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Mobile Library
Bobby Nusku is nearly alone in the world. He spends his nights meticulously archiving the traces his long-absent mother left behind. He spends his days plotting with his only friend, Sunny, trying to contrive ways to protect himself from neighborhood bullies and an abusive father. But the stories they tell and the realities they live are painfully far apart, and when Sunny is forced to move away, Bobby fears he has no one else to turn to.
Then Bobby encounters two outcasts like himself: Rosa, a girl with a red tricycle who collects names in her notebook and whose disability invites the scorn of the same bullies that haunt Bobby; and Val, her mother, a lonely divorcee who cleans the town's mobile library for work. They connect deeply, filling the gaps in each other's lives, but the bond between the older woman and young boy also draws the town's suspicion and outrage, as rumors begin to fly about the nature of their relationship. Val loses her job, Bobby is beaten severely by his father, and, with worse sure to follow, they abscond with Rosa in their sixteen-wheel bookmobile, embarking on a picaresque adventure that comes to rival those in the classic books that fill their library on wheels.
Then Bobby encounters two outcasts like himself: Rosa, a girl with a red tricycle who collects names in her notebook and whose disability invites the scorn of the same bullies that haunt Bobby; and Val, her mother, a lonely divorcee who cleans the town's mobile library for work. They connect deeply, filling the gaps in each other's lives, but the bond between the older woman and young boy also draws the town's suspicion and outrage, as rumors begin to fly about the nature of their relationship. Val loses her job, Bobby is beaten severely by his father, and, with worse sure to follow, they abscond with Rosa in their sixteen-wheel bookmobile, embarking on a picaresque adventure that comes to rival those in the classic books that fill their library on wheels.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2015
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2010 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 331 reviews
November 4, 2014
“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies ... The man who never reads lives only one.” – George R. R. Martin
Hooray for books. Hooray for the families they integrate us into, the adventures they take us on, and the lessons that they teach us. Hooray for every laugh or cry that they elicit. Hooray for the whole experience that a journey through words brings. “Books are nothing until they’re opened.” our Author implores, “Stories aren’t stories until they’re told…”
Mobile Library is a book whose story is a tribute to stories. 12-year-old Bobby Nusku’s heart and hopes and means of escape are encapsulated within an articulated lorry. This lorry is a mobile library, and a library is in itself a prism of possibilities. This is a book full of adventure, and peril, and love, and camaraderie. There are heroes and villains, and family, and the most unconventional cyborg in literature. Chapter one: ‘THE END’ says it all. Prepare to have your judgements tested and your preconceptions discombobulated. And at the end end, the book’s conclusion, there’s a feeling of beginnings… Prepare to dust off your library card and re-visit some half-remembered adventures of your own.
Hooray for books. Hooray for the families they integrate us into, the adventures they take us on, and the lessons that they teach us. Hooray for every laugh or cry that they elicit. Hooray for the whole experience that a journey through words brings. “Books are nothing until they’re opened.” our Author implores, “Stories aren’t stories until they’re told…”
Mobile Library is a book whose story is a tribute to stories. 12-year-old Bobby Nusku’s heart and hopes and means of escape are encapsulated within an articulated lorry. This lorry is a mobile library, and a library is in itself a prism of possibilities. This is a book full of adventure, and peril, and love, and camaraderie. There are heroes and villains, and family, and the most unconventional cyborg in literature. Chapter one: ‘THE END’ says it all. Prepare to have your judgements tested and your preconceptions discombobulated. And at the end end, the book’s conclusion, there’s a feeling of beginnings… Prepare to dust off your library card and re-visit some half-remembered adventures of your own.
August 29, 2016
This book surprised me. I read the synopsis ages ago when I added it to my “to-read” list and randomly picked it as my next read based on the book cover. I think this worked out well for my reading experience since I didn’t really understand what was going on or where the story was meant to be taking me. It keeps me guessing.
Without giving too much away, this story was about a bunch of misfits who did not really fit into this world. We were taken on an adventure, along with the characters in the story. I found many parts of this story hard to read. In fact, there was a part near the beginning of the book that almost had me DNF it because I just couldn’t handle what was about to happen.
The subject matter was not lighthearted, but the characters were strong and resilient. Seeing this tough subject matter through their eyes made the story more enjoyable. What I loved? I loved Bobby. I loved his friendship with Sunny. I loved Joe’s story. I especially loved what Val and Rosa brought into Bobby and Joe’s life.
Without giving too much away, this story was about a bunch of misfits who did not really fit into this world. We were taken on an adventure, along with the characters in the story. I found many parts of this story hard to read. In fact, there was a part near the beginning of the book that almost had me DNF it because I just couldn’t handle what was about to happen.
The subject matter was not lighthearted, but the characters were strong and resilient. Seeing this tough subject matter through their eyes made the story more enjoyable. What I loved? I loved Bobby. I loved his friendship with Sunny. I loved Joe’s story. I especially loved what Val and Rosa brought into Bobby and Joe’s life.
April 9, 2018
This was her experience of motherhood, something you can be good at for a lifetime, but only need to be bad at for a second.
A beautifully written story about loneliness and the need to belong to a loving family. Although very sweet there are many sad and dark moments. The mobile library offers an escape into the adventure of a lifetime, and there are many beautiful quotes about reading and books. Although I really liked the fairy-tale feel to the book, it also meant that I could not connect deeply with the characters.
