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The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections
What holds more secrets in the library: the ancient books shelved in the stacks or the people who preserve them?
Liesl Weiss has been (mostly) happy working in the rare books department of a large university, managing details and working behind the scenes to make the head of the department look good. But when her boss has a stroke and she's left to run things, she discovers that the library's most prized manuscript is missing.
Liesl tries to sound the alarm and inform the police about the missing priceless book but is told repeatedly to keep quiet to keep the doors open and the donors happy. But then a librarian goes missing as well. Liesl must investigate both disappearances, unspooling her colleagues' pasts like the threads of a rare book binding as it becomes clear that someone in the department must be responsible for the theft. What Liesl discovers about the dusty manuscripts she has worked among for so long—and about the people who preserve and revere them—shakes the very foundation on which she has built her life.
Liesl Weiss has been (mostly) happy working in the rare books department of a large university, managing details and working behind the scenes to make the head of the department look good. But when her boss has a stroke and she's left to run things, she discovers that the library's most prized manuscript is missing.
Liesl tries to sound the alarm and inform the police about the missing priceless book but is told repeatedly to keep quiet to keep the doors open and the donors happy. But then a librarian goes missing as well. Liesl must investigate both disappearances, unspooling her colleagues' pasts like the threads of a rare book binding as it becomes clear that someone in the department must be responsible for the theft. What Liesl discovers about the dusty manuscripts she has worked among for so long—and about the people who preserve and revere them—shakes the very foundation on which she has built her life.
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 25, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,725 reviews
May 16, 2021
I'm biased because I wrote it!
January 25, 2022
Disappointing.
I wanted to like this book. It has things that I usually adore: book about books/libraries, a mysterious missing book, a person who disappears. But...none of those things worked for me in this case.
This is the story of Liesl, who works in the rare books and special collections division of a university library. She is nearing retirement age, and is on sabbatical to write a book when she is called back to head the department when her boss Christopher has a stroke. She quickly discovers that a rare Bible acquired by the university is missing. Then a long time staff member goes missing as well. Are the two connected?
This book was very depressing. The outcomes of the various mysteries are not uplifting, nor are they particularly surprising. I felt like Liesl was a doormat throughout and never stood up for herself when everyone was trying to get their own way. There's so much about university politics and fundraising and that just bored me and made me glaze over. None of the characters had conversations that would have cleared things up, they spend so much time beating around the bush about subjects and situations that honestly should not have been major issues, but turned into them because they refused to talk about them. The missing co-worker storyline was just sad in so many ways. There are some sections of jumpy timelines that made zero sense to me because there were so few of them scattered throughout.
This just wasn't the book for me, but I know that others have enjoyed it and it may have appeal to those who can overlook the melancholy.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
I wanted to like this book. It has things that I usually adore: book about books/libraries, a mysterious missing book, a person who disappears. But...none of those things worked for me in this case.
This is the story of Liesl, who works in the rare books and special collections division of a university library. She is nearing retirement age, and is on sabbatical to write a book when she is called back to head the department when her boss Christopher has a stroke. She quickly discovers that a rare Bible acquired by the university is missing. Then a long time staff member goes missing as well. Are the two connected?
This book was very depressing. The outcomes of the various mysteries are not uplifting, nor are they particularly surprising. I felt like Liesl was a doormat throughout and never stood up for herself when everyone was trying to get their own way. There's so much about university politics and fundraising and that just bored me and made me glaze over. None of the characters had conversations that would have cleared things up, they spend so much time beating around the bush about subjects and situations that honestly should not have been major issues, but turned into them because they refused to talk about them. The missing co-worker storyline was just sad in so many ways. There are some sections of jumpy timelines that made zero sense to me because there were so few of them scattered throughout.
This just wasn't the book for me, but I know that others have enjoyed it and it may have appeal to those who can overlook the melancholy.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
November 27, 2023
When the mystery of lost manuscript intercepted with disappearance of a librarian, as a mystery lover who likes to follow clues, I just jumped into this delicious fiction.
Let’s take a quick look at the plot;
Liesl who is dedicated, hard worker, secret treasure of a large university, handling things behind the closed doors,fixing each problems without people noticing to give people good impression about the department of rare books.
But when her boss has stroke and she discovers a very rare manuscript is stolen, she wants to warn the authorities but her superiors stops her before going further taking action, forcing her keep quiet, acting like everything is going great not to frustrate the donators.
In the meantime Liesl realizes one of the librarians stop showing up at work. She starts her own investigation to solve both of the mysteries. It seems like someone in the department might be responsible of the stealing.
There are too many culprit candidates. After several guesses later I found the right one eventually but the author literally put my grey cells on fire.
Overall: it was interesting mystery! I always keen on reading books about books. At somehow the pacing was slow down at the middle parts but conclusion was well wrapped up.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
Let’s take a quick look at the plot;
Liesl who is dedicated, hard worker, secret treasure of a large university, handling things behind the closed doors,fixing each problems without people noticing to give people good impression about the department of rare books.
But when her boss has stroke and she discovers a very rare manuscript is stolen, she wants to warn the authorities but her superiors stops her before going further taking action, forcing her keep quiet, acting like everything is going great not to frustrate the donators.
In the meantime Liesl realizes one of the librarians stop showing up at work. She starts her own investigation to solve both of the mysteries. It seems like someone in the department might be responsible of the stealing.
