One of Our Thursdays Is Missing discussion

In chapter 33 Thursday Next travels over the bridge to Fan Fiction. How does she return safely and win the game? On page 298 she told Sprockett but she doesn't explain to the reader -- how did she do it?

Here's what I came up with. Since they only look every thirty seconds and they said they only shoot people walking towards them, you can run towards the guards for thirty seconds, then turn around and walk back towards Fan Fiction while they're looking so it looks like you're going away from them, then turn around and run again for thirty seconds, and repeat.

There's probably other solutions, but that's what I came up with! :)

mm i was a bit flummoxed by that too. Did anyone else find this book a bit meh? i loved the other books in the Thursday Next series but this one just didn't do it for me!

I thought she would walk for 25 secs. then stand still. If she isn't moving she is just part of the scenery.

Looks like Jasper Fforde is asking readers to send in explanations -- there's a contest. The deadline is May 1, travelgirlut, if you want to send in your explanation. I thought maybe it was a deliberate mistake to show that Fan Fiction is full of bad writing, but I guess that's not it! Here's the site for the contest: http://www.jasperfforde.com/tn6_comp....

Yes, Emily, I agree with you. This book was a bit meh. It felt like Jasper Fforde is getting a little tired of writing about Thursday. I wrote a review of the book this morning, if you want to read it.

I was reading the book so fast, I didn't pause to consider thoroughly how Thursday got off the FanFiction island. Must stop and consider on a re-read.

Thank you! I listened to the audiobook, and I thought I might be missing a section.

Susan wrote: "I was reading the book so fast, I didn't pause to consider thoroughly how Thursday got off the FanFiction island. Must stop and consider on a re-read. "

You know, me, too! I forgot all about it until just now when I saw this Discussion topic. I like the walk for 25 or 30 seconds answer. Clever, you lot!

I'm so glad you started this discussion Dinah! I had puzzled a bit about this as well, and thought that perhaps we would find out in future book. Kudos to travelgirlut for her solution!

travelgirlut wrote: "Here's what I came up with. Since they only look every thirty seconds and they said they only shoot people walking towards them, you can run towards the guards for thirty seconds, then turn around..."

That's an excellent solution! And quite correct according to Fforde's website. I loved this one as much as the others, in fact more that First Among Sequels, where my brain started to glaze over at the time-travel stuff. Not meh at all!

I found that I couldn't stop reading the first of the books, but although not meh, I am not putting the next one on hold at the library just yet.

My solution was to walk backwards for the entire length of the bridge. Then when observed, you would be facing the opposite way.