The Story: After a thrashing by his abusive father and a schoolyard fight, young Bobby Nusku takes refuge with a neighborhood cleaning lady, Val, and her disabled daughter, Rosa, all the while pining for his mysteriously absent mother. Piling into a recently deactivated mobile library vehicle that Val maintains on weekends, Val and her charges run away. On their journey, they meet Joe, a gangly ex-soldier drifter, and decide to pose as a family as they evade the authorities in England and head towards a safe haven in Scotland.
January 11, 2015
When I was a child I eagerly awaited the fortnightly visits from the bright green Mobile Library bus that parked just outside my door, so I couldn't resist this title.
Mobile Library by David Whitehouse is the big hearted, quirky story of twelve year old, Bobby Nusku, abused by his drunken father and bullied by his schoolmates. His only friend's attempts to defend him end in disaster and Bobby is alone again, pining for his missing mother, until he meets Rosa, and her mother, Val. Val, the cleaner of a mobile library, shows Bobby how books can help him to escape the miserable confines of his world, and when everything goes wrong, only the mobile library can save them all.
I've mentioned before that I dislike prologue's. Whitehouse starts Mobile Library with 'The End' and it wasn't until at least halfway through the book that I forgave him. Though it took a while, I eventually got caught up in Bobby's story as the author brought it to life with good humour, warmth and poignancy.
A charming, but offbeat, story, Mobile Library is a novel about friendship, family, love and stories, a tale of adventure and danger, heroes and villains, not-so-happy and happy endings.
March 15, 2015
Mobile Library reminds us that stories never end—they keep on going.
Mobile Library is the story of Bobby Nesku, a skinny boy who feels unloved and alone. His mother is no longer home after a terrible car accident. Bobby waits for her to come back by cataloging any scraps he can find of her. He spends the rest of the time trying to avoid his abusive, neglectful father and the bullies at school who like to beat him up.
Another lonely kid named Sunny Clay befriends Bobby and promises to protect him at all costs. “He recognized loneliness when he saw it. Noisy crowds that swirl around the silence in the center where you sit. An irrepressible ache made by the melody of other peoples’ laughter. The breadth of the canyon between you and someone you can reach out to touch.’’ Sunny promises to become a cyborg so he will have superpowers to protect Bobby, a promise that leads to disastrous results.
Bobby also is befriended by a single mom named Val and her beautiful, captivating young daughter, Rosa, who also is picked on because she is different. Val cleans the town’s mobile library and shows Bobby the wonder of all its books. Their friendship grows, and Val realizes she wishes Bobby were her son. But their innocent relationship draws the attention of village gossips who imagine the worst.
When Val finds out that Bobby was severely beaten by his drunken father, she decides to take him and Rosa on a road trip. She doesn’t have a car, but she does have the mobile library, which she has been told is going to be shut down due to budget cuts. She thinks, “What better motive than granting this boy a reprieve from a rotten start in life, even if it did turn out to be fleeting.’’ Along the way they are befriended by a stranger named Joe, who is hiding from his own dark past. Bobby discovers that the kind man also has a well of anger that Bobby is able to calm down.
David Whitehouse’s descriptive writing is so captivating. I kept wanting to write down his beautiful sentences, such as, “Houses are bodies, their memories mapped by the scars left behind.’’ His characters are endearing and unforgettable. The plot blends both tragedy and humor in just the right amounts.
Like many of my colleagues, I am drawn to novels that take place in bookstores, libraries, and now bookmobiles. I now can imagine what fun it would be taking a road trip with a mobile library.
Mobile Library is the story of Bobby Nesku, a skinny boy who feels unloved and alone. His mother is no longer home after a terrible car accident. Bobby waits for her to come back by cataloging any scraps he can find of her. He spends the rest of the time trying to avoid his abusive, neglectful father and the bullies at school who like to beat him up.
Another lonely kid named Sunny Clay befriends Bobby and promises to protect him at all costs. “He recognized loneliness when he saw it. Noisy crowds that swirl around the silence in the center where you sit. An irrepressible ache made by the melody of other peoples’ laughter. The breadth of the canyon between you and someone you can reach out to touch.’’ Sunny promises to become a cyborg so he will have superpowers to protect Bobby, a promise that leads to disastrous results.
Bobby also is befriended by a single mom named Val and her beautiful, captivating young daughter, Rosa, who also is picked on because she is different. Val cleans the town’s mobile library and shows Bobby the wonder of all its books. Their friendship grows, and Val realizes she wishes Bobby were her son. But their innocent relationship draws the attention of village gossips who imagine the worst.
When Val finds out that Bobby was severely beaten by his drunken father, she decides to take him and Rosa on a road trip. She doesn’t have a car, but she does have the mobile library, which she has been told is going to be shut down due to budget cuts. She thinks, “What better motive than granting this boy a reprieve from a rotten start in life, even if it did turn out to be fleeting.’’ Along the way they are befriended by a stranger named Joe, who is hiding from his own dark past. Bobby discovers that the kind man also has a well of anger that Bobby is able to calm down.
David Whitehouse’s descriptive writing is so captivating. I kept wanting to write down his beautiful sentences, such as, “Houses are bodies, their memories mapped by the scars left behind.’’ His characters are endearing and unforgettable. The plot blends both tragedy and humor in just the right amounts.
Like many of my colleagues, I am drawn to novels that take place in bookstores, libraries, and now bookmobiles. I now can imagine what fun it would be taking a road trip with a mobile library.
February 7, 2017
4,5 ☆
Dieses Buch hat mich in vielerlei Hinsicht positiv überrascht. Ausgehend von Klappentext & Cover habe ich eine leichte, charmante Road-Trip-Geschichte erwartet und erhielt soviel mehr!
