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The Borrower
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
In this delightful, funny, and moving first novel, a librarian and a young boy obsessed with reading take to the road. Lucy Hull, a young children's librarian in Hannibal, Missouri, finds herself both a kidnapper and kidnapped when her favorite patron, ten- year-old Ian Drake, runs away from home. The precocious Ian is addicted to reading, but needs Lucy's help to smuggle books past his overbearing mother, who has enrolled Ian in weekly antigay classes with celebrity Pastor Bob. Lucy stumbles into a moral dilemma when she finds Ian camped out in the library after hours with a knapsack of provisions and an escape plan. Desperate to save him from Pastor Bob and the Drakes, Lucy allows herself to be hijacked by Ian. The odd pair embarks on a crazy road trip from Missouri to Vermont, with ferrets, an inconvenient boyfriend, and upsetting family history thrown in their path. But is it just Ian who is running away? Who is the man who seems to be on their tail? And should Lucy be trying to save a boy from his own parents?
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review
NotCool
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
Mehso-so

Mmm. There were things about this book I though were excellent. Other things felt off. It was anticlimactic. The view of librarians the book presented felt dated, so does its view of evangelical Christians. It reminds me of Huckleberry Finn. There is a character on this huge quest to save another character and then it just kind of fizzles out.

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tpixie
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
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#12booksOf2022 #April

Yikes! We had our family Christmas & I got behind!

Andrew65 Hope you had a good time. 2y
46 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Creadnorthey
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
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Mehso-so

This is a good read and as much a question mark to how it should be categorized as the book relates philosophically at the end. Part thriller, road trip, discovery- the very question of why Lucy does what she does is as much a mystery to her and the reader- but in a good fulfilling kind of way. Let‘s you ask and answer some baseline thoughts, but doesn‘t over complicate the process.

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NovelNancyM
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
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Pickpick

A fun adventure about the power of books and how they can save people. Interesting that this was written in 2011 and is still so relevant in light of the current climate that is anti LGBTQ+ and in favor of banning books. To quote the character Lucy: “I do still believe that books can save you“ (320).

20 likes2 stack adds
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Daisey
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
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Pickpick

This story of a librarian and a 10 year old boy on a cross country road trip that‘s technically a kidnapping is too unbelievable to take seriously, but it was a fun read. The bookish references and entertaining side characters (her Russian family) made it all worthwhile to me. I appreciated the theme of the importance of books on our lives.

#LitsyBookClub #audiobook

jewright I thought the characters and the allusions were the best too. 3y
56 likes1 stack add1 comment
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tpixie
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
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A fun caper- if you can call a kidnapping a caper! But who is kidnapping whom?
I loved the inclusion of paragraphs written as a sort of a parody of children‘s books. Her Russian family provides some fun also.

HAPPY EASTER ! Or Passover, Ramadan, or Sunday!!
🐰 🥚 🐣 ✝️🐣🥚🐰

Cathythoughts Happy Everything to you 🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸 3y
Cathythoughts Book sounds good 👍🏻 3y
tpixie @Cathythoughts thanks! It was a fun read. 3y
63 likes3 comments
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litsybookclub
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
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New month, new book.

My apologies for the late posting. We will Zoom on Sunday, April 24th at 2 pm EST. We hope that you join us!

Questions? Ask @Graciouswarriorprincess or @Bookworm83 .

23 likes1 stack add
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LiteraryinPA
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
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Pickpick

Strange and interesting and book-ful! This tale is about a young librarian whose favorite patron, a misunderstood 10 year old boy, runs away and pulls her into his story. I‘m glad I read it, but it‘s not one I‘m going to recommend to everyone. I would definitely read other books by her though. For a debut it shows loads of potential.

WorldsOkayestStepMom What a precious reading buddy! 😻 4y
102 likes1 comment
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8little_paws
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
Panpan

I couldn't with this one. The MC is unpleasant to spend so much time with, the plotting is off, and the overall premise, I just couldn't buy into. You can see glimpses of future Makkai in the sentence structure, but this story doesn't shine.

