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What Members Thought
I am a librarian. I love books. I believe books can change lives.
The main character of The Borrower is a librarian. She loves books. She believes books can change lives.
Why, then, did I dislike this book so much?
I don’t like my stories to preach to me. I don’t like characters in books to be stereotypes.
This book preached to me. The characters in this book were stereotypes.
So this is a strange situation for me. I agree with everything this librarian character in the book stands for, but I did n ...more
The main character of The Borrower is a librarian. She loves books. She believes books can change lives.
Why, then, did I dislike this book so much?
I don’t like my stories to preach to me. I don’t like characters in books to be stereotypes.
This book preached to me. The characters in this book were stereotypes.
So this is a strange situation for me. I agree with everything this librarian character in the book stands for, but I did n ...more
2.5 stars. It didn't change my life ;) but it was cute. I enjoyed the reading experience. The place where I thought it faltered was that it should have been a story about both the librarian and the boy, and in the end it was really about the woman. It was too much about her own life, and an escape type thriller when it could have been an amazing buddy story or a great coming of age story. It did play on my heartstrings(?) in that I would have died to have someone close who cared about me when I
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Kind of all over the place and nonsensical plot-wise, but still manages to be charming - Makkai does a nice job of capturing Ian's voice and the in-betweeness of every good 10-year-old with more brains than sense.
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The plot in this one is fairly loose. A young woman working as a children's librarian and one of her most avid boy readers a fifth grader named Ian embark on a journey. It's not clear who ia abducting who as they make their way from their home in Hannibal Missouri through Chicago, Pennsylvania and eventually to Vermont. What is best about the book is the mention of numerous children's books that are well worth reading even for adults above and beyond Harry Potter.
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The premise of the book is a little odd. A children’s librarian takes off on a road trip with Ian, a runaway ten year old library patron. It is a lovely book about the power of books and magic that libraries can hold in childhood. Ian is one of the most lovable characters I have encountered in quite a while. I love his curiosity and clever questions. What a fun little kid to have around. It makes me want to delve into the world of children's literature again and rediscover some of the magic of c
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May 27, 2024
Kemlo
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fiction,
library-kindle-edition-available
I can imagine this book being controversial (the protagonist, a well-meaning librarian, tries to help a young boy who is being crushed by the demands of his strict, book banning, evangelical parents and Pastor Bob’s “conversion therapy”). I suppose the illegality and questionable choices that lead to what ends up happening could be discussed at length by book groups, but what I enjoyed most was the Thelma and Louise feel of their escape. For me it was enough to live out their fantasy, go along f
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Entertaining and fun, particularly for the children's lit references. Requires a willing suspension of disbelief, but it's fiction, so that's not necessarily a bad thing in my opinion. Thoroughly enjoyed it!
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May 26, 2011
Daisy
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Jul 13, 2011
Katy
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Sep 29, 2011
Stacey
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Tina
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Aug 28, 2012
Sam
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Nov 07, 2012
Kimberly
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Jan 22, 2015
O'Rissa
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Jun 23, 2015
Shannon Wallner
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Aug 25, 2018
Tanya
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Oct 19, 2018
Wanda
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Jun 21, 2021
Curlysue
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Apr 11, 2022
Sharon
marked it as to-read
