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774 reviews for:

The Borrower

Rebecca Makkai

3.54 AVERAGE

funny hopeful mysterious tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
adventurous medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated
challenging hopeful medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
funny inspiring lighthearted medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This is the story of Lucy, a children's librarian in Hannibal Missouri who one day runs away with a ten year old library patron, Ian. Or she kidnaps him...or maybe it's him that kidnaps her.
Either way this is Lucy's way of saving Ian from his evangelical parents who send him to a get-straight school as it seems he may (or may not) be gay.

I loved the fact that this book has a lot of library related content. I love the way she incorporates well-known children's books into the story. (We hear what Lucy and Ian eat on the road in a Very Hungry Caterpillar way).

But oddly, it was a story where I felt I was waiting for something to happen even while feeling that too much was happening that shouldn't be.

I loved the characters, I loved the plot but this was a case, for me, of all the parts not equally a whole. I'd still recommend it though, especially to my library co-workers.
adventurous mysterious fast-paced
funny lighthearted medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

2.5
fatoodles's profile picture

fatoodles's review

2.75
lighthearted medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I really enjoyed the writing style and the sections where she introduces the chapters in the styles of popular childrens books. 

Other than that I thought the plot was ridiculous. I also didn't like any of the characters. There were also too many dropped plotlines. 
When I read the epilogue and the main character tried to convince me there was a point or a valor in what happened...I just couldn't take it seriously.

I got this title from a Blind Date with a Book display and while the premise of the book intrigued me, I wasn't a fan of the story. I guess I just didn't quite understand it.