Book Endings picks up right where Call Numbers left off, and, despite building to a satisfying climax, leaves threads to be picked up in the next book. Smith includes a glossary of library terms, a detailed dramatis personae, and a “previously on. . .” summary, but new readers are advised to start with the first book, as the story begins in media res and then surges ahead, told in brisk, brief scenes from the perspectives of many of Smith’s diverse ensemble cast.
Smith’s sharply observed dialogue powers the story, though his characters often chattering for the reckless pleasure of it. Robin is nominally the protagonist, and his romance with Shinju, a woman he meets on the 6 train, is sweet and engaging, but Smith’s interest in all the people of his library set this series apart from other coming-of-age slices of life. Drama, passion, and wisecracks unite and divide the 58th’s staff, whose work and personal lives are captured in convincing particulars. Sometimes the novel’s riotous, as when a patron complains that her son checked out Madonna’s notorious Sex book, but even a scene like that considers the complexities of culture and the library’s mission. This series’ gush of stories and people be exhausting, but it bursts with life, capturing a workplace and a city with rare vigor.
Takeaway: This fleet, vivid novel finds winning drama in the lives of 1990s New York City library workers.
Great for fans of: Adam Langer’s Crossing California, William Ottens’s Librarian Tales.
Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B+
Marketing copy: A