Der Roman behandelt sehr viele ernste und traurige Themen. Der Hauptcharakter Bobby ist ein kleiner Junge, welcher aus einer schwierigen Familie kommt. Die Mutter hat die Familie verlassen, der Vater schlägt und / oder vernachlässigt ihn und in der Schule wird er ziemlich brutal gemobbt.
Bobby lernt die alleinerziehende Mutter Val und ihre geistig behinderte Tochter Rosa kennen und durch plötzlich eintretende Umstände finden sich die drei auf großer Abenteuerfahrt im Bücherbus wieder.
Wie erwähnt werden viele verschiedene und teils auch schwierige Themen angesprochen: es geht um Freundschaft, Familie, die Angst vor dem Anders-Sein, Wut und Ängste, Enttäuschungen und Traumata. Und trotz aller Dramatik und Tragik wird die ganze Geschichte immer mit einem leichten Lächeln erzählt, angenehm humorvoll und warmherzig.
Mein einziger Kritikpunkt ist die Erzählperspektive. Diese wechselt nämlich munter und oftmals ohne Vorwarnung zwischen allen Protagonisten hin und her, häufig sogar von einem Satz auf den nächsten. Das war stellenweise etwas verwirrend und riss mich manchmal etwas aus dem Lesefluß raus.
Dafür gab es aber in der Handlung immer wieder Wendungen und Überraschungen, die ich so gar nicht erwartet habe. Da kann ich dann auch über die ständig wechselnde Perspektive hinwegsehen. Der Roman war durchweg spannend und einnehmend.
Whitehouses Roman ist eines der wenigen Bücher, die ein für mich absolut perfektes Ende haben. Es ist genau so wie ich es mir für die Protagonisten gewünscht habe.
Dieses Buch hat mich in vielerlei Hinsicht positiv überrascht. Ausgehend von Klappentext & Cover habe ich eine leichte, charmante Road-Trip-Geschichte erwartet und erhielt soviel mehr!
Der Roman behandelt sehr viele ernste und traurige Themen. Der Hauptcharakter Bobby ist ein kleiner Junge, welcher aus einer schwierigen Familie kommt. Die Mutter hat die Familie verlassen, der Vater schlägt und / oder vernachlässigt ihn und in der Schule wird er ziemlich brutal gemobbt.
Bobby lernt die alleinerziehende Mutter Val und ihre geistig behinderte Tochter Rosa kennen und durch plötzlich eintretende Umstände finden sich die drei auf großer Abenteuerfahrt im Bücherbus wieder.
Wie erwähnt werden viele verschiedene und teils auch schwierige Themen angesprochen: es geht um Freundschaft, Familie, die Angst vor dem Anders-Sein, Wut und Ängste, Enttäuschungen und Traumata. Und trotz aller Dramatik und Tragik wird die ganze Geschichte immer mit einem leichten Lächeln erzählt, angenehm humorvoll und warmherzig.
Mein einziger Kritikpunkt ist die Erzählperspektive. Diese wechselt nämlich munter und oftmals ohne Vorwarnung zwischen allen Protagonisten hin und her, häufig sogar von einem Satz auf den nächsten. Das war stellenweise etwas verwirrend und riss mich manchmal etwas aus dem Lesefluß raus.
Dafür gab es aber in der Handlung immer wieder Wendungen und Überraschungen, die ich so gar nicht erwartet habe. Da kann ich dann auch über die ständig wechselnde Perspektive hinwegsehen. Der Roman war durchweg spannend und einnehmend.
Whitehouses Roman ist eines der wenigen Bücher, die ein für mich absolut perfektes Ende haben. Es ist genau so wie ich es mir für die Protagonisten gewünscht habe.
September 7, 2017
1,5 stelline
Questo libro non mi è piaciuto per niente.
Credo che questa sia l’unica cosa che sono in grado di dire sul romanzo. E questo è dovuto al fatto che questo libro è confusionario, per cui arrivata alla fine ero completamente persa: se c’era una morale nella storia, io proprio non l’ho capita.
Quando ho finito di leggere il libro sono subito andata a controllare le recensioni positive, e tutte parlavano di speranza e di una seconda possibilità, di una vita migliore eccetera eccetera: io tutte queste cose proprio non le ho trovato.
La speranza per me è luce e luminosità: qui l’ho trovata completamente soppressa dalla malinconia e dal cupo presentimento che qualcosa di brutto stesse arrivando.
Come dicevo, ho trovato il libro estremamente confuso: esso, infatti, si dipana su due piani temporali, quello del viaggio compiuto da Val, Rosa e Bobby, e quello del passato di Bobby a casa con suo padre. Il problema è che i due momenti sono quasi sempre uniti, non c’è distinzione l’uno dall’altro, per cui ogni tanto ti ritrovi a leggere e a dover capire dove e quando siamo.
I personaggi dovrebbero risultare forti, in grado di superare i tanti, anzi troppi, problemi che la vita pone loro davanti: invece li ho trovati tutti di un piattume esagerato, tutti uguali e monotoni, tutti un po’ stupidi e molto infantili, bambini e adulti.
L’unico momento in cui mi sono emozionata? La fine. Davvero, ho pianto: ma vi sembra il modo di sprecare tutti quei bellissimi libri?! Mi sono sentita male!
Questo libro non mi è piaciuto per niente.
Credo che questa sia l’unica cosa che sono in grado di dire sul romanzo. E questo è dovuto al fatto che questo libro è confusionario, per cui arrivata alla fine ero completamente persa: se c’era una morale nella storia, io proprio non l’ho capita.
