Since I’ve been on a Dystopian kick what with the Hunger Games trilogy and Birthmarked, I thought I would review another book dealing with a dystopian society which has the added advantage of being written by a man whom I consider an absolute genius. You might have heard of Jasper Fforde already (and if you haven’t, shame on you) and knowing him and being familiar with his writing, you will no doubt not be surprised by his originality. By his creativity. The man is a genius for taking the same old world and making it so much more than we perceive it to be. Shades of Grey, if you haven’t already read the synopsis, deals with a world where classes and people are divided by the colours they can see. How much more original can you get? Grey being the lowest of the spectrum and I believe purple being the highest. People will do anything to get a little more colour in their family lines. And Eddie’s usually no different. Then he meets Jane and all his plans go spectacularly awry. Fforde’s world building is nothing short of superb. The complexity, the breadth, the sheer amount of detail will impress you. His words are so compelling that you forget that the idea itself is bizarre. The book does not take itself seriously but at the same time, the characters are not aware that they are not being taken seriously. There is a certain irony to this that more discerning readers will appreciate. Shades of Grey is a satire, yes. But at the same time, it’s a story. About Eddie, Jane and the beginning of what promises to be an incredible journey. And if I haven’t said it yet, Jasper Fforde is a genius. That should be reason enough for you to read this book. (It’s not YA, just in case you’re wondering.)
