Jasper Fforde Talk

Jasper Fforde will be talking about his latest book Red Side Story the sequel to Shades of Grey (No, not that book – that was called 50 Shades of Grey!).

In the new book the action simply carries on a couple of weeks where Shades of Grey ended. This is how it opens:

“My name is Eddie Russett, but only for another one hour and nine minutes. After my negotiated marriage to Violet I will take on the prestigiously dynastic surname of deMauve, but within seventy-two hours I find out that I am not Eddie Russett at all, but HE-315-PJ7A(M). Three days after momentarily becoming Russett again I reluctantly become Mr Hollyberry before quickly reverting to the name of deMauve, but less than forty-eight hours after that I decide to dispense with a colour based name entirely.

There is jeopardy, too: Jane and I almost catch the Mildew, a group of Yellows try to kill us and the ever-present Green Room beckons us toward its soporifically deadly charms. We also meet a Tinman, a Riffraff and have an encounter with an Angel who tries to kill us three times.

But it’s not all bad. At least Jane and I get to figure out the riddle of existence. Not the riddle, I should add, just ours, and we also learn there is a literal truth to the adage that you can’t go home…”

Jasper will also be chatting about his love of Wales, Dodos, old cars, aeroplanes, photography and what makes a really good tree.