Quando ho finito di leggere il libro sono subito andata a controllare le recensioni positive, e tutte parlavano di speranza e di una seconda possibilità, di una vita migliore eccetera eccetera: io tutte queste cose proprio non le ho trovato.
La speranza per me è luce e luminosità: qui l’ho trovata completamente soppressa dalla malinconia e dal cupo presentimento che qualcosa di brutto stesse arrivando.
Come dicevo, ho trovato il libro estremamente confuso: esso, infatti, si dipana su due piani temporali, quello del viaggio compiuto da Val, Rosa e Bobby, e quello del passato di Bobby a casa con suo padre. Il problema è che i due momenti sono quasi sempre uniti, non c’è distinzione l’uno dall’altro, per cui ogni tanto ti ritrovi a leggere e a dover capire dove e quando siamo.
I personaggi dovrebbero risultare forti, in grado di superare i tanti, anzi troppi, problemi che la vita pone loro davanti: invece li ho trovati tutti di un piattume esagerato, tutti uguali e monotoni, tutti un po’ stupidi e molto infantili, bambini e adulti.
L’unico momento in cui mi sono emozionata? La fine. Davvero, ho pianto: ma vi sembra il modo di sprecare tutti quei bellissimi libri?! Mi sono sentita male!
October 26, 2015
Misfits band together into a merry family, hurtling across western Europe in a stolen mobile library to escape injustice and incarceration. I don't understand who this book is written for, it seems infantile and wildly inappropriate all at once. It's the literary version of gratuitously violent cartoons where characters get anvils dropped on them, are pushed off cliffs, and otherwise bruised and bloodied, without apparent consequences. I could not get past the gruesomeness of 12-year old Bobby and his friend Sunny's resolve in their mission to break actual bones and displace brains in order to transform Sunny into a cyborg.
I get that Bobby was abused, but he wasn't stupid; so why did he have absolutely no concept whatsoever of how library book borrowing works? And if in fact a 12-year could possibly be that deprived, it hardly seems plausible that he would immediately launch into a 6-month epic reading spree of sophisticated age-appropriate literature. I got nothing out of reading this.
I get that Bobby was abused, but he wasn't stupid; so why did he have absolutely no concept whatsoever of how library book borrowing works? And if in fact a 12-year could possibly be that deprived, it hardly seems plausible that he would immediately launch into a 6-month epic reading spree of sophisticated age-appropriate literature. I got nothing out of reading this.
February 11, 2025
One of the best books I have read so far this year. A real gem. I fell in love with the main characters, who are so beautifully drawn. It's surprising, clever, moving, simply gorgeous. A treat for book lovers, and a tale to give hope to those whose lives are touched with sadness.
March 9, 2015
I wanted to like this book a lot more than I did. The more I think about it, the more I can't put my finger on anything I DID like, but I certainly didn't hate this book.
Some things I didn't like: what was the POV? I thought it was third person narrative, but then very occasionally, it would switch to a different person's narrative. The narrator would change from paragraph to paragraph, and at least a couple of times it changed mid-paragraph. I definitely wouldn't call it omniscient - we didn't see nearly enough of the other characters thoughts to be omniscient - just a little snippet here and there. It was distracting. It took away from the content of the story because I was trying to figure out the writing style.
That being said, I thought the characters were well written (although I didn't care much about any of them) and the ending was satisfying.
Some things I didn't like: what was the POV? I thought it was third person narrative, but then very occasionally, it would switch to a different person's narrative. The narrator would change from paragraph to paragraph, and at least a couple of times it changed mid-paragraph. I definitely wouldn't call it omniscient - we didn't see nearly enough of the other characters thoughts to be omniscient - just a little snippet here and there. It was distracting. It took away from the content of the story because I was trying to figure out the writing style.
That being said, I thought the characters were well written (although I didn't care much about any of them) and the ending was satisfying.
July 27, 2017
5 Sterne
Auf den ersten paar Seiten dachte ich noch: Naja, ganz nett. Aber meine Begeisterung für dieses Buch nahm wirklich mit jeder Seite zu. Die Geschichte war so bewegend und mitreißend, die Charaktere so echt und originell und liebenswert, dass man sich dem Sog der Handlung einfach geschlagen geben musste. Es steckt auch viel Lebensweisheit und manchmal sogar Poesie in dem Buch - ich habe mir jede Menge Zitate markiert. Ein Underdog, der sich für mich als waschechtes Lese-Highlight entpuppt hat!
Auf den ersten paar Seiten dachte ich noch: Naja, ganz nett. Aber meine Begeisterung für dieses Buch nahm wirklich mit jeder Seite zu. Die Geschichte war so bewegend und mitreißend, die Charaktere so echt und originell und liebenswert, dass man sich dem Sog der Handlung einfach geschlagen geben musste. Es steckt auch viel Lebensweisheit und manchmal sogar Poesie in dem Buch - ich habe mir jede Menge Zitate markiert. Ein Underdog, der sich für mich als waschechtes Lese-Highlight entpuppt hat!
June 19, 2025
Wenn man denkt, dieses Buch hat nur einen Helden, der irrt. Neben Bobby, gibt es da noch Val, Rose und Joe und nicht zu vergessen Bert, den Hund. Außerdem im Nebenstrang einen "Cyborg".
Diese begeben sich auf Abenteuerreise im Bücherbus. Entfliehen dem gewalttätigem Elternhaus, der drohenden Arbeitslosigkeit oder sind auf der Flucht.
Im Laufe des Buches schafft es der Autor, das einen die Figuren ans Herz wachsen. Sie sind Ersatzeltern oder wie eine Schwestern. Man fühlt zu ihnen eine gewisse Nähe und legt das Buch mit einem zufriedenen Seufzer weg.