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mcctrish
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
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Pickpick

I don‘t know how I‘ve gotten to today yrs old & not read more by this author but that will change. I LOVED this book! I listened on audio and it was wonderful! The accents, the song singing, the Ggodnight Moon retell to fit the story that was happening at that moment. It is all the stars! It is funny and brave and nuts and fraught and timely and sad. If I‘d been on public transportation listening to it, I would‘ve entertained the masses w my face

Blaire I really liked The Great Believers. I didn‘t know she had other books. Stacking this one. 4y
mcctrish @Blaire I am stacking The Great Believers 4y
ChaoticMissAdventures The great believers is one of my favorite books from the last 10 years. She is a fantastic person and author ❤️ 4y
mcctrish @ChaoticMissAdventures I just had a friend in another book group tell me that too ❤️ 4y
ChaoticMissAdventures I think GB is so heavy that many people skipped it, but it is so worth it. 4y
37 likes4 stack adds5 comments
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mcctrish
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
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The lights are on the tree 🎉I‘m giving it another day to settle and I will decorate tomorrow

brittanyreads You're home is beautiful! 4y
mcctrish Oh thank you @BrittanyReads ☺️ 4y
47 likes1 stack add2 comments
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mcctrish
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
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We got our tree today 🌲

twohectobooks I got mine today too! 4y
mcctrish @twohectobooks 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 4y
44 likes2 comments
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mcctrish
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
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I had 4 audio books come in off holds on the same day, usually I defer but they straggled in in exact reverse order of my desire to read 🤣 so one got returned unread, 2 are chilling and the last one, this one is playing while I type 👏🏻

34 likes1 stack add
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Lindy
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
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I‘m proudly wearing my nerd socks to the writers festival today. #VWF2019

TrishB Oh I love them! 5y
Lindy @TrishB thanks! 😘 5y
marleed Have fun! 5y
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Lindy @marleed Thanks! It was another good day. 😊 5y
batsy Love it! 5y
Reggie Awesome socks! (edited) 5y
Lindy @Reggie @batsy Thank you my friends. 😘 5y
42 likes1 stack add8 comments
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Meaw_catlady
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
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Pickpick

Finished another audiobook in my car. This was a very enjoyable listen. The setting and the way it is written is super fun. The realistic ness of this book is low but it was still cute. Lots of references to great books and a sort of coming to age or coming to realize who you are book.

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Chelleo
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
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Bailedbailed

I love a book set in a library or featuring library workers....this one however is not doing it for me. Maybe I‘ll return to it in the future...strangely feels like a winter read. Anyway...on to something else. Life‘s too short to read a lackluster book.

rsteve388 This is so meta? 5y
k3lso89 I found a copy at my local Dollar Tree, haven't had the chance to read it yet so I will save it for a winter read then! Hopefully that will help, it sounded like a decent book :/ 5y
jimfields3 Great quote! "Life's too short to read lackluster books." I agree, and I love the phrasing! 5y
smjohns Just finished. It was a good coming of age story, but I would like to know what happened to Ian? Oh well, on to the next book. 4y
90 likes4 comments
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Chelleo
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
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Starting this new #audiobook today.

MicheleinPhilly I rather liked this one. It‘s definitely on the quirky side though. 6y
84 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Centique
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
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Pickpick

This was a nice read - Lucy, a young librarian, who is herself a bit lost in the world, ends up aiding and abetting a young runaway. I really enjoyed Lucy‘s relationship with her father and their Russian roots - but I struggled with disbelief at times over the runaway plot. Still a very likeable 3.5 stars and I look forward to reading more from Makkai.

Cinfhen I‘ve been on the fence about this book...not sure if I‘ll like it. Maybe I‘ll wait #SoManyBooksSoLittleTime 6y
Centique @Cinfhen I know what you mean! I‘d keep it in mind for a good beach read one day if nothing else was working for you. 6y
lillypadreads the main character has a great name! 6y
Centique @lillypadreads she does. If you‘re going to keep using this account Lu you should tell people who you are and make some posts. 😘 6y
84 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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Suet624
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
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Pickpick

The debut novel of the author of The Great Believers. A children‘s librarian attempts to protect a young patron and is convinced to go on a road trip with him. They eventually journey to Vermont and it‘s clear that Makkai knows the lay of the land here, including how easy it would be to cross the border into Canada by foot. 😀 Many literary references and a sweet story.

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WanderingBookaneer
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
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I‘ve never read the series.

julesG Sometimes these coincidences spook me. 6y
Peddler410 Yes! 6y
WhatThePuck I was reading a book last night that had the acronym FUBAR in it. I had to look it up. ? Then someone tagged Vonnegut's book "FUBAR" today. 6y
See All 6 Comments
JamieArc These coincidences happen to me all the time! I love when that happens, though get a little creeped out too. 6y
Hrhadrienne Wow, FUBAR. There‘s a word you don‘t hear often enough. 6y
Gissy 🙌🏼 6y
99 likes2 stack adds6 comments
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Branwen
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
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Pickpick

"I no longer believe I can save people. But books, on the other hand: I do still believe that books can save you."

