Helpful Score: 1
Thank-you to NetGalley and Ecco/Random House Audio for advanced read copies of the book and audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
The Librarianist follows a retired librarian Bob Comet, who has lived most of his adult life in quiet desperation, as he tries to figure out if he matters at all and looks back at the three times in his life that broke the mold: when he ran away at 11, when he had dinner with a gay librarian at 18, and when his wife left him for his only friend at 26. Now, at 71, he decides to volunteer at a local senior center, which involuntarily leads him to the biggest changes yet in his life and to the answers he seeks. To quote the book, "a totem or treasure which to possess even briefly was worthy of enormous personal sacrifice."
Patrick deWitt's writing is reminiscent of books written in the 1960s, which gave The Librarianist a very authentic 20th century reading experience. His prose is crisp for literary intellectuals without being purple prose. Additionally, there were no dull parts in Bob Comet's story. The story moved at a quick pace so as not to bore the reader with Bob's quiet life. The comic relief is wonderfully placed throughout. The young runaway Bob is almost identical to Pete Davidson's SNL character Chad. And, if this book were a movie, it would be a Bill Nighy movie [i.e. The Bookshop, Living, Hope Gap, Their Finest ... ]
The audiobook version is well worth a listen. Narrator Jim Meskimen skillfully uses the right voice inflections and characterizations to infuse energy into Bob's stillness and to bring secondary characters like Ida & June, Lester, Mr. More and The Sheriff to life, which adds a whole new dimension to The Librarianist.
I highly recommend The Librarianist, especially for bibliophiles, introverts, library book clubs and all librarians (and their admirers). This is a three olive martini with a twist!
The Librarianist follows a retired librarian Bob Comet, who has lived most of his adult life in quiet desperation, as he tries to figure out if he matters at all and looks back at the three times in his life that broke the mold: when he ran away at 11, when he had dinner with a gay librarian at 18, and when his wife left him for his only friend at 26. Now, at 71, he decides to volunteer at a local senior center, which involuntarily leads him to the biggest changes yet in his life and to the answers he seeks. To quote the book, "a totem or treasure which to possess even briefly was worthy of enormous personal sacrifice."
Patrick deWitt's writing is reminiscent of books written in the 1960s, which gave The Librarianist a very authentic 20th century reading experience. His prose is crisp for literary intellectuals without being purple prose. Additionally, there were no dull parts in Bob Comet's story. The story moved at a quick pace so as not to bore the reader with Bob's quiet life. The comic relief is wonderfully placed throughout. The young runaway Bob is almost identical to Pete Davidson's SNL character Chad. And, if this book were a movie, it would be a Bill Nighy movie [i.e. The Bookshop, Living, Hope Gap, Their Finest ... ]
The audiobook version is well worth a listen. Narrator Jim Meskimen skillfully uses the right voice inflections and characterizations to infuse energy into Bob's stillness and to bring secondary characters like Ida & June, Lester, Mr. More and The Sheriff to life, which adds a whole new dimension to The Librarianist.
I highly recommend The Librarianist, especially for bibliophiles, introverts, library book clubs and all librarians (and their admirers). This is a three olive martini with a twist!
I don't understand why this book was praised highly by many. It is very poorly written, with clumsy sentences, weak verbs (way too many instances of a passive "was") and usage mistakes like "as" where it should have been "like."
And this is in addition to a main character who doesn't make sense. We're told that he doesn't mind not having friends or family, and yet he practically moves into a nearby senior center to help out there after he inadvertently helps an addled resident to get back there safely.
I found nothing in the book to keep me reading beyond page 61. A huge disappointment.
And this is in addition to a main character who doesn't make sense. We're told that he doesn't mind not having friends or family, and yet he practically moves into a nearby senior center to help out there after he inadvertently helps an addled resident to get back there safely.
I found nothing in the book to keep me reading beyond page 61. A huge disappointment.
I can see where some readers may become bored with retired librarian Bob Comet's tiny little life on the sidelines in The Librarianist, but I enjoyed it. Perhaps it's because I saw some of myself in this character as his life unfolded.
From the four days he ran away from home as a child to his true love being stolen to a painful revelation, Bob's character slowly opens like a flower in the spring sun. It is a rather melancholy existence to be sure, but there's also humor and an appreciation of life. At one point, Bob is asked, "Why do you read rather than live?" As The Librarianist moves to its conclusion, Bob proves that you can do both-- read and live.
From the four days he ran away from home as a child to his true love being stolen to a painful revelation, Bob's character slowly opens like a flower in the spring sun. It is a rather melancholy existence to be sure, but there's also humor and an appreciation of life. At one point, Bob is asked, "Why do you read rather than live?" As The Librarianist moves to its conclusion, Bob proves that you can do both-- read and live.