There are too many culprit candidates. After several guesses later I found the right one eventually but the author literally put my grey cells on fire.
Overall: it was interesting mystery! I always keen on reading books about books. At somehow the pacing was slow down at the middle parts but conclusion was well wrapped up.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
March 15, 2024
In a Nutshell: A debut novel that tries to fit into too many genres and tackle too many themes. So it doesn’t work as well as it could have with a more streamlined approach. The plot is decent, but the character detailing is repetitive. Expected more from a ‘book about books.’
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Plot Preview:
Bookish Yays:
📚 I enjoyed the bits about rare books, their care and preservation. The tidbits about the Polyglot Bible and the Peshawar manuscript (possibly based on the real-life Bakhshali manuscript) are interesting to read.
Bookish Mixed Bags:
📖 Using a senior woman as the lead character is a commendable choice. Leisl is at the age where she can legitimately be the deputy director of a library. However, the age factor is not properly utilised. We aren’t told Leisl’s exact age ever; all we get is cues such as “I’ve worked here for four decades.” Plus, hardly anything in her arc makes her sound like a senior woman. Her naivete as well as her physical prowess seem to fit a much younger woman. Not to forget that the cover is totally inaccurate in its depiction of Leisl.
📖 The variations in timelines and perspectives add depth to what would otherwise have been a straightforward plot. However, the flashbacks give a big spoiler about the mystery if you pay careful attention. Moreover, the segues into the past are quite random, and hence distracting.
📖 As is common with debut novels, this book suffers from the “kitchen sink syndrome”, with a multitude of unrelated themes thrown into the mix: mental health and depression, gender discrimination, LGBT discrimination, marital issues, obsessions over books, the glass ceiling, male gaslighting… In all this clutter, the key topic of rare books gets the least attention. I did like how the book handled the mental health issue – it was fairly realistic.
📖 Netgalley has this book marked as women’s fiction and a book club read. Goodreads users have tagged it a contemporary mystery. This disparity partially explains the lower ratings. The fact is, when there are missing books and a missing character within the first few chapters, no one will read this as a women’s fiction. But as a mystery, the book doesn’t really deliver because there is no investigation, and the ‘mystery’ itself is somewhat obvious. The story is more like a literary drama. It worked better for me once I stopped expecting a mystery.
Bookish Nays:
📕 The biggest issue is the lack of character development. No character grows over the course of the story. Leisl should have been the highlight considering her age and position, but she comes off as an ignorant newbie who has jumped in at the deep end and is now floundering to stay afloat. As she was already in a high position and had worked at the library for so long, her confused and underconfident behaviour didn’t make sense. Nor did her job profile – such a high post and all she did was handle admin-related work? Plus, the behaviour of her male colleagues towards her is abysmal. The constant gaslighting feels repetitive and overdone.
📕 Miscommunication too is a big problem. The book length could have been halved if everyone spoke the truth and/or called the police on time. But there is too much dillydallying. The men keep avoiding the issue whenever Leisl brings it up, and this feels very unrealistic considering the millions at stake.
📕 I didn’t get why every chapter was broken into subparts: Part 1, Part 2,… It made me feel like I was reading a textbook. A simple line/image separator would have been far less distracting.
📕 The eponymous department is supposedly based on an actual rare books library in one of the universities in Toronto. This book is also based in Toronto, but we see nothing of the city except the name. I wish the locational setting had been better established. An author’s note about the actual library would also have been welcome.
All in all, this isn’t a bad book, but it could have been much more. The characters as well as the plot had potential, but because of the plethora of scattered themes, the core plotline loses impact. It might work better if you read it as a character-oriented drama than as a mystery.
2.25 stars.
My thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
Leisl, who has been working as a deputy director at the titular library department, is suddenly called to fill in as the interim director when her boss Christopher ends up in a coma after a stroke. The issue is that key investors are coming to take a look at a new acquisition: the $500,000 Plantin Polyglot Bible, which is safely locked in the safe whose code is known only by Christopher. After a lot of effort, Leisl manages to open the safe, only to discover that it is empty. When Leisl approaches her reporting head and her colleagues with her concerns and asks them to report the theft to the police, no one takes her seriously. Soon, a fellow librarian also goes missing. Now it is up to Leisl to discover the truth, because the others are clearly hiding something.
The story comes to us in the third person perspectives of multiple characters over multiple timelines.
Bookish Yays:
📚 I enjoyed the bits about rare books, their care and preservation. The tidbits about the Polyglot Bible and the Peshawar manuscript (possibly based on the real-life Bakhshali manuscript) are interesting to read.
Bookish Mixed Bags:
📖 Using a senior woman as the lead character is a commendable choice. Leisl is at the age where she can legitimately be the deputy director of a library. However, the age factor is not properly utilised. We aren’t told Leisl’s exact age ever; all we get is cues such as “I’ve worked here for four decades.” Plus, hardly anything in her arc makes her sound like a senior woman. Her naivete as well as her physical prowess seem to fit a much younger woman. Not to forget that the cover is totally inaccurate in its depiction of Leisl.
📖 The variations in timelines and perspectives add depth to what would otherwise have been a straightforward plot. However, the flashbacks give a big spoiler about the mystery if you pay careful attention. Moreover, the segues into the past are quite random, and hence distracting.