I love, love, LOVE this book. A children's librarian and a young patron run away on an adventure to get away from his crazy christian parents. What's not to love? ? But at its heart, this book is about books. And how they have the power to save lives. ???

Roxas and Maho approve! ??? #librarylove #catsoflitsy #littenkitten

75 likes5 stack adds
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Branwen
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
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Update from earlier: Now they have taken over my chair AND my cozy spot on the floor! 🤣 #catsoflitsy #littenkitten

LauraJ Lovable little jerks! 6y
Branwen @LauraJ Exactly! 🤣😂 6y
DaveGreen7777 😹😹😹 6y
Branwen @DaveGreen7777 They're such little turds! But I love them! 😸😻 6y
Linsy Looks cozy! 💚 6y
69 likes5 comments
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Branwen
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
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My lovely Sunday afternoon view. 💕📚☕ I've got cozy blanets, books, tea, and snacks. I'm camped out on the floor because the cats have stolen my chair! 🤣

Trashcanman 🤗 6y
Linsy I loved Skyward! 💜 6y
Branwen @Linsy I'm only about 100 pages in so far, but I love it too! 🤗💕 6y
62 likes3 comments
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LauraBeth
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
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Pickpick

The Borrower is Makkai‘s debut novel. If you enjoyed The Great Believers (or if you‘d like an entry into Makkai), consider reading this because it‘s delightful. With cheeky nods to Lewis Carroll, L. Frank Baum and Nabokov (also sprinkled throughout is the philosophy of the simple slope from If You Give A Mouse A Cookie), this is a fun read. If you love libraries, books and stories (and are willing to just go with the premise), you‘ll love this.

mreads 😻😻 6y
LauraBeth This was my selection for #booked2019 (happy place), #readingwomenchallenge (book you bought or borrowed in 2019) and #popsugar (debut novel) 6y
LauraBeth @mreads he‘s an excellent reading buddy 😺 6y
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WanderingBookaneer I didn‘t realize it was the same author! Also, 😻 6y
TNbookworm Sweet reading friend😻 6y
rabbitprincess Awww the sweet little sleeping face ♥️ 6y
LeahBergen He doesn‘t look like he‘s settling in AT ALL. ❤️❤️ 6y
Cinfhen So much sweetness here 😻😻😻Great review 6y
LauraBeth @Cinfhen I never would have read this book had it not been for doing challenges this year. So glad I found it ❤️❤️ 6y
LauraBeth @LeahBergen 😹 I think he likes it here 💕 which is good because we like him here 6y
LauraBeth @rabbitprincess there‘s nothing like a paw pillow to hold your head 😻 6y
LauraBeth @TNbookworm he‘s very mellow 😻 6y
LauraBeth @WanderingBookaneer Try it - you may really enjoy it! 6y
LauraBeth @Suet624 during their road trip, the state that gets the most musings is Vermont 😀 6y
Suet624 This book sounded awesome even before you mentioned Vermont. Thanks for letting me know. Can‘t wait to read it! 6y
Cinfhen That makes me soooo happy to hear❣️❣️❣️yay 6y
AlaMich He‘s a sweetie pie, for sure! 😻 6y
LauraBeth @AlaMich his file at the shelter said “cruelty case” 😿 So for the rest of his life he‘s going to be surrounded by a lot of love, toys, good food and he can do whatever he wants 😸 (edited) 6y
ValerieAndBooks New cat!! aww!! Stacking the book. 6y
AlaMich @LauraBeth Four of the five animals we‘ve had have been rescued, but not from shelters. I never knew much about their histories but it would‘ve been so difficult to know that they had been the victims of cruelty. 6y
Suet624 Did you see that this author lives in Vermont part time? 6y
LauraBeth @Suet624 oh that makes sense - she really had a lot to say about the different types of people who live in VT 😂 (edited) 6y
126 likes8 stack adds22 comments
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Branwen
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
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Thanks to an earlier post by the wonderful @LauraBeth I was inspired to pick this book up today! It looks so amazing! And how could I resist a book with a children's librarian as a protagonist? 😉 #blameitonlitsy #librarylove 💕📚

LauraBeth 😊 I can‘t wait to hear what you think about it! I haven‘t yet read The Great Believers, so this is my first Rebecca Makkai. 6y
Branwen @LauraBeth That's so awesome! Are you enjoying it so far? I absolutely loved The Great Believers so I have high hopes for this one! 😀 6y
LauraBeth Just finished it! Loved it! ❤️ 6y
Branwen @LauraBeth Yaaaaay! 🤗 6y
57 likes3 stack adds4 comments
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LauraBeth
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
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I‘m going to spend the next ten minutes wondering how Children‘s Librarians keep their cool and don‘t kill anyone.

