Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore

Farrar, Straus & Giroux

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore
Robin Sloan
2012

The Summary
"The Great Recession has shuffled Clay Jannon away from his life as a San Francisco web-design drone and into the aisles of Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore.  But after a few days on the job, Clay discovers that the store is more curious than its name or its gnomic owner might suggest.  The customers are few, and they never seem to buy anything--instead, they "check out" large, obscure volumes from strange corners of the store.  Suspicious, Clay engineers an analysis of the clientele's behavior, seeking help from his variously talented friends.  But when they bring their findings to Mr. Penumbra, they discover the bookstore's secrets extend far beyond its walls.  Rendered with irresistible brio and dazzling intelligence, Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore is exactly what it sounds like:  an establishment you have to enter and will never want to leave."

The Good
Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore was an exciting novel for me.  Although you might not think it at first, Mr. Penumbra's Bookstore is a mystery--a mystery that must be solved to proceed into an unlikely adventure, a mystery which the narrator finds himself inexplicably following.  It's fascinating to see new aspects of the bookstore come to light as Clay Jannon discovers new secrets and learns new things.

Speaking of Clay, I found I absolutely loved all the characters Robin Sloan introduced.  Clay was an excellent narrator.  Witty, bright, and unexpectedly creative, he put his mind to the test and set out for answers on a grand scale.  I loved his sense of humor and his adoration of fantasy, and I loved all of his friends:  kind, contemplative Penumbra; brilliant and boisterous Matt; friendly, loyal Neel; and, finally, smart and sassy Kat.

They helped make the novel everything it was.

I spent much of my time curious, wondering where the story would lead.  It's a strange story, meandering between the nearly archaic world of Mr. Penumbra's bookstore and the modern interconnected universe of Google, but I wasn't disappointed.  I found the connections between characters, between the mysterious society behind the bookstore and the modern world, between history and the present made sense without being overwhelming.

Granted, I might consider it a touch over the top--fantastical adventures criss-crossing the United States, delving into medieval history--but I enjoyed the element of fantasy involved.  It intrigued me, invited me to read more.  And while I may have been slightly disappointed by how the story ended, another part of me was relieved and exhilarated by the unexpected changes.

The Bad
Honestly, I don't have any complaints.  The story was a little wild, a little unbelievable, but I, nevertheless, enjoyed it and had a fun time reading Sloan's novel.

Clay has a few internal monologues that I belatedly realized were said aloud, which tripped me up a bit; however, I thought it was clever and funny rather than annoying.  It made me wonder if Clay sometimes had moments when he thought, "Did I really just say that out loud?", and I couldn't help but giggle.

The Ugly
Even the best things can't continue indefinitely.