📖 As is common with debut novels, this book suffers from the “kitchen sink syndrome”, with a multitude of unrelated themes thrown into the mix: mental health and depression, gender discrimination, LGBT discrimination, marital issues, obsessions over books, the glass ceiling, male gaslighting… In all this clutter, the key topic of rare books gets the least attention. I did like how the book handled the mental health issue – it was fairly realistic.
📖 Netgalley has this book marked as women’s fiction and a book club read. Goodreads users have tagged it a contemporary mystery. This disparity partially explains the lower ratings. The fact is, when there are missing books and a missing character within the first few chapters, no one will read this as a women’s fiction. But as a mystery, the book doesn’t really deliver because there is no investigation, and the ‘mystery’ itself is somewhat obvious. The story is more like a literary drama. It worked better for me once I stopped expecting a mystery.
Bookish Nays:
📕 The biggest issue is the lack of character development. No character grows over the course of the story. Leisl should have been the highlight considering her age and position, but she comes off as an ignorant newbie who has jumped in at the deep end and is now floundering to stay afloat. As she was already in a high position and had worked at the library for so long, her confused and underconfident behaviour didn’t make sense. Nor did her job profile – such a high post and all she did was handle admin-related work? Plus, the behaviour of her male colleagues towards her is abysmal. The constant gaslighting feels repetitive and overdone.
📕 Miscommunication too is a big problem. The book length could have been halved if everyone spoke the truth and/or called the police on time. But there is too much dillydallying. The men keep avoiding the issue whenever Leisl brings it up, and this feels very unrealistic considering the millions at stake.
📕 I didn’t get why every chapter was broken into subparts: Part 1, Part 2,… It made me feel like I was reading a textbook. A simple line/image separator would have been far less distracting.
📕 The eponymous department is supposedly based on an actual rare books library in one of the universities in Toronto. This book is also based in Toronto, but we see nothing of the city except the name. I wish the locational setting had been better established. An author’s note about the actual library would also have been welcome.
All in all, this isn’t a bad book, but it could have been much more. The characters as well as the plot had potential, but because of the plethora of scattered themes, the core plotline loses impact. It might work better if you read it as a character-oriented drama than as a mystery.
2.25 stars.
My thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
February 9, 2022
2.5/5 rounded down.
At the onset of the novel we meet Liesl Weiss, second in command to Christopher Wolfe, director of the Department of Rare Books and Special Collections at the university library. Both Christopher and Liesl have been with the library for decades. When Christopher suffers a stroke she is called back from her sabbatical to act as interim director. However, she finds herself in the middle of a mystery when she discovers a rare manuscript that was scheduled for viewing has vanished from the safe in Christopher’s office. The loss of the manuscript seemingly coincides with the disappearance of one of the librarians. Subsequently, two other manuscripts are found to be missing and Liesl is tasked to find the manuscripts. She is not permitted to involve the police because the university president is worried about how the donors would react and how the library’s image and reputation would suffer on account of the negative publicity. She is instructed to search for the manuscripts without any external interference. Liesl’s colleagues have their own theories and suspicions and in the course of Liesl’s internal investigation many secrets,past relationships, infighting, rivalries and deception rise to the surface only complicating Liesl’s search for the missing manuscripts and her efforts to assert her authority and command the respect she deserves.
The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections by Eva Jurczyk is a slow-paced mystery with an interesting premise. I have nothing against narratives spread across different timelines, but in this case, multiple timelines felt unnecessary and messed with the flow of the story which was annoying. While the mystery started out well, I found myself losing interest halfway in. I really wanted to like this book. I am partial to stories revolving around about books, bookshops and libraries but this novel was disappointing. The pace was painfully slow, characters for the most part were unlikable and I did not like how the story panned out. The story does touch upon important themes such as mental health, the glass ceiling, homophobia and discrimination in the workplace but none of these issues are given due diligence. I was disheartened with the way Miriam’s character was treated.Given the premise , the setting and the element of mystery I had expected to like this novel a lot more.
At the onset of the novel we meet Liesl Weiss, second in command to Christopher Wolfe, director of the Department of Rare Books and Special Collections at the university library. Both Christopher and Liesl have been with the library for decades. When Christopher suffers a stroke she is called back from her sabbatical to act as interim director. However, she finds herself in the middle of a mystery when she discovers a rare manuscript that was scheduled for viewing has vanished from the safe in Christopher’s office. The loss of the manuscript seemingly coincides with the disappearance of one of the librarians. Subsequently, two other manuscripts are found to be missing and Liesl is tasked to find the manuscripts. She is not permitted to involve the police because the university president is worried about how the donors would react and how the library’s image and reputation would suffer on account of the negative publicity. She is instructed to search for the manuscripts without any external interference. Liesl’s colleagues have their own theories and suspicions and in the course of Liesl’s internal investigation many secrets,past relationships, infighting, rivalries and deception rise to the surface only complicating Liesl’s search for the missing manuscripts and her efforts to assert her authority and command the respect she deserves.
