With "Red Side Story" we return to the village of East Carmine, where Eddie, his rabble rousing beloved Jane, fiance Violet and a host of others are doing their best to live their color limited lives. Jane and Eddie are on trial for a murder they didn't commit, while Violet is carrying Eddie's child that he was tricked (or coerced into helping her conceive).
And that's just the beginning!
Jane has a plan to undermine the collective, Eddie just wants to be free of Violet and aide Jane, there's upheaval left and right- and all told in the witty tones of Fforde's excellent writing.
My only complaint is the long wait between this and the first novel, but it "Red Side Story" was well worth the wait!

Loved this book! Jasper Fford is so fun and such a unique experience. I absolutely loved shades of grey when it came out and this was an excellent follow up it!

If you start reading a Jasper Fforde's series you have to be patient because some are faster and some takes decades.
This one took 15 years so I had to recheck the first novel as my memory was fuzzy at best even if I remember it as thought provoking and witty.
This is another thought provoking, witty, and gripping novel that I thoroughly enjoyed reading and listerning to the audiobook.
Well done, there could be a next that I hope will be out before 2040.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

A cleverly quirky and creative adventure story that picks up right where the first book in the series leaves off. I had given up all hope of there ever being a sequel to Shades of Grey, which I read 10 years ago, 5 years after it was initially published. It ends on such a massive cliffhanger, with so many questions unanswered, that I was shocked the sequel wasn’t out and begged the author to write more of Jane and Eddie’s story. Imagine my delight when one day, I saw that not only did it have a title and a cover on Goodreads, it had a publication date! And let me tell you, the wait was worth it. I wanted answers, and there are SO MANY.

This tale morphed from a cute and funny adventure to a story of life and death, the purpose of life, the ethics of human/organic research, what makes a person a person, the drawbacks to a class based and segregated society, and more. Is it a right that we as humans get to decide who we are, who we marry, and what we do in life? Do you have to follow the rules if the rules are biased and unethical? Also, is it worth pursuing what you know is right and pushing for change in your society, even when you know it’s not likely t o make a difference and actively puts you and those you love in harms way?

Intermixed with these and more ethical questions are sweet and funny moments, like the underground performance of Romeo and Juliet by the Traveling Orange Players, meeting an Angel of Death (and stealing his password), Jane’s miraculous gyrobike competiton, Eddie’s delight at seeing a two-headed goat, and explaining to a tin man what a Name was.

It’s still hard to wrap my mind around the idea of only seeing in one color, and only a fraction of that color. Imagining going from that greyscale sort of life to seeing in full color truly brings tears to my eyes, also. The sky. The trees. The ocean, the infinite shades of the spectrum of color. It’s glorious.

In the end, this book is about how to be a better human: think of others first, stand up for what you believe in, and always be willing to be flexible. You never know when someone who used to be your friend who has since become your enemy will be willing to change and grow. Maybe it’s worth giving them another chance.

Darkly funny and unlike anything I've ever read before, this was an interesting take on a star-crossed lovers story set in a wholly original world. Good on audio and my first by this author, I would definitely recommend it for anyone looking for something new or different in style and tone. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

A really good follow up, well worth the wait! The first book is still my favorite but I enjoy Fforde's style and imagination!

How on Earth does Jasper Fford come up with this stuff? That's always my first thought after finishing one of his books, and Red Side Story is no different. It's set in a world where color is king. People can only see one color and which color it is determines their role and position in the hierarchy of society. It's such a far-out concept, and yet Jasper Fford makes it work. His world is well-crafted, with lots of details to allow readers to really connect with it. But what I like most about his writing, in most of his books but especially in this series, is that he's always got something to say that's deeper and more impactful than the surface story would seem. I'm not going to talk about what I think he's saying in this one because figuring that out is part of the fun of reading it.

Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a huge Jasper Fforde fan and I have read everything he’s ever written. After so many years without a sequel to Shades of Grey, I really thought it would never happen. So it was a great surprise to finally get Red Side Story.

I was worried that I was going to be confused since I didn’t reread Shades of Gray before listening to this audiobook, but there are enough references to the first book to refresh your memory.

Red Side Story is certainly a Jasper Fforde novel through and through: Outlandish hijinks, ridiculous characters, and just plain weirdness abound.

While I’m glad to have finally received some answers, I thought this sequel was just ok. Some parts dragged while some things felt rushed. However, still well-worth the read if you’re a Jasper Fforde fan, especially one who has been patiently waiting for this next installment.

