker to earn a "needs humility" assignment to a rural community. Once there, he further pushes the boundaries and makes himself some frightful enemies of the village leaders and the policing Yellows.
Like any of Fforde's worlds, this one is a strange strange land, filled with odd creatures, weird customs, and some wonderfully wild notions. I love this book; I've read it before, and I can't even describe my frustration that the long-promised sequels are still sitting in Fforde's brain, or a drawer somewhere. If you're a fan of Fforde's work, by all means, give this one a go. But if you've never read Fforde, don't start here. Try the Thursday Next series or the Nursery Crime books before you dive into the world of Eddie Russett.
I disagree with several parts of this review! *gauntlet thrown*
ReplyDeleteFirst off, I don't think this review was confusing at all. Also I did not once feel the desire to punch the monitor (also that would probably get me fired). And also still, I find it highly unlikely that you confused yourself, because I am kind of an idiot, and even I wasn't confused!
I also disagree that this shouldn't be your first Fforde novel. I've never been all that interested in his Thursday Next or Nursery Crime books, yet I absolutely adore Shades of Grey.
Also notable is that the audiobook (that we have at SLPL) is fantastic, and well worth a listen.