The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections by Eva Jurczyk is a slow-paced mystery with an interesting premise. I have nothing against narratives spread across different timelines, but in this case, multiple timelines felt unnecessary and messed with the flow of the story which was annoying. While the mystery started out well, I found myself losing interest halfway in. I really wanted to like this book. I am partial to stories revolving around about books, bookshops and libraries but this novel was disappointing. The pace was painfully slow, characters for the most part were unlikable and I did not like how the story panned out. The story does touch upon important themes such as mental health, the glass ceiling, homophobia and discrimination in the workplace but none of these issues are given due diligence. I was disheartened with the way Miriam’s character was treated.Given the premise , the setting and the element of mystery I had expected to like this novel a lot more.
January 25, 2022
Books x books = a happy reader. The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections by Eva Jurczyk is a cozy read with a dash of mystery.
Liesl Weiss has worked as a librarian at a university for decades. When her boss suffers a stroke, she fills his position for the interim. It’s not long before she discovers that an extremely rare and recent acquisition of a religious text has gone missing. At first, Liesl believes the text must be misplaced, but soon she suspects someone stole it. When Liesl decides to notify the police about the disappearance, she cannot wrap her head around why many are against reporting it as a theft.
Do they merely want to save the university’s reputation, or could they be hiding something?
To make matters worse, a fellow librarian also goes missing. Liesl begins to question if the two incidents are related.
This story is told in dual timelines with multiple perspectives, although Liesl’s POV is the main one. It’s hard to say exactly when the book is set, but certain technology mentioned suggests that it is around the nineties. There are lots of references to discmans.
There are discussions on being a woman/woman of colour/gay while working in a field that is mainly dominated by white cisgender men.
It took a little while for me to warm up to this book, but the mystery soon drew me in.
This story will make you want to get all cozy and maybe enjoy a bowl of spicy noodles like Liesl frequently did with her family.
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for an arc provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
https://booksandwheels.com/
Liesl Weiss has worked as a librarian at a university for decades. When her boss suffers a stroke, she fills his position for the interim. It’s not long before she discovers that an extremely rare and recent acquisition of a religious text has gone missing. At first, Liesl believes the text must be misplaced, but soon she suspects someone stole it. When Liesl decides to notify the police about the disappearance, she cannot wrap her head around why many are against reporting it as a theft.
Do they merely want to save the university’s reputation, or could they be hiding something?
To make matters worse, a fellow librarian also goes missing. Liesl begins to question if the two incidents are related.
This story is told in dual timelines with multiple perspectives, although Liesl’s POV is the main one. It’s hard to say exactly when the book is set, but certain technology mentioned suggests that it is around the nineties. There are lots of references to discmans.
There are discussions on being a woman/woman of colour/gay while working in a field that is mainly dominated by white cisgender men.
It took a little while for me to warm up to this book, but the mystery soon drew me in.
This story will make you want to get all cozy and maybe enjoy a bowl of spicy noodles like Liesl frequently did with her family.
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for an arc provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
https://booksandwheels.com/
September 2, 2021
This is a love letter to libraries and books so I couldn't pass this one up on Netgalley. I am a sucker for novels about libraries, archives and museums and the people who inhabit those spaces. Librarians, archivists, curators, restorationists and all supporting that maintain, protect and preserve. I thought it began strongly but lagged from about 20 to 55% and then picked up and turned on all the charm until the end.
Liesl was an unusual protagonist as she's on the cusp of retirement and I just don't come across very many modern books with older women as main characters. There's a mystery of stolen books and a missing person here but it wasn't the main point of the book (that is what partially drew me in, however). The main point seemed to be Liesl's journey to finding her place and what she really wanted professionally and personally. I found some aspects of this journey more interesting than others but I could very clearly see the relevance even when I wasn't drawn in. The supporting characters were well enough done that I had strong feelings about them good and bad, so that was appreciated. When you completely root for a character to be slapped for dipping into someone's lunch without asking and remain aggravated pages later that they weren't taken to task, the author's done their job eliciting reader response. There was some very trenchant wit deployed (mostly unsaid by Lisel) and I did laugh.
There was a good insight on academia, the ever-important funding and the donor frottage that follows and also a very grating boy's club ethos. I enjoyed watching how all that played out and resolved and I also enjoyed Liesl's daughter Hannah's insights on the trajectory or lack thereof of Liesl's career. Overall a well-balanced and charming read. This story does have chapters that happened in the past and sometimes that could feel a bit unmoored from the main story but I didn't find it too disruptive of the flow.
Points for the story being set in Toronto! Also points for the descriptions of the rare books and the processes of procurement, cataloging and preservation. Beautifully done. And finally, there are so many instances of people eating big steaming bowls of spicy noodles in this story that I wanted noodles in the evening as I read this in bed. Be warned. Honestly, the baklava references were pretty enticing too. I can't site my favourite passages but know I have some and that's always a good thing.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the Advance Reader's Copy.
Liesl was an unusual protagonist as she's on the cusp of retirement and I just don't come across very many modern books with older women as main characters. There's a mystery of stolen books and a missing person here but it wasn't the main point of the book (that is what partially drew me in, however). The main point seemed to be Liesl's journey to finding her place and what she really wanted professionally and personally. I found some aspects of this journey more interesting than others but I could very clearly see the relevance even when I wasn't drawn in. The supporting characters were well enough done that I had strong feelings about them good and bad, so that was appreciated. When you completely root for a character to be slapped for dipping into someone's lunch without asking and remain aggravated pages later that they weren't taken to task, the author's done their job eliciting reader response. There was some very trenchant wit deployed (mostly unsaid by Lisel) and I did laugh.
