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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
A very enjoyable read. Some of the plot line of the child possible homosexuality ran a bit thin, though, and I would have liked to see more done with that. But I would recommend the book as a quick and fun read.
The Borrower was satisfying holiday reading. It's the story of Lucy, a mildly unhappy children's librarian who attempts to help a bright and enthusiastic young library patron, Ian, whose homophobic parents make him go to "reeducation" classes. The book is entertaining and fast-paced, populated with likeable characters, and written by someone who loves language and literature.
However, it seemed as though Makkai had two good ideas for two good stories and decided to combine them into one. It almost worked--almost, but not quite. I had difficulty seeing the novel as an integrated whole, because the author doesn't quite manage to connect the story of Lucy and Ian with the story of Lucy and her father, a Russian émigré hustler. The potential is there, but she doesn't quite pull it off.
However, that didn't prevent me from enjoying The Borrower. The characters are likeable, and Lucy is an engaging narrator; there is humour and pathos in satisfying balance. I'd recommend it as an entertaining but intelligent read, and I'm interested enough to read the author's next book.
However, it seemed as though Makkai had two good ideas for two good stories and decided to combine them into one. It almost worked--almost, but not quite. I had difficulty seeing the novel as an integrated whole, because the author doesn't quite manage to connect the story of Lucy and Ian with the story of Lucy and her father, a Russian émigré hustler. The potential is there, but she doesn't quite pull it off.
However, that didn't prevent me from enjoying The Borrower. The characters are likeable, and Lucy is an engaging narrator; there is humour and pathos in satisfying balance. I'd recommend it as an entertaining but intelligent read, and I'm interested enough to read the author's next book.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Rebecca Makkai is my new favorite author! Her writing is smooth as velvet, her humor sharp, her stories simple, yet dealing with complicated issues, her delivery efficient and her endings always clear.
The Borrower tells the story of Lucy Hull, a lonely librarian and daughter of a Russian immigrant and Ian Drake, a queer 10 year old raised by strict, religious parents. Ian is the most avid reader of the Hannibal Public Library, but his mother sees his reading, and his not yet bloomed sexual orientation, as something that needs to be tightly controlled and guided towards the light of strict evangelism. Lucy becomes his accomplice, checking out books for him. As the walls tighten around Ian at home, he decides to run away. It is Lucy who finds him hiding in the library, Lucy who tries to drive him home, Lucy who allows Ian to lead the way until they get lost and accidentally cross state lines. As hours and days roll by, Lucy realizes she's in too deep, she can't return Ian home without getting in trouble. So she decides to allow them to continue on their journey North East across the USA. During the trip she tries to help Ian find the tools he'll need to bring balance to his life and stay true to himself when his family will try to break him. All of this Lucy does with extreme care, afraid to speak to Ian directly about his sexuality, terrified she'll spook him and lose him forever (and terrified she'll rot in prison). She realizes Ian has to be the one to save himself. Along the way Lucy also discovers the truths behind her family's immigration stories and her entire past takes on a new shape.
Ultimately, The Borrower is a novel about the power of stories, printed or oral. Stories that speak to us and stories that save us. Stories that have more power to guide us out of a dark place than the people around us. Because under the guise of fiction, the truth lingers.
I love how Makkai tied every little element of the story together at the end. She had done this in The Great Believers as well, and I can't wait until she starts raking in the big prizes. I see the Noble Prize in her future.
The scene that got me laughing and sobbing at the same time, was in chapter 39: Tim Ex Machina. For those that make it till the end, let me know if you lost it when Tim tells Ian about their offices in "Iowa, Ohio, and Oahu, Hawaii." "You should have seen the kid's face." Tim says.
You should have seen my face.
The Borrower tells the story of Lucy Hull, a lonely librarian and daughter of a Russian immigrant and Ian Drake, a queer 10 year old raised by strict, religious parents. Ian is the most avid reader of the Hannibal Public Library, but his mother sees his reading, and his not yet bloomed sexual orientation, as something that needs to be tightly controlled and guided towards the light of strict evangelism. Lucy becomes his accomplice, checking out books for him. As the walls tighten around Ian at home, he decides to run away. It is Lucy who finds him hiding in the library, Lucy who tries to drive him home, Lucy who allows Ian to lead the way until they get lost and accidentally cross state lines. As hours and days roll by, Lucy realizes she's in too deep, she can't return Ian home without getting in trouble. So she decides to allow them to continue on their journey North East across the USA. During the trip she tries to help Ian find the tools he'll need to bring balance to his life and stay true to himself when his family will try to break him. All of this Lucy does with extreme care, afraid to speak to Ian directly about his sexuality, terrified she'll spook him and lose him forever (and terrified she'll rot in prison). She realizes Ian has to be the one to save himself. Along the way Lucy also discovers the truths behind her family's immigration stories and her entire past takes on a new shape.
Ultimately, The Borrower is a novel about the power of stories, printed or oral. Stories that speak to us and stories that save us. Stories that have more power to guide us out of a dark place than the people around us. Because under the guise of fiction, the truth lingers.
I love how Makkai tied every little element of the story together at the end. She had done this in The Great Believers as well, and I can't wait until she starts raking in the big prizes. I see the Noble Prize in her future.
The scene that got me laughing and sobbing at the same time, was in chapter 39: Tim Ex Machina. For those that make it till the end, let me know if you lost it when Tim tells Ian about their offices in "Iowa, Ohio, and Oahu, Hawaii." "You should have seen the kid's face." Tim says.
