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A review by peytonktracy
Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
A fun, funny, fluffy read! A lost young man stumbling into an adventure into a secret world, which leads to a bigger magic world, which ends up bringing him home. In its own way, it’s a kind of classic fantasy narrative arc that just takes place in San Francisco.
I had a blast with this read - it made me laugh quite often - and it was honestly the kind of adventure I dreamed of stumbling into as a kid. I thought some of the plot elements were eyeroll worthy, even if they made me laugh (come on, boob physics?), and the very brief, vague sex scenes with Kat felt unnecessary and out of place. But overall, I liked the authors ability to make interesting, unique characters and make me care about them quickly and effortlessly.
My only complaint was that the ending felt rushed. It went from this big climactic moment to nothing/failure at their quest to “Oh, he did it…” *so quickly* and easily, it gave me a little whiplash. It wasn’t dissatisfying exactly, I actually like how it wrapped up, but it just felt… too easy?
And maybe that’s because a key element to the books success involves a system, as a museum professional, I wish from the BOTTOM OF MY HEART existed and it just does not, and could not ever, exist. Crossed a reality threshold that is too real for me and therefore felt like too much of a deus ex machina. So that’s where the ding comes from. But I still found this book a great time and you’ve ever wanted an adventure to show up in your real live world, this is for you!
I had a blast with this read - it made me laugh quite often - and it was honestly the kind of adventure I dreamed of stumbling into as a kid. I thought some of the plot elements were eyeroll worthy, even if they made me laugh (come on, boob physics?), and the very brief, vague sex scenes with Kat felt unnecessary and out of place. But overall, I liked the authors ability to make interesting, unique characters and make me care about them quickly and effortlessly.
My only complaint was that the ending felt rushed. It went from this big climactic moment to nothing/failure at their quest to “Oh, he did it…” *so quickly* and easily, it gave me a little whiplash. It wasn’t dissatisfying exactly, I actually like how it wrapped up, but it just felt… too easy?
And maybe that’s because a key element to the books success involves a system, as a museum professional, I wish from the BOTTOM OF MY HEART existed and it just does not, and could not ever, exist. Crossed a reality threshold that is too real for me and therefore felt like too much of a deus ex machina. So that’s where the ding comes from. But I still found this book a great time and you’ve ever wanted an adventure to show up in your real live world, this is for you!
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcohol and Sexual content