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1. Thursday's grandmother says she cannot die until she has read the ten most boring classics ever written. What do you think those are?

2. What sort of impact would the discovery of a long-lost play by Shakespeare make in Thursday's book-loving world? What kind of impact would it make in our world? What kind of discovery would make an equivalent impact in our world, if not the discovery of a Shakespearean play?

3. Aornis Hades is both a mnemonomorph memory eraser and a coincidence manipulator. With the former, she erases memory; with the latter, she murders people. Which is the more dangerous characteristic? Which act does the most harm to a person? Which act has the most impact on Thursday's life?

4. Destiny plays an important role in the first novel and coincidence plays an important role in this one. How does Fforde define a coincidence? How do coincidences relate to destiny in a world where time travel is a reality? How would you define a coincidence?

5. Thursday jumps into books, but she also visits Landen in her memories. Which world is more palpable for you, the world created when you can lose yourself in a book or the world of memory? Which world would you rather be able to jump back into?

6. Thursday manages to outwit the prosecutor in a trial that takes place in Kafka's novel. What other fictional courts could she have gone before? What would be the best case to argue in the other fictional trials?

7. Thursday's father says, "Scientific thought, indeed, any mode of thought whether it be religious or philosophical or anything else, is just like the fashions that we wear—only much longer-lived. It's a little like a boy band." What does he mean by this? Do you agree or disagree? Do you think it's possible to have the scientific thought equivalent to the "boy band so good that you never need another boy band again—or even any more music"?

8. The Neanderthals are interesting new characters in the second book. How would Neanderthal clones be received in our world? Do you think it would be ethical to reintroduce extinct species like the dodo and the Neanderthal in our world? Why or why not?

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"[A]n analogue of Harry Potter just for, adults…effortlessly readable and unashamedly escapist…. [A]n immensely enjoy able, almost compulsive experience."

—The New York Times Book Review

"Fforde [has a] head-spinning narrative agility. His novel is satire, fantasy, literary criticism, thriller, whodunit, game, puzzle, joke, postmodern prank and tilt-a-whirl. Okay, maybe Lost in a Good Book is a creature with more than the usual number of feet. But it's exceptionally light on all of them…[Fforde] is irrepressible good company"

—The Washington Post

"Enchanting…a tale to savor. Harry Potter fans outgrowing Hogwarts should dive in."

—People

"Lost [ in a Good Book] is even more richly crammed with jokes, ideas and action. Brainier silliness is hard to find. A-."

—Entertainment Weekly

"Car chases, missing husbands, evil villains, a plucky heroine, and the Cheshire Cat. Jasper Fforde's latest is mystery at its most fun—with a sci-fi twist."

—Marie Claire

"A joyful read, full of puns, allusions, and sheer fun. Highly recommended."

—Library Journal

"Time flies—and leaps and zigzags—while reading this wickedly funny and clever fantasy. Would-be wordsmiths and mystery fans will find the surreal genre-buster irresistible."

—Publishers Weekly

"Just what the doctor ordered now, in a world under the shadow of war, at the tail end of a long, cold winter…Lost in a Good Book resembles whipped cream—as sweet and light as the promise of spring."

—Salon.com

"Entertainingly surreal. Perhaps even more clever than its predecessor [The Eyre Affair], the new story offers a plot stuffed with enough coincidences and characters to make Dickens proud."

—Orlando Sentinel

"The book-jumping high jinks continue in Fforde's equally whimsical Lost in a Good Book… its mix of surrealism, satire and adventure proves to be totally absorbing."

—Time Out New York

"Fforde's wicked sense of humor and wide-ranging intelligence make every page a joy."

—The New Orleans Times-Picayune

"Fforde packs Lost in a Good Book to the rafters with sophisticated literary allusions, numerous interweaving subplots and wildly imaginative details. It's obvious from the way he leaves things that Fforde has many more adventures in mind for his heroine; and with so many classics to choose from, Thursday will certainly have plenty of allies on her side."

—The Seattle Times