Diese begeben sich auf Abenteuerreise im Bücherbus. Entfliehen dem gewalttätigem Elternhaus, der drohenden Arbeitslosigkeit oder sind auf der Flucht.
Im Laufe des Buches schafft es der Autor, das einen die Figuren ans Herz wachsen. Sie sind Ersatzeltern oder wie eine Schwestern. Man fühlt zu ihnen eine gewisse Nähe und legt das Buch mit einem zufriedenen Seufzer weg.
September 9, 2017
Questo romanzo non mi è piaciuto per niente.
Già inizialmente mi ha lasciata un po' scioccata e perplessa soprattutto quando il protagonista, Bobby, sembra finalmente essersi fatto un amico, Sunny, che per difenderlo decide di spaccarsi più parti del corpo per diventare un robot, cosa che solo una mente malata potrebbe fare, e senza una ragione concreta di fondo. Cosa che mi ha lasciato ancora più scioccata è che dopo l'ultimo incidente dove si è volutamente fracassato il cranio ed è rimasto con un ghigno perenne perché i muscoli facciali non rispondono più agli stimoli lui è felice di questo e non vede l'ora di andare a terrorizzare i bulli della scuola. In tutto ciò i due ragazzi dovrebbero avere circa dodici anni anche se molto spesso ne dimostrano molti meno dai ragionamenti che fanno e dai comportamenti che hanno.
Bobby incontrerà poi Rose e Val nelle quali intravedere la possibilità di una nuova famiglia e di riavere una madre. La sua è morta e lui da quel giorno aspetta incessantemente il suo ritorno convinto che se ne sia solo andata per un po'.
Si parla troppo spesso con noncuranza di temi importanti come la violenza domestica, l'alcolismo, l'omicidio e la morte; molte cose le ho trovate semplicemente abbozzate ed altre confuse e improbabili.
Vediamo più di una volta il protagonista pensare di far del male fisico e di uccidere delle persone pensando sia una cosa normalissima per portarlo poi a farlo veramente senza che le persone che lo circondano battano ciglio.
Come al solito mi sono lasciata fregare dalle recensioni entusiaste ed avevo alte aspettative invece non mi ha detto davvero niente questo libro.
Nonostante l'idea di base non fosse tanto male è una storia che non ha niente da raccontare, che arranca provando a descrivere diverse sfaccettature della vita famigliare; voleva essere il racconto di un bambino che non sa come chiedere aiuto per fuggire dalla difficile realtà in cui si trova ma dire che raccontata male e con superficialità è dire poco.
Già inizialmente mi ha lasciata un po' scioccata e perplessa soprattutto quando il protagonista, Bobby, sembra finalmente essersi fatto un amico, Sunny, che per difenderlo decide di spaccarsi più parti del corpo per diventare un robot, cosa che solo una mente malata potrebbe fare, e senza una ragione concreta di fondo. Cosa che mi ha lasciato ancora più scioccata è che dopo l'ultimo incidente dove si è volutamente fracassato il cranio ed è rimasto con un ghigno perenne perché i muscoli facciali non rispondono più agli stimoli lui è felice di questo e non vede l'ora di andare a terrorizzare i bulli della scuola. In tutto ciò i due ragazzi dovrebbero avere circa dodici anni anche se molto spesso ne dimostrano molti meno dai ragionamenti che fanno e dai comportamenti che hanno.
Bobby incontrerà poi Rose e Val nelle quali intravedere la possibilità di una nuova famiglia e di riavere una madre. La sua è morta e lui da quel giorno aspetta incessantemente il suo ritorno convinto che se ne sia solo andata per un po'.
Si parla troppo spesso con noncuranza di temi importanti come la violenza domestica, l'alcolismo, l'omicidio e la morte; molte cose le ho trovate semplicemente abbozzate ed altre confuse e improbabili.
Vediamo più di una volta il protagonista pensare di far del male fisico e di uccidere delle persone pensando sia una cosa normalissima per portarlo poi a farlo veramente senza che le persone che lo circondano battano ciglio.
Come al solito mi sono lasciata fregare dalle recensioni entusiaste ed avevo alte aspettative invece non mi ha detto davvero niente questo libro.
Nonostante l'idea di base non fosse tanto male è una storia che non ha niente da raccontare, che arranca provando a descrivere diverse sfaccettature della vita famigliare; voleva essere il racconto di un bambino che non sa come chiedere aiuto per fuggire dalla difficile realtà in cui si trova ma dire che raccontata male e con superficialità è dire poco.
September 28, 2016
2,5 *
Ich hatte recht hohe Erwartungen an den Roman, aber am Ende hat er mich doch ziemlich enttäuscht. Eine klassische Roadtrip-Geschichte mit ein paar Außenseitern eben. Ganz nett, aber wirklich nichts Besonderes.
Ich hatte recht hohe Erwartungen an den Roman, aber am Ende hat er mich doch ziemlich enttäuscht. Eine klassische Roadtrip-Geschichte mit ein paar Außenseitern eben. Ganz nett, aber wirklich nichts Besonderes.
December 9, 2024
What do you do if a child you know is mistreated at home, even abused, and you don't have good encounters with the police?
Mobile Library is a poignant and intriguing novel that will resonate deeply with readers who appreciate stories about the transformative power of human connection, the resilience of the human spirit, and the idea that even in the darkest of times, love and understanding can be found in the most unexpected places.
