This one came out a decade ago, but, I didn't bother because it's sold in the children's section (not even the YA). I finally got around to buying it when The Troll War book came out this year (book 4 of this series) and I decided I might as well ch3eck them out.
I wish I'd bought it all those years back. This is every bit as strange, silly and funny as any of his books for grown ups. the only difference is that the lead character is a 15 year old girl.
This is set in the Kingdom of Hereford in the UnUnited Kingdoms of Great Britain in an alternate version of 2010.
Magic is going out of fashion with the rise of technology. A wizard can't cast even the smallest of spells without having to sign a mountain of paperwork (or face dire consequences).
Jennifer Strange, the narrator, is acting manager of one of the few wizarding emporiums left in the UUK. When all the precogs suddenly have the same vision, that the last dragon, who lives in its own allocated lands between Hereford and Brecon, is going to be slain on Sunday, around lunchtime, Jennifer's life is about to take a turn for the interesting.
As with all his other books, his worldbuilding is top notch. Even though this is supposedly aimed at younger readers, he hasn't slacked in the slightest on his plotting, or his biting social commentary. This is a really tightly plotted and well conceived storyline. You need to pay attention since a throwaway line early on could easily come back as a major plot detail. he slots the pieces of the story in brilliantly.
Who is playing who? Which of the characters lying to her is lying the most? And what do they have to gain? Who can Jennifer trust, if anyone? Why does she have to be the chosen one? She has nothing special about her. She's an foundling orphan, indentured to the wizarding business until her 18th birthday. She has no powers. just a sense of right and wrong. That's not enough in a world where the fate of magic itself might rest on the events of Sunday lunchtime.
It's laugh out loud funny throughout. The humour is surreal, punny, very clever in places, and deeply satirical of corporate greed.
The Chosen One plotline is nicely subverted and played differently than I've seen it play out before. I genuinely had no idea how he was going to pull the plot threads together in the final chapters, and I was deeply satisfied with the results (and this in a "Children's book").
I recommend you check out his website too. Jasper Fforde.com : Grand Central
It's easily the best author website I've experienced.
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