June BOtm Discussion - Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore & Under by Treaty

[Kirstin, Moderator]

This month you have chosen to read and discuss two wonderful novels: Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
& Under by Treaty by Kayla Stonor.

What did you love?
What did you dislike?
Did you resonate with any characters?

[Deborah]

I read Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore in one sitting yesterday and really enjoyed it. I liked how Sloan really made me feel the friendships among the main characters. I didn't like how Kat developed (or, in my view, devolved) over time, despite Sloan's attempt to redeem her (at least slightly) in the Epilogue.

[Vani]

I finished Mr.Penumbra's yesterday and I like it very much. The book has all the components I enjoy reading about: secret societies, codes, a quest to unveil the mystery and best of all, a love of the written word. The characters are all different from one another and they each have something valuable to contribute to the story development. I also liked the pacing especially in the second part, The Library. It made think of many things: immortality, human consciousness, knowledge and friendships. The ending was good too, although I felt it was a little anti-climactic.