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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
This book is a love letter to kids who were saved by books. Rebecca Makkai is IMO one of the best novelists—the story stressed me out and the sentences made me sob. I mean isn’t this why some of us go into the book biz? To make sure kids who are losing themselves in the world find themselves in books
This book will not be everyone's cup of tea. It's not realistic, so you just have to go with the premise. If you can do that, you'll find it delightful. Otherwise, you might find it annoying. It's about a young librarian, Lucy Hull, in Hannibal, Missouri, and a sweet 10-year-old bookworm, Ian Drake, who loves the library and loves asking "Miss Hull" all about books and the worlds he finds there. Unfortunately, his parents are super religious and strict and, because they and everyone else seem to think Ian is gay, they send him to weekly anti-gay classes. When he runs away to the library, Lucy wants to protect him from his bigoted parents. Even though she knows little about what he's really experiencing at home, she heads off with him on an adventure. Who is really the kidnapper here, the book asks. I did get bored after awhile with their road trip—a trip that is completely unbelievable, but that's OK—but I wanted to see how it would end. How in the world would Lucy get away with kidnapping? I read this book this year because it's Rebecca Makkai's debut and her book "The Great Believers" was my favorite of 2019. This is not as good, but it's enjoyable.
This is the year that my mild obsession with Rebecca Makkai was born. I read and loved 2018’s The Great Believers; then 2023’s I Have Some Questions For You when it came along, to very mixed reviews. I decided I needed to reread it this year, and confirmed my love for it. So naturally it was time to seek out Makkai’s backlist, which led me to this whimsical debut of hers.
In it, children’s librarian Lucy believes she has sound reasons for helping her favorite young patron smuggle books past his censoring, fundamentalist Christian mother--after all, she has enrolled him in anti-gay classes and doesn’t seem to be accepting him for who he is. This leads the two book lovers down an unlikely, madcap, adventure-filled path that is entertaining but not all sweetness and light, with many a lesson to be learned.
Turns out The Borrower is a divisive book, too. Checking out Goodreads reviews, I learned that many readers couldn’t withhold their judgment of Lucy for a choice she made, so therefore said readers had little good to say about the book.
I myself love a messy, flawed protagonist, especially one that makes poor choices in the moment, and even more especially when those choices amount to what is a quirky love story—a love story with a moral of Be True to Yourself. I also love a cover that features books!
Ultimately The Borrowers is a road trip, a coming of age tale, and a love letter to reading rolled into one. So many favorite books were mentioned along the way, any reader’s delight. It made me laugh, think, and cry, my favorite things to do when I read. It’s radically different than the two others I've read by Makkai and cemented my admiration for her versatile writing chops.
In it, children’s librarian Lucy believes she has sound reasons for helping her favorite young patron smuggle books past his censoring, fundamentalist Christian mother--after all, she has enrolled him in anti-gay classes and doesn’t seem to be accepting him for who he is. This leads the two book lovers down an unlikely, madcap, adventure-filled path that is entertaining but not all sweetness and light, with many a lesson to be learned.
Turns out The Borrower is a divisive book, too. Checking out Goodreads reviews, I learned that many readers couldn’t withhold their judgment of Lucy for a choice she made, so therefore said readers had little good to say about the book.
I myself love a messy, flawed protagonist, especially one that makes poor choices in the moment, and even more especially when those choices amount to what is a quirky love story—a love story with a moral of Be True to Yourself. I also love a cover that features books!
Ultimately The Borrowers is a road trip, a coming of age tale, and a love letter to reading rolled into one. So many favorite books were mentioned along the way, any reader’s delight. It made me laugh, think, and cry, my favorite things to do when I read. It’s radically different than the two others I've read by Makkai and cemented my admiration for her versatile writing chops.
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!