There was a good insight on academia, the ever-important funding and the donor frottage that follows and also a very grating boy's club ethos. I enjoyed watching how all that played out and resolved and I also enjoyed Liesl's daughter Hannah's insights on the trajectory or lack thereof of Liesl's career. Overall a well-balanced and charming read. This story does have chapters that happened in the past and sometimes that could feel a bit unmoored from the main story but I didn't find it too disruptive of the flow.
Points for the story being set in Toronto! Also points for the descriptions of the rare books and the processes of procurement, cataloging and preservation. Beautifully done. And finally, there are so many instances of people eating big steaming bowls of spicy noodles in this story that I wanted noodles in the evening as I read this in bed. Be warned. Honestly, the baklava references were pretty enticing too. I can't site my favourite passages but know I have some and that's always a good thing.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the Advance Reader's Copy.
January 15, 2022
Leisl has stepped in as interim director of the rare books department at a Toronto university. The director and her boss before she took time off to write a book has had a stroke. One of her first items of business is to finish processing a rare Plantin Bible set. While putting the office in order and getting down to work, she realizes the Plantin is missing. This is just the beginning of a series of occurrences that make Leisl realize she may have more authority than ever, but her sense of control is much less. The president of the university is hounding her for results while emphasizing the need for funding. Staff members at the library point fingers at one another over the missing items. Should Leisl get the police involved? Opinions are mixed and she is left to make the final call. While I am not in the know on rare books, I do love books and can appreciate the tension between sharing rare books and the need to preserve them. In addition, with so many books and documents in a collection, there is a clear need to have trustworthy staff. Finally, the book explores the topic of mental illness and the need for family, friends, and coworkers to be advocates for those struggling in this way. All in all, a wonderful book for groups to discuss and a guide is included as well as an interview with the author.
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
February 24, 2022
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4
I wonder if Eleanor Roosevelt really said that a woman is like a teabag—you don't know how strong she is until she's in hot water. I struggled with this book for the first half of it. Liesl was just too nice and too gentle to be in her assistant director position, filling in for the charismatic man who was felled by a stroke. Liesl knows it too, as she is browbeaten by the male members of her staff and harassed by the slimey president of the university (he, at least, is portrayed quite accurately). Her boss is unconscious in hospital, a priceless acquisition has gone missing, and the donors are circling, demanding to be able to admire the rare thing that their largesse has procured for the institution. She should be demanding that everyone account for their part in the ordering and receiving processes, but she too busy apologizing and pleading with her staff. You don't get that far up the hierarchy without being tough and willing to do what it takes to deal with problems.
Liesl cannot convince all the arrogant men that they should contact the police about the theft. They are convinced that no one would ever donate again. Then a female staff member goes missing and they give Liesl the same song and dance about her. It's at the point where Liesl goes off script and calls police that I was converted to liking her. I watched as she developed an understanding with the detective, as she quits drowning her sorrows with wine, and actually starts to use her excellent brain. She is assisted by another female academic, who I immediately liked. Who says women don't help each other?
The answer about who dunnit surprised me, but pleased me. It was suitably subversive and I hope that similar changes are happening all over academia. I loved that Liesl grew a backbone and dealt smartly with all the pushy men. The pleasure of the last hundred pages convinced me to round up my stars from 3 to 4.
I wonder if Eleanor Roosevelt really said that a woman is like a teabag—you don't know how strong she is until she's in hot water. I struggled with this book for the first half of it. Liesl was just too nice and too gentle to be in her assistant director position, filling in for the charismatic man who was felled by a stroke. Liesl knows it too, as she is browbeaten by the male members of her staff and harassed by the slimey president of the university (he, at least, is portrayed quite accurately). Her boss is unconscious in hospital, a priceless acquisition has gone missing, and the donors are circling, demanding to be able to admire the rare thing that their largesse has procured for the institution. She should be demanding that everyone account for their part in the ordering and receiving processes, but she too busy apologizing and pleading with her staff. You don't get that far up the hierarchy without being tough and willing to do what it takes to deal with problems.
Liesl cannot convince all the arrogant men that they should contact the police about the theft. They are convinced that no one would ever donate again. Then a female staff member goes missing and they give Liesl the same song and dance about her. It's at the point where Liesl goes off script and calls police that I was converted to liking her. I watched as she developed an understanding with the detective, as she quits drowning her sorrows with wine, and actually starts to use her excellent brain. She is assisted by another female academic, who I immediately liked. Who says women don't help each other?
The answer about who dunnit surprised me, but pleased me. It was suitably subversive and I hope that similar changes are happening all over academia. I loved that Liesl grew a backbone and dealt smartly with all the pushy men. The pleasure of the last hundred pages convinced me to round up my stars from 3 to 4.
![Profile Image for laurel [the suspected bibliophile].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1645808644i/7494844._UX200_CR0,6,200,200_.jpg)
December 4, 2021
If I hadn't been reading this to fit a reading challenge prompt, this would be a DNF.
