Journal Entry 1 by pinkozcat from Claremont, Western Australia Australia on Friday, February 19, 2010

The blurb:

"It's Britain, but not as we know it. Entire cities lie buried beneath moorland. Echoes of lost technology pepper the landscape, and there is evidence of conflict in abundance.

Democracy has been replaced by a Colourtocracy. Visual colour dominates society, from the feed-pipes that keep the municipal park green to the healing hues you view to cure illness, to a social hierarchy based upon one's limited colour vision. You are what you can see.

Eddie Russett has no ambition to be anything other than a loyal drone of the collective. With his better-than-average Red perception, he could marry an Oxblood, inherit the Stringworks, maybe even make prefect.

But then he moves to East Carmine and falls in love with a Grey named Jane who opens his eyes to the painful truth behind his seemingly perfect society.

Where have all the spoons gone?

What happened to all the people who never returned from High Saffron?

And why, when you begin to question the world around you, do black and white certainties reduce themselves to shades of grey?"

 

Journal Entry 2 by pinkozcat from Claremont, Western Australia Australia on Friday, February 26, 2010

A rather strange book in which society is graded into which colours people can see. The 'greys' are the lowest on the scale and the 'purples' are the aristocracy. Marriages, or at least conception, is totally run by efforts to improve the colour perception of one's children.

It took me some time to get my mind around this concept; but there is more to come ...

This book is the first of a trilogy. Books two and three are:

Shades of Grey - Painting by Numbers
and
Shades of Grey - The Gordini Protocols

I'm not sure if I really want to read them; but I probably will. 

Journal Entry 3 by pinkozcat at Cottesloe, Western Australia Australia on Monday, March 15, 2010

Released 2 yrs ago (3/15/2010 UTC) at Cottesloe, Western Australia Australia

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Posting this book to a bookcrosser who has it on her wishlist. Enjoy ... :) 

Journal Entry 4 by crimson-tide from Balingup, Western Australia Australia on Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Oh wow! Thanks very much for the rabck pinkozcat.
It certainly looks interesting, and different from his others. 

Journal Entry 5 by crimson-tide at Balingup, Western Australia Australia on Tuesday, November 09, 2010

Reserved for jennymidget as part of the Make Me Read It - Australia Only relay. 

Journal Entry 6 by crimson-tide at Balingup, Western Australia Australia on Thursday, January 06, 2011

Found this an immensely enjoyable read. It's imaginative, clever, quirky, a highly original concept, and the complex world building is done very well. There is much humour in Jasper Fforde's writing but as the action picks up in the latter part of the book, the 'silliness' is replaced by exploration of more serious questions; even venturing a little onto the 'dark' side in this highly regulated society where all is not as it appears.

I loved the way that information about the Colourtocracy and the Rules emerge slowly as the book progresses, and with it our understanding of the whole system and society. And we learn about the variations and peculiarities of East Carmine as Eddie does. Some scenarios at the conclusion were unexpected, but of course while threatening were not fully resolved, so certainly they set the scene for the two follow up novels. I'll certainly be looking out for them.

The other member of the household now wants to read it - won't take too long - before I send it off to jennymidget.
 

Journal Entry 7 by crimson-tide at Balingup, Western Australia Australia on Monday, January 17, 2011

Released 1 yr ago (1/19/2011 UTC) at Balingup, Western Australia Australia

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Finally off to jennymidget as part of the "Make Me Read It - Australia Only" relay.
Enjoy! 

Journal Entry 8 by jennymidget at Bellbowrie, Queensland Australia on Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Arrived in the mail yesterday - and hubby's already pinched it and read it!
Thanks crimson-tide - apparently it's fantastic! 

Journal Entry 9 by jennymidget at Bellbowrie, Queensland Australia on Sunday, April 24, 2011

Fascinating and fantastic - I love a good utopian/dystopian futuristic society, and Fforde has crafted a wonderfully complete and complex one here. Wryly amusing and clever in its internal mystery, I'm looking forward to more!

Off to May Southern Cross lucky reader!  

Journal Entry 10 by catsalive at Rooty Hill, New South Wales Australia on Wednesday, May 04, 2011

Lovely wishlist book. Thanks jennymidget.