David Whitehouse finds a way to build an adventurous tale of found family and resilience. Mobile Library explores the complexities of human connection and the power of relationships to heal emotional wounds, with themes of found family and its lighthearted, emotional tone. The novel and story promise a captivating and emotional journey that will resonate deeply.
At first, I had difficulty connecting with the characters and the plot. I believe I didn't connect with Bobby, our main character, maybe because of our age difference. But after the 20% mark, something clicked, and I needed to know what would happen to Bobby, Sunny, Val, Rosa, Bert, and Joe. If you haven't read Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck and you want to read it, don't read the Mobile Library because you will get the ending spoiled. If you don't mind being spoiled, then go ahead.
I liked a couple of quotes, especially for us bibliophiles. One of them is: " 'In every book is a clue about life,' Val said. 'That's how stories are connected. You bring them to life when you read them, so the things that happen in them will happen to you.'
'I don't think the things that happened in books will happen in my life,' he said.
'That's where you're wrong,' she said. 'You just don't recognize them yet'."
Mobile Library is a poignant and intriguing novel that will resonate deeply with readers who appreciate stories about the transformative power of human connection, the resilience of the human spirit, and the idea that even in the darkest of times, love and understanding can be found in the most unexpected places.
David Whitehouse finds a way to build an adventurous tale of found family and resilience. Mobile Library explores the complexities of human connection and the power of relationships to heal emotional wounds, with themes of found family and its lighthearted, emotional tone. The novel and story promise a captivating and emotional journey that will resonate deeply.
At first, I had difficulty connecting with the characters and the plot. I believe I didn't connect with Bobby, our main character, maybe because of our age difference. But after the 20% mark, something clicked, and I needed to know what would happen to Bobby, Sunny, Val, Rosa, Bert, and Joe. If you haven't read Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck and you want to read it, don't read the Mobile Library because you will get the ending spoiled. If you don't mind being spoiled, then go ahead.
I liked a couple of quotes, especially for us bibliophiles. One of them is: " 'In every book is a clue about life,' Val said. 'That's how stories are connected. You bring them to life when you read them, so the things that happen in them will happen to you.'
'I don't think the things that happened in books will happen in my life,' he said.
'That's where you're wrong,' she said. 'You just don't recognize them yet'."
August 19, 2023
Pekný príbeh. Postavy a ich ťažké osudy trošku klišeovité a predvídavé. Niečo čo sme už všetci videli vo filmoch a čítali v knihách. A napriek tomu tak nejak príjemný a známy, ako detská izba u rodičov. Jednoducho pekný. :)
December 5, 2021
Unexpectedly heartwarming and heartbreaking.
May 8, 2019
Heart breaking, unflinching, raw yet beautiful.
February 11, 2015
Bookaholic Confessions
I was drawn to this novel immediately, possibly because I work in a library and I especially love stories that involve libraries and books, but also because it sounded incredible. I was desperate to see how this story would play out from the synopsis – I couldn’t quite imagine it at first, it sounded delightfully crazy, but when you actually come to read it everything makes perfect sense and this group of people running away in a mobile library doesn’t seem so strange after all…
I loved how ‘The End’ was actually at the start of the book. Once you’ve read this chapter you’ll be drawn into the story and also given an impression of how the story is going to play out (although this may not necessarily be the correct impression) I wasn’t sure what to make of starting a book only to be faced with the words ‘The End’ but any doubts I had were soon extinguished and I thought it made a brilliant basis for the rest of the story (it’ll also have you itching to reach the ‘proper’ end of the story too…It’s literally a cliff-hanger…)
There were just so many things right with this book, I’m not sure how to coherently form them all into sentences. Firstly; it’s a book ABOUT BOOKS.
“There were no windows, yet there were thousands of windows, in every book on every shelf.”
There are so many bookish references, from the books that Bobby, Rosa and Val devour on their journey, to similarities with what’s happening to them and their adventures to goings on in well-loved novels. They’re all there; Of Mice and Men, Harry Potter, Tom Sawyer, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe…
I also loved the quirky characters and their relationships with one another. Rosa and Bobby’s friendship, Bobby and Sunny’s friendship, Bobby and Val’s friendship, Val and Joe’s friendship, Joe and Rosa’s friendship. They were all so special, each in their own individual way and there’s no doubt that these characters will touch your heart (I KNOW, how cheesy of me to say such a thing, but it’s true!) Once they were travelling as a foursome (plus Bert) I completely fell in love with this strange little ‘family’ that they’d formed and as well as wanting to be on that Mobile Library with them, sampling all the books, having Rosa write my name in her notebook and helping Joe and Bobby pilfer some paint, more than anything I just wanted them to be left alone to carry out their little adventure.
It’s not all adventure and fun though, so be warned that there is a darker side to the story too, which can make for quite upsetting and unsettling reading at points. I felt that this strengthened by bond with certain characters (and fuelled by hatred for others) though and pulls you into the story further still.
It’s surely a real achievement for the author when a reader gets as wrapped up in the story as I did with this one. I still can’t get it out of my head now and I’m sure it’ll stay with me for a long time to come. David Whitehouse is a first class storyteller; he packs this story with emotion, fantasy and love. Whilst Mobile Library may be classed as adult fiction, I found it to be a novel which will transport you back to your literary-youth and make you nostalgic for your own adventures.
If you loved David’s previous novel, Bed, then you’ll love this, if you love books you’ll love this, if you love stories packed full of adventure and excitement then you’ll love this.
Reminding us of the importance of love, friendship, families and books – Mobile Library is a must-read for 2015.
