Skip to main content

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore - Robin Sloan



Synopsis
In the recent recession, Clay Jannon is out of a job, until he stumbles across a 'Help Wanted' sign in the window of an unusual bookstore, owned by the kind yet mysterious Mr. Penumbra. Clay is hired for the nightshift in the store, and it's clear that it's a front for something else--strange customers come in to the store at all hours of the night, urgently requesting to check out some of the store's unique volumes. Clay decides to get to the bottom of what's going on. Enlisting the help of his friends, their investigation leads them on a wild adventure to solve a mystery that's hundreds of years old.


Review
The plot is extremely compelling, but lighthearted--it doesn't take itself too seriously. I really didn't know what to expect when I picked up this book--I had seen it was popular and looked interesting. But after the first couple pages I was hooked and in for a fun adventure. I loved it. Think Da Vinci Code in modern-day Silicon Valley, with a hilarious 20-something geek narrator and a secret cult of book-lovers.

The story is told from first-person perspective, and I loved getting inside Clay's head with his off-the-wall comments and thoughts. He had me literally laughing out loud for much of the book. Clay and his friends are all fun characters, each with their quirks and contributions to the story. Mr. Penumbra is a mysterious figure, and not at all how he first comes off. It was refreshing to see the mysterious veil aorund him drop away and for him to become a real person that works with Clay and his gang to solve the mystery.

I also enjoyed that the story is mainly set in Silicon Valley, my hometown. It's always fun to read about places that you've been or you're from. The story moves from San Francisco to the Google campus, and then jumping across the country to New York and back again.

This is a great book for any bibliophile, as the love of books is evident on every page. One theme this book explores is old vs new, especially when it comes to books and technology. I liked that Clay was able to balance the two, preserving the love for old printed books and the old ways, but showing how change and progress with modern technology is beneficial.

Highly recommend.


Rating
I give this book 5 stars


Details
Genre: I have no idea. Fiction? Fun? Humor?
Sex: A couple of the characters sleep together, but nothing graphic is ever described.
Violence: No violence.
Language: Some language throughout the book.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Monthly Roundup - January 2017

In January I read 6 books, which is keeping with the pace I need in order to read 80 books this year. 1) The Reader - Traci Chee (3 stars) 2) Wayfarer - Alexandra Bracken (3.5 stars) 3) Windwitch - Susan Dennard (3.5 stars) 4) The Underground Railroad  - Colson Whitehead (3 stars) 5) Behind the Throne  - K. B. Wagers (5 stars) 6) Queen of Shadows  - Sarah J. Maas (4 stars) I say that's a pretty good start to 2017! I recently started a new job, so posts have slowed while I rediscover the work/life balance, but overall I really enjoyed the books I read this month and would recommend them all (especially Behind the Throne !!! Gahh!!! Review coming soon!). My TBR pile for February is a mile long, but I'm especially excited for A Conjuring of Light,  the conclusion to the Shades of Magic  series by V. E. Schwab. I've also got the February Book Club pick, Daring Greatly  by Brené Brown, and I'll finally finish up Empire of Storms , the latest book in Sarah

Monthly Roundup: March 2017

Notice something different? I changed the layout of the blog! What do you think? There are a few kinks I'm still trying to work out, like now the sidebar is only visible from the menu button at the top left side of the page, but I'll figure it out ;) This month I read seven books! I'm now actually four books ahead of my goal for the year. I thought that with working, etc., I wouldn't have as much time to read, but I've also learned that you have to make time to read, which I do every night. It wasn't a *great* month for books, in terms of quality. There were a few books I had high expectations for and they didn't quite meet them, though I still enjoyed them! If you need a refresher for what the various star ratings mean, then you can check out the "Ratings Guide" at the top of the blog. Reviews are coming soon! Beyond the Savanna - Maryann Martinsen (2.5 stars) Empress of a Thousand Skies - Rhoda Belleza (3 stars) Norse Gods - Neil

Arcanum Unbounded

Arcanum Unbounded - Brandon Sanderson Synopsis A collection of Sanderson's "short" stories and novellas set in his Cosmere universe. Review It's no secret that Brandon Sanderson is one of my favorite authors. His writing is stupendous, his stories are incredible and his plot twists are mind-blowing. Rarely can I figure out exactly where the story is headed, but I am always exceptionally pleased when I get there! Sanderson isn't as known for his "short" stories. Probably because they aren't short. Two of them in this collection clock in around 40k words, which is approaching the line between a novella and a novel. A few of the stories ( The Emperor's Soul, Sixth of the Dusk, Shadows for Silence ) can be read with no knowledge of his other books, and would perhaps be a good introduction to his writing. Those ones you can get individually or are published in other anthologies. I myself had already read a few of the stories, but withi