Suet624 Don‘t all books have the breath of God in them? 6y
LauraBeth @Suet624 That would have been the perfect comeback 😀 6y
gradcat @Suet624 😂😂😂 I love both the post & the comeback 😍👍 6y
See All 11 Comments
LibrarianRyan With a smile and a slammed door to the office when the mother leaves. Plus Tuck Everlasting is good for the soul and spirit. 6y
LauraBeth @LibrarianRyan 😂👏👏 6y
LauraBeth @gradcat and @Suet624 My comeback would have gotten me fired 6y
gradcat @LauraBeth 😂🤣😂👍❤️ 6y
LeahBergen 🙄🙄🙄🙄 6y
Clare-Dragonfly How does Tuck Everlasting not have the breath of god in it?! Fifty Shades of Grey I would understand… 6y
sprainedbrain Oh gosh. 🙄 6y
batsy @Suet624 Perfect. 6y
96 likes1 stack add11 comments
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LauraBeth
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
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Up next.

I‘m happy to discover that Mr. Fancy Pants does not mind being a book prop. He‘s probably agreeable because he‘s already had his sockeye salmon breakfast. 😻

wanderinglynn Love gingers! I have a big fluffy one myself. 🧡🐱 6y
LauraBeth @wanderinglynn Gingers are lovely 😻 6y
valeriegeary Look at his cute little white booties. 😻 6y
See All 8 Comments
RealBooks4ever 😻💜 6y
LeahBergen What does Gray Cat think of his special meals? 😆😆 6y
LauraBeth @LeahBergen she‘s been enjoying these special meals, although she hasn‘t talked to me in a week 😹 6y
LauraBeth @RealBooks4ever he‘s the sweetest 😻 6y
135 likes1 stack add8 comments
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Coleen
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
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Bailedbailed

I‘m on vacation and just can‘t start off the year with a bad read. I just can‘t.
I‘m not sure that it‘s a bad book...but it‘s dragging and I don‘t find myself looking forward to going back to it. So I‘m officially giving it the parachute.
I would still like to read Makkai‘s The Great Believers, though. Anyone read both books?

TrishB No - only The Great Believers and loved it!! 6y
AmyG I loved The Great Believers, too. Haven‘t read this one. 6y
25 likes2 comments
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LauraBeth
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
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#booked2019 Winter:
Female Detective - Because who doesn‘t want a new (to you) series to read?
Fairy Tale Retelling - This YA seems to be beloved
Reminds You Of Your Happy Place - Give me all the Rebecca Makkai
Related To A Podcast - I ❤️ the Obama gang
Set In Ireland/Irish Author - Everyone I know who has read this has loved it
New To You Author - Double dip with the Reading Women Challenge (Book by Author from Nigeria or New Zealand)

BarbaraTheBibliophage Love your picks!! 6y
OriginalCyn620 I think I‘m gonna steal your pick for related to a podcast! 👌🏻 6y
TrishB And again..... 6y
See All 13 Comments
Cinfhen Im loving these picks❣️❣️❣️❣️ i have that book #6 and she‘s a new to me author too - why do I feel like my so called planned reading is already falling out the window 😬 I‘m so easily distracted by everyone else‘s posts!! 6y
Cinfhen I‘m loving your tagged book!!! Why such a crap Litsy rating???? 6y
alisiakae I love your picks! I‘m still looking for a book for the Reading Women Nigeria/NZ prompt. I may read the one you picked! 6y
LauraBeth @Cinfhen I hope it‘s not a clunker! 😹 @4thhouseontheleft I also contemplated this one 6y
LauraBeth @4thhouseontheleft And this one (coming out 3/5). Litsy doesn‘t have any info so here‘s the summary: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/318837/gingerbread-by-helen-oyeyemi/978... (edited) 6y
Cinfhen Oh wow!! Gingerbread sounds great @LauraBeth and it features a food on the cover 😉 I own Boy, Snow,Bird and might read that one in place of (edited) 6y
LauraBeth Also @Cinfhen and @4thhouseontheleft now I think I may have talked myself into reading Gingerbread for the Nigerian/NZ and New To Me author prompts 🤔😬😂 6y
LauraBeth @Cinfhen triple dip: Nigeria, food on cover, book you bought or borrowed in 2019 (RW) 6y
Cinfhen Well that was easy!!! 6y
Cinfhen Who can resist a triple dip??? 6y
86 likes13 comments
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Purrsistently
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
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📖❤️📖❤️📖