Jasper Fforde is bonkers, in the best possible way. It might have helped me to go back and read Shades-of Grey before embarking on Red Side Story but it didn’t take too many pages before I was all in. The world building is complete and fascinating and the characters fully fleshed out. Tackling themes of race and class in a dystopian world striving for Utopia Fforde tells the story of Eddie (a high quality red) and Jane (a lowly grey) working together to change their fate.

I’m not even mad it took 14 years for the sequel to come out. Fforde is an insane genius of world-building and he has ruined me for other books now (temporarily anyway). The narration of the audiobook was underwhelming, with minimal voice characterizations.

I had such a good time listening to this fast paced, humorous, always surprising, adventure rich speculative fiction story by the master of Weird, Jasper Fforde. I highly recommend listening to the audio book as the reader is fantastic and really adds a depth to the events through his voicing of the characters.

In this fully fleshed out imagined world, a person’s role in society is strictly proscribed by the percentage of the color spectrum s/he can see. Two individuals — Eddie, a relatively well-endowed seer of Red, and Jane, a Grey with no color vision at all — set out to bring justice to this world of strict rules and sudden “mildew” events (mildew is always fatal and there is some strong suspicion that exposure is not the accident it is made out to be). We learn more about the mechanics, extent, and population of the world at the same time as our heroes, the onion peeling back layer by layer through a bizarre set of events that I personally could never have imagined. It’s quite fun to read (or listen to — my recommendation!). Composed of precise language and the most thoroughly imagined political and scientific composition, it’s full of British snark and wit. I tend to be bored by pure adventure books — people getting out of one scrape only to enter another — but with the added stimulation of a wildly imaginative world tossing out screwball dangers that each teach us something brand new (and startling) about the world itself, I’m all in.

Enjoyed every minute of it.

By the way, this book is a sequel to the 2011 Shades of Grey which I have not read. Fforde did a great job explaining just enough that there was no confusion, without retelling the entire (previous) story.

Ahoy there mateys! This book is the highly anticipated sequel to shades of grey which was written back in 2009.  The dystopian world deals with time 500 years after "Something that Happened."  A person's position in society is determined by what section of the color spectrum they can see.  As examples: Purples run the town and Yellows enforce rules. The world is a weird one where spoons are in short demand and the types of technology allowed to be used are severely limited with Leapbacks removing useful items.  There are Rules for everything.  The first book follows Eddie Russett (above average red) who meets and falls in love with Jane Grey (grey) who has a very cute nose.  Jane opens Eddie's eyes to the problems of their government.  Shenanigans ensue and the ending was so unexpected.  Hence the insane need to know what happens next.

To say this second book went down an unexpected path is an understatement.  I found it fascinating.  Eddie is about to go on trial for murder and believes he is destined for death in the Green Room.  Jane is determined to continue her fight and Eddie is pulled along by the force of her will (and temper).  In doing so, the town of East Carmine is turned upside down.  Jane and Eddie learn the truth about Swans, barcodes, Mildew, and who is really in control of Chromatacia.  I wish I could say more but seriously it's a wild ride with yet another highly unexpected ending.

The good news is that Jasper Fforde has already indicated that there will be another book in the series.  I am glad because this book brought a ton more questions.  I need to know what happens next!

Chris Harper does a great job as narrator which Jasper Fforde himself reading excerpts too.  The audiobook contains a short short called "Nine Minutes With The Riff Raff."  A reporter deals with the government about his news article.  I found that story to be just okay.  Arrr!

Rating 4.5 rounded up.

Red Side Story is the long awaited *cough* since 2009 *cough* sequel to Shades of Grey, in the series of the same name. Set in a dystopian world where people see only one color usually and an entire society has been built around rules and hierarchy based on the color you can see. But ,as we found out in the last book, this strange land and the people in it are far from the utopian society that Monson and all his rules tried to create. And there are so many ridiculous rules.

Eddy (a Red) and Jane (a Grey or low Green) are awaiting their hearing for the death of a Yellow that happening in the prior book. After Jane opened Eddy’s eyes to some of the happenings around them in their chromatic based society he isn’t quite the good little citizen he was before, but let’s be honest he was never that good (see the last Rabbit incident of the last book). Sent to East Carmine to learn some humility and do a chair survey after trying to improve queuing in lines Eddy has stubbled into a mystery of the ages. He has questions, as we all do, after the first story. Things like; what was the thing that happened, why are there no spoons, what is up with the metal swans, why does everything (including the citizens) have a barcode, who are the riff raff etc. There are so many mysteries out there to solve.