I was drawn to this novel immediately, possibly because I work in a library and I especially love stories that involve libraries and books, but also because it sounded incredible. I was desperate to see how this story would play out from the synopsis – I couldn’t quite imagine it at first, it sounded delightfully crazy, but when you actually come to read it everything makes perfect sense and this group of people running away in a mobile library doesn’t seem so strange after all…
I loved how ‘The End’ was actually at the start of the book. Once you’ve read this chapter you’ll be drawn into the story and also given an impression of how the story is going to play out (although this may not necessarily be the correct impression) I wasn’t sure what to make of starting a book only to be faced with the words ‘The End’ but any doubts I had were soon extinguished and I thought it made a brilliant basis for the rest of the story (it’ll also have you itching to reach the ‘proper’ end of the story too…It’s literally a cliff-hanger…)
There were just so many things right with this book, I’m not sure how to coherently form them all into sentences. Firstly; it’s a book ABOUT BOOKS.
“There were no windows, yet there were thousands of windows, in every book on every shelf.”
There are so many bookish references, from the books that Bobby, Rosa and Val devour on their journey, to similarities with what’s happening to them and their adventures to goings on in well-loved novels. They’re all there; Of Mice and Men, Harry Potter, Tom Sawyer, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe…
I also loved the quirky characters and their relationships with one another. Rosa and Bobby’s friendship, Bobby and Sunny’s friendship, Bobby and Val’s friendship, Val and Joe’s friendship, Joe and Rosa’s friendship. They were all so special, each in their own individual way and there’s no doubt that these characters will touch your heart (I KNOW, how cheesy of me to say such a thing, but it’s true!) Once they were travelling as a foursome (plus Bert) I completely fell in love with this strange little ‘family’ that they’d formed and as well as wanting to be on that Mobile Library with them, sampling all the books, having Rosa write my name in her notebook and helping Joe and Bobby pilfer some paint, more than anything I just wanted them to be left alone to carry out their little adventure.
It’s not all adventure and fun though, so be warned that there is a darker side to the story too, which can make for quite upsetting and unsettling reading at points. I felt that this strengthened by bond with certain characters (and fuelled by hatred for others) though and pulls you into the story further still.
It’s surely a real achievement for the author when a reader gets as wrapped up in the story as I did with this one. I still can’t get it out of my head now and I’m sure it’ll stay with me for a long time to come. David Whitehouse is a first class storyteller; he packs this story with emotion, fantasy and love. Whilst Mobile Library may be classed as adult fiction, I found it to be a novel which will transport you back to your literary-youth and make you nostalgic for your own adventures.
If you loved David’s previous novel, Bed, then you’ll love this, if you love books you’ll love this, if you love stories packed full of adventure and excitement then you’ll love this.
Reminding us of the importance of love, friendship, families and books – Mobile Library is a must-read for 2015.
March 23, 2015
I loved this book. I loved it within the first few minutes of reading and it loved it even more when I finished the final page. Bobby Nusku, a young boy with an abhorrent and abusive situation at home with his father, tries to keep his absent mother close to him through archiving the bits and pieces of her left behind. He keeps her hair. He cuts the tags out of her clothing so she’ll remember what sizes to wear when she comes back. He is very lonely, but for his best friend Sunny—a boy who becomes his “cyborg protector.” They actually try to turn him into a cyborg, through a series of “accidents” designed to get Sunny’s bones replaced with metal. When Sunny unexpectedly moves away, Bobby meets Rosa, who has a disability that makes her a target of the same bullies that often target him. He has revenge on the bullies and, in the process, becomes close to Rosa’s mother, Val. After Bobby is beaten particularly badly by his father, Val takes them on an “adventure” in the mobile library. (Unfortunately, law enforcement interprets this adventure as kidnapping.) On the way they meet a drifter, Joe, who becomes close to them too. The story is surprisingly moving and is a good example of how family—and not just the people you’re related to by blood—can sometimes be lost and gained in peculiar and unexpected ways. I loved the use of books as a symbol for safety and escape too. Mobile Library is about protection and the books in it are protective devices: the mobile library is an escape pod, the stories that Bobby reads serve to transport him to distant places. Such a wonderful book.
December 31, 2014
The Mobile Library is a kind of absurdist novel, but one with heart. Bobby Nusku's mother has left, his father beats him, and his classmates bully him. He has no friends until a boy name Sunny befriends him and they hatch a plan to turn Sunny into a cyborg who will protect Bobby. Meanwhile Bobby also befriends Rosa, a disabled girl who lives on his street. Her mother Val takes Bobby under her wing and the three of them eventually run off in the mobile library Val was hired to clean until the city decided to shut it down. Along the way they pick up an ex-soldier named Joe who has some secrets of his own. For awhile they become an unlikely family on the run from the heartache in their lives. The book is rather ridiculous and I didn't particularly care for it, though I did appreciate how everything came together in the end.
June 15, 2015
I'll qualify that single star rating by saying that I looked this book over to see if it had been shelved wrong, and should have been placed in the YA or children's section, since I have no idea who this author is. Nothing on the dustjacket gives a hint that this is a kids' book (besides the cover design) so I'm not sure. If it is, then I'd say 3/4 stars and I think it would be an appealing story for maybe a middle school reader, since it has kind of a 12 yo underdog pov.
If this was supposed to be a book for "grown ups", it was verging on bad, but inoffensively bad. Mainly implausible and dull.
If this was supposed to be a book for "grown ups", it was verging on bad, but inoffensively bad. Mainly implausible and dull.
May 31, 2016
I truly loved this book in all honesty. Some say it's a tad bit dull but it was just great for me. Despite the story being told from a vantage point of an early teen coming from a troubled family and being bullied his whole life, this is categorized as general fiction instead of YA.
