Book review: Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore
By Robin Sloan
Pub. Date: 2012
By Farrar, Straus and Giroux
ISBN: 978-0374214913
Pages:  304
Genre: Fiction
Source: local public library
Goodreads
Reading Challenge

Review:

I have a huge list of books to read for virtual book tours, but the one next on the list had not arrived yet, so I decided to go for a treat. There’s plenty to choose from on my TBR, and my local library had Mr. Penumbra’s 24-hour Bookstore available on a nook.
I devoured it in 2 sittings.

Clay is looking for a job, and ends up answering an add to work in a bookstore in San Francisco. He soon discovers the owner is a bit of a weirdo, and there’s something really mysterious going on there.

That’s all I can tell you, BUT this book is pure awesome. 

First it’s about books, and some very old ones, so it’s a sign this has to be good, right? Then it’s super geeky, and I just LOVED that mix of reverence for the old AND use of super modern digital tools, as well as the presence of planet Google, which I am kind of fond of. It’s a bit Umberto Eco-ish within the cyber world. It reminded me of Ready Player One, with the added bonus of revolving around old books.

The characters are real, fun, full of energy and passion. The suspense keeps growing as you discover more. It’s a quick read, perfect for a relaxing week-end.

And if you don’t mind coming this way, I need your help and have a question for you.

*Disclaimer - I checked out this ebook at my local public library 

 About the Author:

Robin Sloan grew up near Detroit and now splits his time between San Francisco and the internet. He graduated from Michigan State with a degree in economics and, from 2002 to 2012, worked at Poynter, Current TV, and Twitter. Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore is his first novel. You can learn more at robinsloan.com and follow along at @robinsloan.