I accidentally walked into a bookstore on Monday and I accidentally bought some books. What can I say, they were having a promotion?! If I spent $40 they would give me a gift card for $10 off my next purchase. Not only was I stuck at the mall waiting for a bus, I was also mildly depressed over my continual lack of a love life. When I'm lonely I buy books. When I'm depressed I buy books. Of course, I also buy books when I'm happy.
Anyway, this book: Mr Penubra's 24-Hour Bookstore. I hardly read the back cover in the store. The seemingly unending bookshelves on the cover and the title were enough to peak my interest. I read the whole thing today between classes and on my bus ride home. I loved it.
I loved it, not only because it's about books, but because it bridges the gap between the traditional paper book and modern technology. Robin Sloan sums things up perfectly near the end of the novel when one of the character remarks that the internet is the modern day Venice. For those who don't know, in the 15th and 16th centuries Venice was one of the largest publishing centers in the world. (See my review on Bound in Venice).
The plot is simple, but rich. Clay Jannon, after loosing his job as a website designer and marketer for an upstart bagel company when the Great Recession hits, finds a job in a bookstore. He works the night shift, but never seems to make any sales. Patrons are few, and when they do come, they come alone, don't pay, and only take specific books from a mysterious section of the shop, which are in code. It's not long before Clay gets curious and begins to uncover the details of a literary cult.
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