Title: Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore
Author: Robin Sloan
Publication Details: October 2nd 2012 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Genre: Contemporary, mystery, adult
The Great Recession has shuffled Clay Jannon away from 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 either its name or its gnomic owner might suggest. The bookstore’s secrets extend far beyond its walls.
I loved it! It was an adventure minus the crazy government, vampires, zombies, whatsoever.
Here are the things I love about the book:
- It has books- And bookstore, of course! Who doesn't love a book about books and bookstore?
- Puzzles, codes- It got me curious with Manutius codex vitae. (I will not spoil anyone, so I'll stop here.)
- Characters- I love Clay, Neel, Mr. Penumbra (of course), Daleck, and Mat! I like Kat's enthusiasm about her work but I disagree with some of her "principles".
- The lesson of the story- which can be found in the Epilogue.
- Programming- even though I did not understand them, it was an interesting and refreshing element to the plot.
If you haven't read Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore, ugh guys, then you should pick it up soon!
