Absolutely nothing. This was one of the most humorous books I've read in a long time. It's clever and witty and laugh out loud funny. It has a plot that makes sense but is fantastical. It has characters that you both love and hate. It has a Quarkbeast! It has comedy and tragedy. All this set in a fantastical version of our world where magic is commonplace, though it is waning.
Where once magicians were able to do huge feats of greatness with their power, now they are relegated to unclogging drains, getting cats out of trees and fixing home electrical problems. The plot focuses on Jennifer Strange, a teenaged girl who runs Kazam Mystical Arts Management, the company that employs these sorcerers. One day there is a vision of The Last Dragonslayer killing the last dragon. From there, things change for Jennifer and the plot really gets going to it's final twist.
Along the way, the characters and setting are described in what to me seems to be a cross between [a:Terry Pratchett|1654|Terry Pratchett|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1235562205p2/1654.jpg] and [a:Douglas Adams|4|Douglas Adams|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1189120061p2/4.jpg]. I know... those are very big shoes to fill but the details and descriptions here are what really make the book. For example,
The Sisters Karamazov could also claim once-royal patronage, and they were as nice as apricot pie. Mad as a knapsack of onions, but pleasant nonetheless.
or
"Welcome to Kazam," I said, stuffing the envelope into my bag, "where unimaginable horrors share the day with moments of confusing perplexity and utter randomness. To call it a madhouse would insult even the maddest of madhouses."
or
"That's the Quarkbeast," I told him. "He may look like an open knife drawer on legs and just one step away from tearing you to shreds, but he's actually a sweetie and rarely, if ever, eats cats."
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and laughed a lot. I loved Jennifer Strange and look forward to reading more about her in the future. I will make it a point to search out the next book in the series. Highly recommended for fans of humor, fantasy or the above mentioned authors, Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams. This is a definite 5 stars for me.