Is there something about falling in love that makes one feel especially rebellious?
JF: The strong thing about falling in love is that some things with humans will never change. That part of the story is very traditional—that’s the Jane Austen part of the book. It is post-apocalyptic Jane Austen with 1984 thrown in. When one falls in love with an unattainable partner, that is the most exciting thing from my point of view. Eddie is slightly rubbish, and that’s what I like about him. He falls in love with someone who is clearly several notches above him, which he understands straightaway. So he wants to be a better person. That’s important: When you fall in love, you want to be a better person for that person you love. He falls in love hopelessly with her nose to begin with, and apart from the fact that she tries to kill him on numerous occasions (and almost succeeds), she is extraordinary. He wants to be a better person, and I think right at the end, he steps up to the plate, understands what he has to do, and he has to do something frightful. So he has to be a better