While I appreciated the fact that the protagonist Liesl was near retirement age (and older woman protagonist, yes!) and the sheer amount of research and knowledge that went into this book and the author's vast experience, I really, really did not like the writing style. It grated, and I disliked how the characters never had a forthright conversation with each other and spoke in circles, dancing about and avoiding anything real—all of which allowed the shit that happened to continue to happen.
However, while it's not a very good mystery novel, it is a nice love letter to libraries and rare books. And I wish I had enjoyed it more than I did.
While I appreciated the fact that the protagonist Liesl was near retirement age (and older woman protagonist, yes!) and the sheer amount of research and knowledge that went into this book and the author's vast experience, I really, really did not like the writing style. It grated, and I disliked how the characters never had a forthright conversation with each other and spoke in circles, dancing about and avoiding anything real—all of which allowed the shit that happened to continue to happen.
However, while it's not a very good mystery novel, it is a nice love letter to libraries and rare books. And I wish I had enjoyed it more than I did.
December 26, 2021
The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections is one of those mystery novels that isn't just a good mystery novel: it's flat out a good novel. Liesel, a librarian, has just taken a sabbatical to work on a book about the history of horticultural writing, but she's called back to her workplace (the Department of Rare Books and Special Collections) when her boss Christopher has a stroke on the very day that a group of donors have been invited to view the department's newest acquisition, which they've underwritten: a multi-volume polyglot Bible purchased at auction for $500,000. But Christopher never gave Liesel the combination for the safe where the books are being held until they're fully insured—and now Liesel has to manage the donor reception without access to the volumes they've come to see.
It does, not surprisingly, get worse. When Liesel finally tracks down the combination for the safe there's no polyglot Bible. Liesel is given responsibility for tracking down the missing books without involving the police. Meanwhile, there's jockeying for position at the department as it becomes clear Christopher may not be returning, and department members alternately cooperate with and attempt to hinder Liesel's investigations. Oh—and everyone has history with other department members, so old romances and enmities are blooming once again.
I was ambivalent about this title in the beginning because Liesel approaches her new, temporary position with a great deal of uncertainty and a complete lack of confidence. Watching her get jerked in one direction and another by colleagues and the university administration was disheartening. But gradually she finds her footing and her investigations begin making progress.
If you enjoy mysteries, you'll find The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections a delight. Even if mysteries aren't your thing, if you enjoy contemporary fiction about women finding their place in the world, you'll find The Department of Rare Books and Special Collects well worth your time.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.
It does, not surprisingly, get worse. When Liesel finally tracks down the combination for the safe there's no polyglot Bible. Liesel is given responsibility for tracking down the missing books without involving the police. Meanwhile, there's jockeying for position at the department as it becomes clear Christopher may not be returning, and department members alternately cooperate with and attempt to hinder Liesel's investigations. Oh—and everyone has history with other department members, so old romances and enmities are blooming once again.
I was ambivalent about this title in the beginning because Liesel approaches her new, temporary position with a great deal of uncertainty and a complete lack of confidence. Watching her get jerked in one direction and another by colleagues and the university administration was disheartening. But gradually she finds her footing and her investigations begin making progress.
If you enjoy mysteries, you'll find The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections a delight. Even if mysteries aren't your thing, if you enjoy contemporary fiction about women finding their place in the world, you'll find The Department of Rare Books and Special Collects well worth your time.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.
February 28, 2024
After 55 pages I gave up on this book that, from the title, should have been a 5-star read for me.
The sudden switch of timelines was awkward, unnecessary, confusing and did nothing to advance the story line.
A priceless rare book has gone missing from the library. Lisel is a long time employee of the library and is acting head of a department when her boss is taken ill, but she is acting like a wet blanket and I found her too annoying to read any further.
The sudden switch of timelines was awkward, unnecessary, confusing and did nothing to advance the story line.
A priceless rare book has gone missing from the library. Lisel is a long time employee of the library and is acting head of a department when her boss is taken ill, but she is acting like a wet blanket and I found her too annoying to read any further.
December 8, 2023
Not Really Much of a Mystery
Review of the Poisoned Pen Press paperback edition, released simultaneously with the Poisoned Pen Press hardcover (January 2022)
The title, the cover, the publisher and the synopsis are all somewhat deceptive here and will likely lead to disappointment for many readers. This is more of a soap opera between the characters than a realistic working library and university. The lead character is not the young woman portrayed on the cover, but a 40-year library career veteran verging on retirement. Although having the Poisoned Pen Press as publisher would lead one to expect a crime or murder mystery, there is no murder and little actual sleuthing and investigation involved, although it was hinted at in the synopsis. Instead there is a lot of bickering and oblique conversations between mostly unlikeable characters which seem to go nowhere.
I very much wanted to like (3 to 4 star) and even love (5 star) this book as I especially love 'books about books' & 'books about libraries', but it just wasn't satisfactory enough in so many ways, and not just in the deceptive elements described above. It was only due to its setting which was inspired by the real-life Rare Book Department in the Robarts Library of the University of Toronto (i.e. a building in my own alma mater in my own home town) that I persisted and did not do a DNF.
Liesl, who had expected to be on a sabbatical, is called back to work at the title library to become the interim department head when its boss suddenly has a stroke and is in a coma. She returns to work to find an insubordinate staff who bristle at her stepping into the position. She then discovers that a recent $500,000 acquisition of the Plantin Polyglot Bible has gone missing. Soon afterwards a key staff member also disappears. Then more rare books are discovered to be missing and / or replaced by fakes. It all sounds like it would be intriguing and the source for some fascinating sleuthing right?