The humor of this book is just up my alley. It is smart and funny, with so many little jabs throughout. I really enjoyed the concepts of this society especially when we learn why it was set up in the first place. Jane and Eddy are great together and I really do adore they way they make their rebellions against the society they are living in. With the danger of being ‘greened’ around every corner for our two lovebirds they will have to be very clever indeed if they are going to find all the answers before those answers get them removed from whatever this experiment is.

I had so much fun with all the clever little things that are thrown into the story and all the oddities this dystopian culture has just adopted. Like animal watching and logging barcodes for fun, or using a RISK game as a map, along with how literature has been changed for books, well known to the readers, to have morals of the story completely changed to reinforce the Monson doctrine all the residents are supposed to live by. Really this is just a unique story that I’ve never read anything of the like and kudos to Fforde for how well he knocked Red Side Story out of the park. I’m hoping the next book in the series doesn’t take 15 years to get here but I’ll wait that long for another great addition to the series. Let the loopholery continue.

Narration:

Chris Harper is a new to me narrator. He did the English humor great in the story and made the book so much fun. I liked his dialoguing with the characters the most as it was hilarious at times. I was able to distinguish between all the characters very well and follow the story without getting distracted. I was able to listen at my usual 1.5x speed.

I received this DRC from NetGalley.

I appreciated that it was explained in the end. I guess the ending felt a bit anti-climatic for me. And throughout, I wasn't convinced that Jane was actually in love with Eddie. Some of what she said sounded like lines you would say to someone to string them along while avoiding having to lie to them about you not caring as much. I think people who were into the first one will probably like this one. It was just ok for me.

It took me some time to get into this new series by Jasper Fforde, but then I really didn't want to leave. He really is a genius! Good for the brain to escape into such a different world. Though it does give one pause to think about the world we live in. Chris Harper did a good job narrating!

Red Side Story is book 2 in the Shades Of Gray Series by Jasper Ford The book is now rated by Chris Harper and he did an awesome awesome job. This is a quirky book about people living in a world with rigid rules the country is sectioned by colors blue yellow red and orange. Your color also tells your status but that’s not just for colors because sometimes different colors marry and make a different color depending on the amount of that color you have in you. The Book focuses on Ed rustic he is married to A social climber named Violet but is in love with Jane Who used to be a Green but has since moved up to line. There are many things you cannot do in Crymmishia and most importantly that is think for yourself but wanting autonomy Ed and Jane investigate to try to find a freer way to be. Unfortunately they recently were sent on a scouting mission looking for more spoons and color schemes and someone high up in the yellow order named Cortland was unfortunately killed they said he was eaten by a tree but the truth is much more mystifying. now Ed and Jane are going on trial for murder. Do not think that is all this book is about this book has so many layers and subplots and side stories it is quirky and so good there is colorism classism and it’s awesome if you love dry British humor with an intelligent narrative and awesome characters to route four then you will definitely love this book I know I absolutely did. I already downloaded shades of gray the first book in the series and cannot wait for another this is the second author in less than a month that I have ran across and thought where has he been and why haven’t I heard of him and that never happens yet in the month of May it is happened twice the latest is Jasper Ford a man whose catalog I will definitely be investing in. I want to thank RB media for my free arc copy via NetGalley please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

🎧📚 BOOK REVIEW! [ARC] 📚🎧

This was my FIRST EVER audiobook in my entire life! I really enjoyed the experience and appreciate the ARC from @netgalley and RB Media! The opinions in this review belong to me alone. Red Side Story is Book 2 in the Shades of Grey trilogy by Jasper Fforde. Book 1 (Shades of Grey) was published back in 2009 and this much-anticipated sequel was published in the U.S. on May 7, 2024.

Synopsis:
Welcome to Chromaticia, approximately 500 years after the collapse of society due to the 'Something That Happened'. It is a dystopian world where the people are ranked based upon which colors/hues they are able to see. The purples 🟪 are the highest ranked, the yellows 🟨 enforce the applied doctrines, the reds 🟥 and blues 🟦 are somewhat valued members of society, the greens 🟩 are the builders/creators, and the orange 🟧 are the lowly artists/musicians... Beneath all of these are the grays 🪨, who cannot see any colored hues and therefore seen as workers with no value other than to serve the hue-gifted.

This continues the story Eddie Russett, caring, intelligent 87% 🟥 and his extremely adventurous and clever girlfriend (in secret), Jane Grey 🪨 as they fight to buck the rigid and unfair society doctrines of Chromaticia in order to flee a murder charge (this occurred in Book One). They also battle extremely difficult hued prefects, who loathe their clandestine relationship, and seek to keep them at bay from their rave 'ideas' and 'doubts' as to why everything remains as it is without question.

