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Review title: Likes itself too much
Product review: As a flight of fancy this book has plenty of spirit, but for me its cleverness and self-conscious whimsy became a little cloying after a while. The characterization is weak, and, if you take a step back from the story for a day or two, the mass of ideas becomes instantly idigestible. The style also conveys a certain authorial smugness, which, once noticed, becomes annoying. A nice try, but ultimately unsatisfying. If Fforde is truly brave he will do something totally different next time - dare I say, something more conventional? But I expect publisher pressure will ensure more of the same - only probably not as good.