You should have seen my face.
I have a huge soft spot for books-about books! And though this starts off by being that, and about libraries and librarians, then turns into an adventure!
This is such charming story filled with humour. With a ton of allusions to children's literature but also many observations about relationships and growing up.
Truly a novel about the importance and power of reading .
This is such charming story filled with humour. With a ton of allusions to children's literature but also many observations about relationships and growing up.
Truly a novel about the importance and power of reading .
This is a bizarre book. Don't read it as a librarian expecting to get a realistic viewpoint of what a librarian is. Read it as a story of a woman who makes a crazy choice, and how she grows from it. I loved it, and while it doesn't have the ending I want, it was a great ending.
I had read this book once before, a while ago, but checked it out of the library in late January, not realizing it was the same book. I enjoyed it very much the first time, and even more so this time. The action was unexpected for a book about a children's librarian, and it meanders pleasantly through several genres before ending at its somehow both unexpected and unavoidable conclusion. It's an easy vacation read that still makes you think. Highly recommended.
Of course I wanted to read this book. It's about libraries and books. But it is about so much more than just that. I admit at peeking at the reviews ever so briefly on my Kindle one day recently. I placed the book on reserve at my library, and forgot about it. When the notification came that it had arrived, I happily picked the book up and stated to read it. I was worried, since I read reviews that this book was "anti-Christian," but rest assured, it really wasn't. It was anti-hate. Anti-fundamentalist extremism. But all about love, really.
Lucy Hull is the children's librarian in Hannibal, Missouri. Not exactly where she had expected to end up after growing up on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, but a gig she accepts and even embraces. She is entranced, however, by one particular "borrower," 10 year old reading enthusiast, Ian Drake, the son of a seemingly anorexic and controlling mother, who does not want him t check out certain books. She even produces a list to of books to Lucy he is not allowed to read.
I will admit to having a twinge of worry when Lucy rants on about the Christian fiction genre, because really, can any of us really criticize what others read? Being a book snob, very much like Lucy, but also a mother, I understand what some folks may call "censorship'" I call "parenting." I wnat to protect my children from bad things in books that may hurt them...like graphic descriptions of sex and violence, mostly sex mainly! But I trust my smart kids to be intelligent readers and to understand a subversive type message when they read one. This is where maybe Lucy and Ian's mother both go wrong. No matter how worried you are about someone else's child, unless you are ready to call Child Protective Services, you really need to mind your own business. But our Lucy, she is a rebel, it's in her blood, she admits more than once, she takes after her father. And no matter how worried you are about some trait you see in your own child, subjecting them to emotionally abusive "therapy" practices, like Marcus Bachmann's kind of "therapy," is pretty abusive in it's own special way.
Lucy waxes elegiacally about wonderful books she wants Ian to be able to read and her desire to help him finally overrides all common sense and she does something crazy,. She "borrows" Ian, although he easily lends himself!
This book is timely (does Ms. Makkai have psychic abilities, in being able to predict the a Bachmann's anti-gay therapy debacle?) and a must for book and library lovers alike. The ending was absolutely perfect--I actually cried. The book has some flaws, I felt things floundered a little bit midway through the book, but Ms. Makkai manages to pick it back up and straighten things out (no pun intended). Lucy is a flawed heroine, which is good, and the other characters in the novel are drawn lovingly and very respectfully. This is one I can heartily recommend.
Lucy Hull is the children's librarian in Hannibal, Missouri. Not exactly where she had expected to end up after growing up on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, but a gig she accepts and even embraces. She is entranced, however, by one particular "borrower," 10 year old reading enthusiast, Ian Drake, the son of a seemingly anorexic and controlling mother, who does not want him t check out certain books. She even produces a list to of books to Lucy he is not allowed to read.
I will admit to having a twinge of worry when Lucy rants on about the Christian fiction genre, because really, can any of us really criticize what others read? Being a book snob, very much like Lucy, but also a mother, I understand what some folks may call "censorship'" I call "parenting." I wnat to protect my children from bad things in books that may hurt them...like graphic descriptions of sex and violence, mostly sex mainly! But I trust my smart kids to be intelligent readers and to understand a subversive type message when they read one. This is where maybe Lucy and Ian's mother both go wrong. No matter how worried you are about someone else's child, unless you are ready to call Child Protective Services, you really need to mind your own business. But our Lucy, she is a rebel, it's in her blood, she admits more than once, she takes after her father. And no matter how worried you are about some trait you see in your own child, subjecting them to emotionally abusive "therapy" practices, like Marcus Bachmann's kind of "therapy," is pretty abusive in it's own special way.
Lucy waxes elegiacally about wonderful books she wants Ian to be able to read and her desire to help him finally overrides all common sense and she does something crazy,. She "borrows" Ian, although he easily lends himself!
This book is timely (does Ms. Makkai have psychic abilities, in being able to predict the a Bachmann's anti-gay therapy debacle?) and a must for book and library lovers alike. The ending was absolutely perfect--I actually cried. The book has some flaws, I felt things floundered a little bit midway through the book, but Ms. Makkai manages to pick it back up and straighten things out (no pun intended). Lucy is a flawed heroine, which is good, and the other characters in the novel are drawn lovingly and very respectfully. This is one I can heartily recommend.