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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
A funny, fun, slightly weird story of a librarian & a book-loving kid, with a dash of soviet lore and cross-country escapades. Lots of literary & kidlit references & recommendations, plus librarian humor!
(4 stars, rounded up because the ending is perfection)
I've actually read this novel twice because I enjoyed it so much. It's a good novel, but that ending is seriously perfect.
I've actually read this novel twice because I enjoyed it so much. It's a good novel, but that ending is seriously perfect.
I love Rebecca Makkai’s writing so much. She tackles these large, lofty topics (finding yourself, saving yourself, running from yourself) in some interesting ways—packaged inside of characters who feel so real and singular. I’m so happy she allowed both Lucy and Ian to be flawed and messy and (mainly Lucy) truly bad at times. It made the moral wrestling at the heart of this all the more interesting.
The plot in this wore thin a bit but the writing—and the ending—really just made it a joy to read.
The plot in this wore thin a bit but the writing—and the ending—really just made it a joy to read.
Interesting characters.
A story focused on the value of stories.
A story focused on the value of stories.
"I no longer believe I can save people. I've tried, and I've failed, and while I'm sure there are people out there in the world with that particular gift, I'm not one of them...But books, on the other hand: I do still believe that books can save you." Yes indeed, they can!
I was expecting to love this one, so I was a bit disappointed when it turned out only to be a three-star-I-liked-it listen for me. Still worth my time however.
I was expecting to love this one, so I was a bit disappointed when it turned out only to be a three-star-I-liked-it listen for me. Still worth my time however.
This book was oddly insulting to librarians, Russians, and the LGBTQ+ population with the stereotypes. Also how do you accidently kidnap a 10-year-old, travel across the country, FILL A RX, and never get caught? The children's book chapters were quirky but not interesting and really overall a baffling read.
The main character is a children's librarian with no library sciences degree. Hmmm, sounds like me! I loved it!
Great characters, even the minor ones. Loved all the kid book references and homages. Loved Ian, but still couldn't do what Lucy did. I did like that the consequences for her action was never the focus. Their journey, both the actual road trip, and Lucy's personal journey, was what was important. It's hard to argue the morality in her favor, yet I still can't convict her either.
What. The. Hell.
I can't even describe how or why I hate this book at the moment, I am so disturbed.
Let's just say that I really liked the book at first. Quirky, liberal librarian? What my dreams are made of!
Then it gets weird. Really, really weird. Like, you kidnap a kid, and it is totally normal to think that just because he MIGHT tell the police that you did it on purpose, and instead of just DOING THE RIGHT THING, you commit a fracking felony.
NOPE.
I can't even describe how or why I hate this book at the moment, I am so disturbed.
Let's just say that I really liked the book at first. Quirky, liberal librarian? What my dreams are made of!
Then it gets weird. Really, really weird. Like, you kidnap a kid, and it is totally normal to think that just because he MIGHT tell the police that you did it on purpose, and instead of just DOING THE RIGHT THING, you commit a fracking felony.
NOPE.
So much fun! My first Makkai read, and I loved it. I've read the reviews where people can't get past the "far-out" plot line; and yes, it's far fetched to believe some of the events, but that's also fiction at it's finest. We are supposed to be able to suspend all that we know of our real worlds, and dip into the fantastical, the unreal, the improbable, if only for a bit. And the best fiction makes us believe this could be true.