When the Old joins the New – Mr Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore

Published on: September 24 2012

By: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd

Number of pages: 288

Reading attempt: 2

Reading time: 4 ½ days

Rating: «««

Advice: Read it if you like books about books or if you are in an “in-between” books period

Also available in French as: yet to be published

The context

I bought this book a while back; my guess is probably when I came back from Portugal last September.  At the time I hadn't read anything except my guidebook for the past two weeks and I was desperate to put my hands on something good.  As I was, yet another time, touring around different bookstores, I came across Robin Sloan’s book and it intrigued me: a book about books.

Let’s just say that based on this fact alone, buying the book was a done deal.  I didn't get far the first time I tried reading it.  I guess I just wasn't ready or in the mood for it.  But now, in between Ken Follett’s, I think the timing was perfect.

The story

Set mainly in San Francisco during the Great Recession that happened only a few years ago, we follow Clay Jannon who after losing his job as a web-designer, is in desperate need of a steady paycheck.  As his criteria for the perfect job go from several to non-existent, he ends up at Mr Penumbra’s 24-hour bookstore where he lands a job as night clerk.  But this bookstore is no ordinary store as he soon realizes.

First, not only does it sale everyday books to very rare paying customers, some individuals also come in repeatedly, checking out books that turn out to be impossible to read.  Clay concludes that there is more here than meets the eye and he will, with the help of his friends and modern technology, crack open this mystery, only to find out that the secrets extend far beyond this single bookstore.

The review

This book already had my vote when I first bought it.  I mean let’s face it: this is a book about books and the mysteries and secrets they may hold.  If you are obsessed by books as much as I sometimes may be, you are bound to find something interesting in it.

Although the story line, humanity’s everlasting search for immortality, is nothing new, the simple fact that the characters, especially the “Average Joe” Clay Jannon, show some sort of self-deprecation brings humor to this complex story plot.  By this process, the author shows that the story doesn't take itself too seriously bringing in some welcome lightness.

Its main characters, “Ordinary” Clay Jannon and “Grandfatherly” Mr Penumbra, both lead the way through this maze with their allies.  Every character is as realistic as can be as they all come with their qualities and visible flaws.

But do not be fooled by this easy style because as Robin Sloan allies all you normally need to make a good book (a good story plot full of twists and complexities with realistic characters), the author makes this important point: it is and will always be possible to have a balance in-between the Old and the New and this balance might forever coexist.    His point is frequently repeated in this book as the characters will have to use both modern technology as well as old books to crack this 500 years old mystery. Throughout the book, he also makes a point of showing that both vectors have their advantages and limitations, reinforcing his point of view about the cohabitation of these two information mediums.

And yet, as every person has its flaws so does every book, this one being no exception. The technical jargon about computer programming and the programming techniques described in this novel were a little complicated to understand and the concepts of their use difficult to grasp.

Moreover, the fast paced story plot made it at times feel as if all this puzzle solving and mystery cracking was a tad bit too easy for the characters.  The struggles they had didn't seem as convincing as they should have.  This feeling is further reinforced through the too perfect ending; which is why the book ended up feeling a little flat to me, hence its rating.

This being said, even though this book doesn't end up being as memorable to me as I first thought it would be, it remains a good book that showcases an interesting point of view about the future and the preservation of the old and new knowledge.

As always, keep reading all of you bookworms and book lovers out there.  Let me know what you’re reading or how you found it.  Who knows, you might inspire me my next great read.

Until next time

Ladybug