Author: Erika Swyler [Website/Blog][Twitter]
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
ISBN: 9871250054807
Length: 339 Pages
Obtained: Library copy
Why this book?:
This book caught my interest from the first moment I read the synopsis,
and I had already started it when I received a recommendation from a
coworker about it.
Comments:
I read this in September 2015 or prior (the above was last update 9/17/2015). It was interesting, though perhaps not quite what I expected.
The protagonist, a librarian (though I've blanked on his name), is rather depressing. But that seems to go along with his depressing family history. The portrayal of librarianship was pretty gloomy too. It left me rather pleased that things are not so desperate where I work, and that my day to day is generally decent.
The circus part of things gave that same surreal yet nostalgic feel that I dimly recall feeling after reading Water for Elephants. I'm struggling to come up with a good comparison for the mysticism (tarot cards, an origin story, flashy storms at points of change, curses, etc.). Probably the coolest part was the underwater breathing - scary as all get out, but pretty cool.
I know most of this is feeling and emotional impressions, but I'm actually pretty impressed that I remember that much. It was one of those books that kind of lingers after you read it, so maybe that accounts for my memory of the story (if not character names).
Anyway, I'm glad I read it, but it isn't the type of book I could read regularly.
I read this in September 2015 or prior (the above was last update 9/17/2015). It was interesting, though perhaps not quite what I expected.
The protagonist, a librarian (though I've blanked on his name), is rather depressing. But that seems to go along with his depressing family history. The portrayal of librarianship was pretty gloomy too. It left me rather pleased that things are not so desperate where I work, and that my day to day is generally decent.
The circus part of things gave that same surreal yet nostalgic feel that I dimly recall feeling after reading Water for Elephants. I'm struggling to come up with a good comparison for the mysticism (tarot cards, an origin story, flashy storms at points of change, curses, etc.). Probably the coolest part was the underwater breathing - scary as all get out, but pretty cool.
I know most of this is feeling and emotional impressions, but I'm actually pretty impressed that I remember that much. It was one of those books that kind of lingers after you read it, so maybe that accounts for my memory of the story (if not character names).
Anyway, I'm glad I read it, but it isn't the type of book I could read regularly.
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