A review by laurenleigh
Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

adventurous hopeful lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I love this with my whole heart! If you combined the bookish secret society mystery of The Starless Sea with the technological scavenger hunt of Ready Player One with the lovable group of characters + 21st century commentary of An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, you might get something like this novel. I adored how this story was a celebration of BOTH the wonder of technology and the everlasting beauty of a book. Yes, you can have it both ways! The pacing felt perfect, keeping me consistently interested while also remaining fun and lighthearted. It’s one of those mysteries that I know will be fun to reread, now that I know where things end up. The ending potentially borders on cheesy, but I enjoyed the ride there so much. I highly recommend the audiobook version!