I adored this book. It’s a lightning fast read, letters back and forth between people who’re governed by lunatics who’re swiftly banning the use of certain letters in writing and speech. Employing a wealth of highbrow vocabulary words, the writing becomes even wackier as the letters disappear. I laughed out loud frequently at the circumlocution and creative spelling.

Plotwise, it’s set on a hypothetical independent island that reveres Nollop, the coiner of the phrase “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.” Letters keep falling from the commemorative statue, and the penalties for using these letters that have fallen from Nollop’s favour lead to strict penalties, eventually to expulsion. Can our heroes save their culture? Can they save the English language?

You want to find out. I promise.