The writing is good in a sense that you do feel like you're taking an adventure with Bobby Nusku and his awkward group of book-loving misfit.
The best part of this book for me were the book quotes! Lots and lots of them that had me reaching for my sticky notes multiple times.
I'd recommend this for people who loves novels about the wonders of books and all the great things you can find in them!
The writing is good in a sense that you do feel like you're taking an adventure with Bobby Nusku and his awkward group of book-loving misfit.
The best part of this book for me were the book quotes! Lots and lots of them that had me reaching for my sticky notes multiple times.
I'd recommend this for people who loves novels about the wonders of books and all the great things you can find in them!
abandoned
March 31, 2015I couldn't get past the first chapter (which was oddly the end of the story) because this abused boy of 12 is rescued by a friend's mother and apparently they fall in love. Now u want me to read a story about this creepfest? I don't get it.
June 16, 2020
This YA novel is a surprisingly hard-hitting tale of child neglect and cruelty. Protagonist Bobby finds a surrogate family in neighbour Val and her daughter Rosa, who has learning disabilities. Under pressure, they take off in the mobile library, now defunct due to cuts, of which Val was a cleaner. They are joined by Joe, whom they find sleeping rough in the woods. All embark on a crazy road trip, though someone needs to tell the author there is no 'lake' at the northern tip of Scotland.
Amid all the bleakness, the library offers hope beyond the clunking metaphor, as Bobby finds solace in stories. The whole scenario is a bit of a jumble that doesn't really stack up, with thoughts and dialogue ascribed to particular characters that are entirely implausible.
Amid all the bleakness, the library offers hope beyond the clunking metaphor, as Bobby finds solace in stories. The whole scenario is a bit of a jumble that doesn't really stack up, with thoughts and dialogue ascribed to particular characters that are entirely implausible.
September 7, 2021
A quirky tale about families and love; love which need not necessarily be found in those to whom we are tied by blood, but sometimes rather in those we choose to call our family.
Initially, I found the writing style of this author terse and disconcerting. I almost gave up reading the book after the first two chapters. However, I’m very glad I persisted, as I gradually settled into the rhythm of the story and found it unusual, as well as emotionally touching.
There are some very strong messages in the story relating to the acceptance by society of those who are “different”; to the idea of “family” being a close group of those we love; and “home” being a place of warmth and belonging. I also loved the unconventional friendship between young Bobby and Sunny.
Gather together a disillusioned young woman, her handicapped daughter, an abused boy and an escaped prisoner, add a dog, mix them with a ladle full of acceptance and love; the result - a warm functional family.
A charming adventure story with a strong moral compass.
Initially, I found the writing style of this author terse and disconcerting. I almost gave up reading the book after the first two chapters. However, I’m very glad I persisted, as I gradually settled into the rhythm of the story and found it unusual, as well as emotionally touching.
There are some very strong messages in the story relating to the acceptance by society of those who are “different”; to the idea of “family” being a close group of those we love; and “home” being a place of warmth and belonging. I also loved the unconventional friendship between young Bobby and Sunny.
Gather together a disillusioned young woman, her handicapped daughter, an abused boy and an escaped prisoner, add a dog, mix them with a ladle full of acceptance and love; the result - a warm functional family.
A charming adventure story with a strong moral compass.
February 13, 2018
This is a book with a heart, the kind of fairy tale that doesn't try to polish the rough edges. I daresay it is all the more beautiful because of it. Slightly absurd, somewhat far-fetched, this book grows on you slowly, luring you in with detailed character portraits before turning into a near-magical journey that sees the characters through confrontation, redemption, and salvation. Add to it a stellar cast - Bobby Nusku, Val Reed, Rosa Reed, Bert, Joe, Sunny - of slightly broken characters, and you have a story that you will cherish.
January 30, 2020
開頭有關於朋友的部分有點獵奇，通篇充滿黑暗且令人心碎的情節，不過整體來說是溫暖且美麗的一本書。各個角色的人生都很曲折且戲劇化，具有一定吸引力，但在個性的描繪上有點單薄，很可惜。
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Quotes
"Soon they would spend all day there, locked up inside the truck, reading undisturbed. There were no windows but there were thousands of windows, in every book on every shelf."
"This temper had been passed down from his father, and his father in turn before that. Parents breed parrots. Only exceptional offspring grow their own bright plumage, capable of penetrating the dull grey down in which they are born covered. "
"He hasn’t run away from home. You can’t run away from what you don’t have."
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Quotes
"Soon they would spend all day there, locked up inside the truck, reading undisturbed. There were no windows but there were thousands of windows, in every book on every shelf."
"This temper had been passed down from his father, and his father in turn before that. Parents breed parrots. Only exceptional offspring grow their own bright plumage, capable of penetrating the dull grey down in which they are born covered. "
"He hasn’t run away from home. You can’t run away from what you don’t have."
December 31, 2023
Honestly almost quit this book in the first few chapters but so very glad I didn’t. (Hence the loss of a star—the buildup was dull and quite a bit was unnecessary.)
This was an emotional one—it was hard at times! But what a catharsis in the end, though there are still questions lingering.
Some of the parts were a tad annoying—I hated the entire cyborg storyline. I get it is from a childlike imagination and a young boy POV, and I understood the connections later, but I still just hated it.
This was an emotional one—it was hard at times! But what a catharsis in the end, though there are still questions lingering.
Some of the parts were a tad annoying—I hated the entire cyborg storyline. I get it is from a childlike imagination and a young boy POV, and I understood the connections later, but I still just hated it.
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