Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore

A Novel

By: Robin Sloan

Narrated by: Ari Fliakos

A gleeful and exhilarating tale of global conspiracy, complex code-breaking, high-tech data visualization, young love, rollicking adventure, and the secret to eternal life - mostly set in a hole-in-the-wall San Francisco bookstore.

The Great Recession has shuffled Clay Jannon out of his life as a San Francisco Web-design drone - and serendipity, sheer curiosity, and the ability to climb a ladder like a monkey has landed him a new gig working the night shift at Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore. But after just a few days on the job, Clay begins to realize that this store is even more curious than the name suggests. There are only a few customers, but they come in repeatedly and never seem to actually buy anything, instead “checking out” impossibly obscure volumes from strange corners of the store, all according to some elaborate, long-standing arrangement with the gnomic Mr. Penumbra. The store must be a front for something larger, Clay concludes, and soon he’s embarked on a complex analysis of the customers’ behavior and roped his friends into helping to figure out just what’s going on. But once they bring their findings to Mr. Penumbra, it turns out the secrets extend far outside the walls of the bookstore.

With irresistible brio and dazzling intelligence, Robin Sloan has crafted a literary adventure story for the 21st century, evoking both the fairy-tale charm of Haruki Murakami and the enthusiastic novel-of-ideas wizardry of Neal Stephenson or a young Umberto Eco, but with a unique and feisty sensibility that’s rare to the world of literary fiction. Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore is exactly what it sounds like: an establishment you have to enter and will never want to leave, a modern-day cabinet of wonders ready to give a jolt of energy to every curious listener, no matter the time of day.

©2012 Robin Sloan (P)2012 Macmillan Audio

Smart, Quirky and Satisfying

If you could sum up Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore in three words, what would they be?

See my title.

What did you like best about this story?

The story never let go of me.

What about Ari Fliakos’s performance did you like?

His reading was just delightful. I believe he enjoyed the book as much as I did.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Delight; extreme delight.

Any additional comments?

I've read a lot of books in my 64 years. I'm now nearly blind and depend upon audiobooks. This book comes close to making up for the differences between reading a book and listening to a book.

I found it very satisfying to listen to this particular reader tell this particular tale. It's an absorbing story that combines old knowledge and new knowledge, books and technology with the interests and the needs of the young and the old.

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore is one of my current favorites, and, if it stands up to a few re-readings, it might be a candidate for my list of lifetime favorites

Should be categorized as teen lit

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Maybe....it was a fun story at first, but about half way through I got very bored. It's definitely a teen lit-type book. If I had that expectation going into it I may have enjoyed it more, but maybe not. It got a bit annoying at times.

Best Book I've Listened To So Far

Would you consider the audio edition of Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore to be better than the print version?

Yes, although I have never read the print version. I loved this book so much due in part to the narrator. The voice and portrayal of the story are amazing and kept me intrigued. Something about the voice made it good to listen to and made me more excited to listen to the book during my drives to and from work.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Penumbra. He's mysterious and grandpa-like.

Which scene was your favorite?

My favorite scene is when Penumbra realizes that the main character (whose name escapes me at the moment) utilized technology to solve the founder's puzzle. He's a little shocked, but no less impressed by the accomplishment.

Any additional comments?

Amazing book. LISTEN TO IT!

What an unexpected surprise...

What did you love best about Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore?

This was a magical book, without magic or gimicks, mostly.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Clay was telling the story and he was really interesting. I guess I liked him because he was sort of an underachiever. Bright guy, knows he should be doing something, but not sure what. Just like a lot of people.

What does Ari Fliakos bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Terrific narrator. differentiated the voices well, got the right age/gender without straining the girl/women voices. And he sounded enthusiastic, as if he was enjoying the story.

Any additional comments?

THis is one of those books that escape classification. But really a joy to listen to. I keep wondering about it.

Too Technical

Great book where old meets new. the narrator is easy to listen to and the story keeps you thinking. But, I'm pretty sure if I weren't a graphic designer myself I wouldn't understand half the tech terms thrown around in this book. It was a good read but I found myself zoning out alot as the narrator went on explaining all the tools he used on the books.

read it, really!

What made the experience of listening to Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore the most enjoyable?

Mr. Penumbra himself.

What did you like best about this story?

the way backlist

What does Ari Fliakos bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Adds desperation and he delivers the irony perfectly!

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

when is a bookstore just a bookstore?

Good & Bad Volley

This is one of those quick reads that’s enjoyable, but not a particularly great investment of time. It’s an entertaining story and starts off well, but then it goes in waves. The writing volleys between bad modern dialogue and super interesting historical context setup. If you need a quick listen on a travel day, it may be a good choice, but it’s not something I’d read again.

Lovely surprise

I usually don't write reviews but this book was a lovely surprise. Started just a wee slow but then the characters and story came about. The story was a engaging and thought provoking at times. Nice characters and intriguing little mystery

Fun

What made the experience of listening to Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore the most enjoyable?

Enjoyable to listen to, but I'm glad I bought this during a sale. It's a fun distraction, but not something I think anyone HAS to read. Great Reader.

A WILD RIDE!!

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore is just a great story. When the main character Clay finds himself in Mr Penumbra's strange world he embarks on a wonderful journey. He makes friends and solves mysteries with technology and his own sometimes surprising resourcefulness. The narrator is a wonderful fit for the main character and brings the story to life. I would recommend to anyone who just likes to get caught up in the ride of a lighthearted and funny adventure.