Unfortunately little investigation occurs and some of it is actively discouraged by the University President who fears adverse publicity. Are you kidding me? They'd rather lose $millions in rare books? There are subplots regarding mental health (treated very superficially), marital relations & extramarital affairs, doubtful parentage, seemingly pointless flashbacks going back several years, drinking a lot of wine at university receptions, eating noodles at asian restaurants, eating falafels at food trucks, etc. etc. How about some more on the actual books? What there was did seem interesting, but there was just too little of it.
Photograph of the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library contained within the University of Toronto Robarts Library. Image sourced from Wikipedia.
Photograph of the exterior of the Robarts Library* in the University of Toronto with the Thomas Fisher Rare Books Library in the foreground of the complex. Image sourced from Wikipedia.
Opening page of Genesis from the Plantin Polyglot Bible, one of the missing books in "The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections". Image sourced from Wikipedia.
Trivia and Links
Author Eva Jurczyk is interviewed by the Poisoned Pen Bookstore and you can watch the interview on YouTube here.
The Peshawar manuscript referred to in the book is based on the real-life Bakhshali manuscript.
* The castle fortress-like look of the Robarts Library (in my university days, I remember people referring to it as 'Fort Book') was apparently part of the inspiration for the library in Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose (1980). Eco spent some time working / studying here at the University of Toronto.
Review of the Poisoned Pen Press paperback edition, released simultaneously with the Poisoned Pen Press hardcover (January 2022)
The title, the cover, the publisher and the synopsis are all somewhat deceptive here and will likely lead to disappointment for many readers. This is more of a soap opera between the characters than a realistic working library and university. The lead character is not the young woman portrayed on the cover, but a 40-year library career veteran verging on retirement. Although having the Poisoned Pen Press as publisher would lead one to expect a crime or murder mystery, there is no murder and little actual sleuthing and investigation involved, although it was hinted at in the synopsis. Instead there is a lot of bickering and oblique conversations between mostly unlikeable characters which seem to go nowhere.
I very much wanted to like (3 to 4 star) and even love (5 star) this book as I especially love 'books about books' & 'books about libraries', but it just wasn't satisfactory enough in so many ways, and not just in the deceptive elements described above. It was only due to its setting which was inspired by the real-life Rare Book Department in the Robarts Library of the University of Toronto (i.e. a building in my own alma mater in my own home town) that I persisted and did not do a DNF.
Liesl, who had expected to be on a sabbatical, is called back to work at the title library to become the interim department head when its boss suddenly has a stroke and is in a coma. She returns to work to find an insubordinate staff who bristle at her stepping into the position. She then discovers that a recent $500,000 acquisition of the Plantin Polyglot Bible has gone missing. Soon afterwards a key staff member also disappears. Then more rare books are discovered to be missing and / or replaced by fakes. It all sounds like it would be intriguing and the source for some fascinating sleuthing right?
Unfortunately little investigation occurs and some of it is actively discouraged by the University President who fears adverse publicity. Are you kidding me? They'd rather lose $millions in rare books? There are subplots regarding mental health (treated very superficially), marital relations & extramarital affairs, doubtful parentage, seemingly pointless flashbacks going back several years, drinking a lot of wine at university receptions, eating noodles at asian restaurants, eating falafels at food trucks, etc. etc. How about some more on the actual books? What there was did seem interesting, but there was just too little of it.
Photograph of the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library contained within the University of Toronto Robarts Library. Image sourced from Wikipedia.
Photograph of the exterior of the Robarts Library* in the University of Toronto with the Thomas Fisher Rare Books Library in the foreground of the complex. Image sourced from Wikipedia.
Opening page of Genesis from the Plantin Polyglot Bible, one of the missing books in "The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections". Image sourced from Wikipedia.
Trivia and Links
Author Eva Jurczyk is interviewed by the Poisoned Pen Bookstore and you can watch the interview on YouTube here.
The Peshawar manuscript referred to in the book is based on the real-life Bakhshali manuscript.
* The castle fortress-like look of the Robarts Library (in my university days, I remember people referring to it as 'Fort Book') was apparently part of the inspiration for the library in Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose (1980). Eco spent some time working / studying here at the University of Toronto.
August 11, 2021
I love reading books. I especially love reading books about books. THE DEPARTMENT OF RARE BOOKS AND SPECIAL COLLECTIONS by author EVA JURACZYK is a novel about a university library in Toronto, Canada. Not just any library but one that specializes in rare and special titles along the lines of the British Library in London, England or U.S. Archives in Washington D.C. The collection is so vast that it is housed in its own building on campus.
Christopher Wolfe has been the Director of the Library for four decades but he has suffered an incapacitating stroke. His longtime friend and Assistant Director Liesl Weiss becomes the Acting Interim Director. Liesl is not ready for this because she is planning to retire shortly and is actually on a sabbatical to write a book on books. Not only that, but the Library is about to unveil its latest prize acquisition, the Plantin Polyglot Bible.