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AnneEssDee
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
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UrsulaMonarch
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
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Pickpick

A funny, fun, slightly weird story of a librarian & a book-loving kid, with a dash of soviet lore and cross-country escapades. Lots of literary & kidlit references & recommendations, plus librarian humor!

KimHM Books will save us ALL 💚📚 7y
53 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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yourfavouritemixtape
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
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Pickpick

I really liked that I had no clue how this will end. #booksaboutbooks

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yourfavouritemixtape
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
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Started this last night and it took all my willpower to stop reading and go to bed. #booksonbooks

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Blueberry
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
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CoverToCoverGirl ❤️😂 7y
46 likes1 comment
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shahn77
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
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Panpan

I usually don't finish books that I dislike this much. The characters were boring and super annoying. The only well written characters were Lucy's parents and their friends and they were very minor characters. The story was awful. There was no lesson learned or price paid for the ridiculously bad behavoir. The story was completely unbelievable. I am actually angry at this book.

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Julie548
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
Pickpick

I loved this one!!! #litsyatoz

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PurpleyPumpkin
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
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Mehso-so

Well, I'm not a huge fan of this book. It started well, but quickly degenerated into an implausible mess in the middle. It helped that this was a book about books. I enjoyed the literary references that were peppered throughout the novel. And I liked the idea of how books can greatly enhance peoples lives, how they can save people. But the middle part of this novel, well, I'd give it a pass. A generous 3/5 ⭐️

60 likes1 stack add1 comment
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solberg770
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
Panpan

Maybe I just need to stop reading novels about novels. I had no sympathy for the narrator, and the whole thing came off as patronizing and self-indulgent.

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LeahBergen
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
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I have no books on loan from the library or friends right now, so this is my interpretation of #somethingborrowed . It DOES give me a chance to show off my new #OutofPrint library borrower card coasters, though. I'm crazy about them! #Booktober

OSChamberlain Those are so awesome!!! 8y
BookishFeminist Out of Print's coasters are awesome! I have two sets too, but not these ones. 8y
erzascarletbookgasm I want those coasters! 8y
See All 9 Comments
Bookgirl I love anything Out of Print! 8y
Soubhiville Yes, great coasters!! 8y
ephemeralwaltz Oh my gosh!! 😍 Love these 8y
BooksTeasAndBookishThings I want those!!! 😉 8y
Zelma Hmm, I was just thinking this morning that I need more coasters. 😂 8y
KVanRead Oooo want those!!! 8y
89 likes3 stack adds9 comments
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CherylDeFranceschi
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
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Pickpick

This book by local-to-Chicago author is a charming picaresque about a librarian who Both kidnaps and is kidnapped by a 10 year old boy who stows away in the library where she works. His mother won't let him r ad and has enrolled him in an anti-gay program with a pastor. They take to the road together and wackiness and growth both occur. #Recommendsday

RanaElizabeth Yes! This book was so sweet and wonderful. 8y
Bette I liked it too. ❤️😊 8y
75 likes12 stack adds2 comments
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Libraryish
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
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Mehso-so

I've waited awhile to post a review for this read because I haven't honestly been sure how I feel about it. I was disappointed that the protagonist didn't seem thrilled with her job as a children's librarian (career goal!). Other parts were just strange & unrealistic. Still, I couldn't put it down.

TheApesOfWrath Dream job for sure. 8y
6 likes1 comment
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Greg
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
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Mehso-so

I didn't find this one particularly funny or in any way realistic. Maybe a reverse Lolita? Sorta tired of the deus ex machina trope in every book I read this year. Yet there were some parts of it that certainly made the book worth reading. #roadtrip

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Libraryish
The Borrower: A Novel | Rebecca Makkai
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"I make too much of a mess of things. But books, [...] I do still believe that books can save you."

7 likes2 stack adds