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kairosdreaming 's review for:
The Borrower
by Rebecca Makkai
This book had all the components to be interesting; unreliable narrator, setting out against the status quo, adventure, slight kidnapping (really, who kidnapped who here). Unfortunately, for me, I just found it a slog to get through.
Lucy is a children's librarian and takes special delight in slipping one of her reader's books he is not supposed to read (contain magic, children having independent thought, etc.). This goes awry when that same character, presumably running from his stifled homelife (and possible conversion therapy), decides to make her "kidnap" him and head East to a destination only he knows. Assumedly, this is Lucy's conjecture as to what happens.
Because Lucy is an unreliable narrator you're never quite sure where the sense of the story goes. Throw in some other characters where, because of her lies, their lies, and the descriptions she's giving us, it's hard to sort what's truth from fiction. Which I think is very intentional of the author; a reflection of how we like to view ourselves and present ourselves to other people. As they progress in their journey there are always new lies to tell.
So what's the problem then? It seems like this should be a great tale of human nature and a fun adventure all in one. The problem is, it's just kind of boring. It takes forever to get to whatever it is they get to. I found myself not really caring how the end happened and whether or not Lucy escapes unscathed. Which was really frustrating.
If you like a meandering sort of book, this may be more up your alley. But I just couldn't get into this one.
Review by M. Reynard 2021
Lucy is a children's librarian and takes special delight in slipping one of her reader's books he is not supposed to read (contain magic, children having independent thought, etc.). This goes awry when that same character, presumably running from his stifled homelife (and possible conversion therapy), decides to make her "kidnap" him and head East to a destination only he knows. Assumedly, this is Lucy's conjecture as to what happens.
Because Lucy is an unreliable narrator you're never quite sure where the sense of the story goes. Throw in some other characters where, because of her lies, their lies, and the descriptions she's giving us, it's hard to sort what's truth from fiction. Which I think is very intentional of the author; a reflection of how we like to view ourselves and present ourselves to other people. As they progress in their journey there are always new lies to tell.
So what's the problem then? It seems like this should be a great tale of human nature and a fun adventure all in one. The problem is, it's just kind of boring. It takes forever to get to whatever it is they get to. I found myself not really caring how the end happened and whether or not Lucy escapes unscathed. Which was really frustrating.
If you like a meandering sort of book, this may be more up your alley. But I just couldn't get into this one.
Review by M. Reynard 2021