“Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore” by Robin Sloan

My dad practically threw this book at me he was so convinced that I’d like it. He wasn’t wrong, I loved every sentence of it.

Most of the charm comes from the narrator, Clay. He’s just finished art school, but the recession has him out of a job and so he ends up applying to work the graveyard shift at Mr. Penumbra’s bookstore (a penumbra is the darkest part of an eclipse, just saying). As someone who recently finished college and is also looking for a sense of direction in my scattered life, this is highly relatable. His inner monologue is full of quips and a healthy dose of self-deprecating humor, making the most absurd plot points seem realistic. For example, the strange characters that frequent the bookstore late at night come to life as Clay describes them, or the odd requirements of working as a clerk at the shop.

The other characters add to the action as well. There’s Clay’s roommates: Ashley the robot (not a bad thing) and Mat the artist, always working to create simulations with his hands. Then there’s Kat, a girl Clay becomes infatuated with, who works in the opposite world of computer simulations. And Clay’s middle school friend Neel who is now a millionaire creating computer-simulations of boobs. You get the idea, all of these people are quirky and just plain entertaining to be around.

As you might have guessed from the descriptions, a big part of this book is books versus computers, the digital versus the print copies. Now these ideas can seem at odds with each other, but what really happens is Sloan makes an argument for using both together. There are codes that Clay couldn’t have cracked without the help of a computer, and there are codes that stumped even the Google programmers. Making use of the benefits of each is revealed to be the path to truth and clarity.

Another important theme is the idea of immortality. Kat is obsessed with using technology to extend our lives, she firmly believes that we need more time, that one lifetime is not enough. The bibliophiles are similar in their quest, they believe that if they record all that they have learned in their lives that they will eventually be brought back to life. So again we have technology versus books. A third option is also presented: making something that others will use for years. And this creation could transcend the distinction between books and technology, since it can change and morph as the technology changes.

Between the excellent characters, good message, and bibliophile appeal (ok what reader isn’t going to love a book about a BOOKSTORE) this novel really hits the nail on the head. I loved it so much that I devoured it in a day, but you don’t have to be like that. Check it out and contemplate your own lack of immortality!