In very flexible use of the word, perhaps. [ She frowns, was that a pun? She decides she's okay with that turning out to be a pun. ]

But I think the clumsiness of the metaphor is the large part of its charm, if charm is what you might call it. Lacking that, I doubt anyone would pay the book much attention.

[ Who knows, the photoshopped Chris Hemsworth cover might be enough for a laugh on its own. ]