Follow Eddie and Jane on this wild, fun, dark, satirical adventure through their broken world to see if they are able to surpass the law and those willing to stop at NOTHING to silence their voices.

My opinion:
I LOVED THIS BOOK! I originally read Book One when it was originally published in 2009 and have waited many years to find out what happened to these bold and vigorous characters. I loved the narration by Chris Harper and the author himself, Jasper Fforde! You must read this if you love adventure, dystopian societies, and a little humor along the way!

Thank you so much to RB Media, NetGalley, and Jasper Fforde for the sheer joy of listening to audiobook of Red Side Story. I have been a huge fan of Jasper Fforde’s ever since I read The Eyre Affair years ago and when The Shades of Grey came out (which is book one) I loved the whole premise of people being put in a certain class due to what colors they saw the world in. If your world was in shades of purple then you’re going to live a much more refined life than someone who sees the world in shades of green or grey. In Shades of Grey, Eddie Russet and Jane Grey fell for each other but their lives were not supposed to be tied together however, love and revolution often change things.
Now in book 2, our duo are facing the very real prospect of being put to death because on the last mission for their village their third member of the group was eaten by a tree and the leaders want someone to pay for that. But before that they get sent on what amounts to a suicide mission that they surprisingly survive and the intrigue only gets more funny and exciting.
I highly recommend this series and this this author. If you are looking for something fun to read and you enjoy puns you are sure to enjoy Jasper Fforde.

I absolutely love Jasper Fforde and this book. A++. It’s the best. I love the narration. Just amazing.

I discovered Jasper Fforde early on with his first Thursday Next mystery and have ridden his rollercoaster of quirky, absurdist, full of social commentary novels ever since. For fans like me, Red Side Story, with a touch of Sci-Fi, a touch of fantasy and a dystopian vibe is a total win. Each time Fforde tries out a new concept, it takes me a bit of time to adjust. I have learned to stick it out as he always pleases. As a sequel to Shades of Grey, the concept of Chromatacia, was already fixed as a land where one's place in society is firmly set by the color you can see. Citizens who can see color see one. Otherwise the person is a Grey. Greys are the domestics, the dirty work people, underpaid, shabbily dressed, never enough food. Purples are the top of the pile, governing their towns, rich, imperious. It is common for people to try to marry up. Eddie Russett, who unexpectedly tested at an 86.5% red is definitely a good catch for purples who lean toward blue. The unlikeable, controlling Violet deMauve already set her cap for Eddie in Shades of Grey , needing more red in her child to be. Eddie still loves Jane (formerly Grey) Brunswick. Jane is no longer a Grey because when she was tested, she could see a small amount of green. Jane has moved up to working in retail. But Jane and a number of Grey's are secretly rebels and, as we know from Shades of Grey, she has won Eddie over.

Eddie's father is a Swatchman. This is a doctor who treats people by showing them swatches of colored cloth to treat specific ills or to give the person skills. He is too ethical for the powers that be. Chromatacia citizens live by strict rules set out hundreds of years ago after the thing that happened. These were established by a man called Munsell and form not only a religion of sorts but the strict delineation among the colors and pretty much every restriction one can imagine. Violations of rules can lead to death in the green room. People who have outlived their use to society also can choose the green room and may sometimes go there involuntarily. People who are indolent or particularly rebellious may die of Mildew. It is known that whole towns, even the higher colors have been wiped out. But Eddie's father seems to inherently have the Hippocratic Oath running through his veins and he will not agree to follow any rules that require him to harm people. That already has gotten him into trouble and is one of the reasons the father and son are in East Carmine, a backwater place. He also is a rebel.

It is in this context that Eddie and Jane, facing unfounded murder charges as the novel opens, are questioning their origin story and the rules, actually trying to figure out the best way to work change. Along the way, dark things happen, funny things happen and we encounter characters that are scary, fully compliant, amusingly odd, thoughtful or treated as invisible because the culture cannot recognize that they exist. Fforde is simply the cleverest writer around. It is too bad this sequel has come so long after Shades of Grey because my memory of that is limited. Still, this is probably good for Fforde as many of us will drop back and reread the first novel, thus buying two books. And not one of us will regret it. Worth the wait. Highly recommend.

I enjoyed the narrators, Jasper Fforde and Chris Harper. There was a short story added in as a bonus that was a lot of fun.