Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore

Every once in a while a book will enter my life at the perfect time. Anne of Green Gables illustrated the powers of friendship, positive thinking and a loving family. Harry Potter came into being just as I was facing my real-life Draco Malfoy. The poetry of John Keats taught me that beauty could be found in suffering. As I Lay Dying reminded me that different people have differing viewpoints about the same event, and that’s okay.

Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore had a similar effect. The novel centers on the mysterious happenings of the titular bookstore as told by Clay, the newest employee of the ancient bookseller. The book expertly intertwines the digital and printed worlds, emphasizing the strengths of each and encouraging the reader to embrace new technologies while appreciating old ones, namely books. Penumbra encouraged me not to fret, that these two seemingly separate spheres can work together, that not too long ago a book was considered cutting-edge technology.

Robin Sloan writes in a way that puts his reader at ease. He presented deep, cerebral, abstract concepts using a conversational tone, a witty sense of humor and hilarious pop culture references, which made the novel a pleasure to read; I tore through it in about 5 airplane-filled hours. It was a breath of fresh air. As easy as it was to read, Sloan’s story relies a little too heavily on convenient plot twists, making the novel feel at times like a happy-go-lucky romcom. But that’s okay.Just recently, I decided to go back to school to pursue English literature. Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore assured me that I was making the right decision. Even if, God forbid, books themselves go extinct and are replaced with Kindle and iPads, stories will remain forev

A week after reading, I am still thinking about Penumbra, mulling over the novel’s themes. I love books like this one, books that stick with you even after you have regretfully read the last page.er and play integral roles in our lives. These are things that should be fostered, cherished and preserved for future generations to appreciate and explore.

 

Have you read this novel? What did you think, especially concerning the relationships Sloan creates between the ideas of the printed page and the webpage?

Anna Karenina

I saw “Anna Karenina” last night, and it’s taken me nearly 24 hours to wrap my mind around this unique film.

I had read the Tolstoy novel two years ago, and I will not lie to you, I had difficulty getting through it. The multitude of Russian names and excessive snow were obstacles, but the story is as juicy as a soap opera. The new film did a nice job of condensing the tale into 129 minutes. Some of those minutes seemed longer than others.

The whole film took place on a stage, which was a stroke of genius. That coupled with the dance-like movements of the characters symbolized the performance that was Russian society. Always watched, scrutinized and judged, Russian aristocrats like Anna and her husband lived lives that were choreographed by generations before them. Karenin’s adherence to this choreography was at great odds with Anna’s free spirit.

Kiera Knightley was a fine Anna. She’s beautiful, though at times she looked remarkably skinny, which was very distracting to my friend and me as we watched. Jude Law did a nice job as her stoic, strict husband, though no amount of makeup will ever make me believe anyone would cheat on him. Aaron Taylor-Johnson was an excellent Count Vronsky. He was flirtatious, handsome and just naive enough to be ignorant of the social implications of his relationship with Anna.

Matthew Macfadyen stole the show. As Anna’s brother Oblonsky, he provided unsuspected comic relief thanks to his handlebar mustache and absurd facial expressions. My favorite scene of the film involved Oblonsky at work, dancing in and out of varying jackets depending on who he was speaking with and where he was going.

My favorite storyline is the romance between Levin and Kitty, which was played out nicely on screen. Domhnall Gleeson (aka Bill Weasley) and Alicia Vikander were endearing, adorable and in love.

The sets, costumes and music were sumptuous, decadent even. The stage would slowly melt away into fields of snow, ballrooms or horse tracks, only to melt right back to remind the audience of the performance.

I enjoyed the film, but I can’t say it was one I would see again. I wonder if the “epicness” of the storytelling is too much for me to try and relive again. I’ve seen all the tricks and know they’re coming, not very effective the second time around.