The donors who made the acquisition of this $500,000 book package possible want to see it. Unfortunately, when Wolfe’s safe in his office at the Library is finally opened, there is no book inside or anywhere else in the Library (actually, it is several volumes in red leather and several centuries years old). As the story unfolds, other discrepancies in the Library’s collection are discovered. One valuable manuscript, the Peshawar Manuscript (from the 9th Century A.DF.) is proven to be a forgery by use of carbon dating. Another valuable book on human anatomy by Andreas Vesalius is just missing.
Liesl Weiss and her staff are responsible for finding out what, why and how all this, and more, has happened. Among the staffers are Max Hubbard (a defrocked priest and religious book expert) and Francis Churchill (Liesl’s brief affair partner from a years back) and Dan Haberer (one of the Library’s “gofers”). Miriam Vivek, another employee and close friend of Liesl has a secret that she tries to convey to Liesl but goes missing before she can explain her concern. The university’s President is Lawrence Garber is more worried about the University’s reputation and its donors than about the missing people or books.
When Liesl finally calls in the police, Detective Peter Yuan is the investigator. He is a “missing persons” investigator who is going to try find Miriam. Theft is not in his job description. Rhonda Washington is a new professor on the campus and is a mathematician/scientist who does the carbon dating. They are other characters in the story as well who have minor roles but add to the storyline.
For your information, the three manuscripts/books featured in the story do exist. I am not sure if they exist in Toronto.
If it was possible to rate this story more than FIVE STARS I would but that is because I am a book person. The plot is full of twists and turns. There are a number of suspects. Liesl, in addition to her duties as a Librarian, is replete with personal issues. How she handles them all is amazing. It is an enjoyable look at the world of rare books. I came away feeling smarter. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
GO! BUY! READ!
Christopher Wolfe has been the Director of the Library for four decades but he has suffered an incapacitating stroke. His longtime friend and Assistant Director Liesl Weiss becomes the Acting Interim Director. Liesl is not ready for this because she is planning to retire shortly and is actually on a sabbatical to write a book on books. Not only that, but the Library is about to unveil its latest prize acquisition, the Plantin Polyglot Bible.
The donors who made the acquisition of this $500,000 book package possible want to see it. Unfortunately, when Wolfe’s safe in his office at the Library is finally opened, there is no book inside or anywhere else in the Library (actually, it is several volumes in red leather and several centuries years old). As the story unfolds, other discrepancies in the Library’s collection are discovered. One valuable manuscript, the Peshawar Manuscript (from the 9th Century A.DF.) is proven to be a forgery by use of carbon dating. Another valuable book on human anatomy by Andreas Vesalius is just missing.
Liesl Weiss and her staff are responsible for finding out what, why and how all this, and more, has happened. Among the staffers are Max Hubbard (a defrocked priest and religious book expert) and Francis Churchill (Liesl’s brief affair partner from a years back) and Dan Haberer (one of the Library’s “gofers”). Miriam Vivek, another employee and close friend of Liesl has a secret that she tries to convey to Liesl but goes missing before she can explain her concern. The university’s President is Lawrence Garber is more worried about the University’s reputation and its donors than about the missing people or books.
When Liesl finally calls in the police, Detective Peter Yuan is the investigator. He is a “missing persons” investigator who is going to try find Miriam. Theft is not in his job description. Rhonda Washington is a new professor on the campus and is a mathematician/scientist who does the carbon dating. They are other characters in the story as well who have minor roles but add to the storyline.
For your information, the three manuscripts/books featured in the story do exist. I am not sure if they exist in Toronto.
If it was possible to rate this story more than FIVE STARS I would but that is because I am a book person. The plot is full of twists and turns. There are a number of suspects. Liesl, in addition to her duties as a Librarian, is replete with personal issues. How she handles them all is amazing. It is an enjoyable look at the world of rare books. I came away feeling smarter. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
GO! BUY! READ!
March 13, 2022
Click here to hear my thoughts on this book over on my Booktube channel, abookolive!
April 30, 2022
Liesl Weiss has worked for years as second in “command” at the university library of rare books and special collections. Planning now on a retirement in the not distant future, she has taken a sabbatical to write a book on horticulture, one of her major interests. Her entire plan is disrupted by the sudden illness of her boss, Christopher, the library director. Now she is back in the library waiting for Christopher’s recovery when shoes begin to drop in the rare book department: the most recent acquisition is not where it should be and, of course, Christopher can’t answer questions. He's had a stroke, apparently.
And so the novel, that is partially a mystery, begins. I say partially because it’s also about Oldboy networking, campus politics, the place of women in certain groups—especially middle-aged women. And marriage and family. And the difficulties of friendship with men and women for a middle aged woman.
Liesl begins what investigation she can muster, with very limited assistance so no word of the potential major problem will leak out to deans or donors, etc, all the while wondering about her retirement, her husband's art future, their daughter, the police who are searching for a missing co-worker. Life isn't dull though it is out of her control.
The story does inevitably tackle and resolve the problems of the library and Liesl is integral in that process. She is an interesting woman for what she is not: not loud or showy. Not the "type" to lead a novel perhaps one might say. I say she did a great job considering who she had to work with!
I recommend this book to those who enjoy quiet novels about books, libraries, academe, and managing in the old boy network.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
And so the novel, that is partially a mystery, begins. I say partially because it’s also about Oldboy networking, campus politics, the place of women in certain groups—especially middle-aged women. And marriage and family. And the difficulties of friendship with men and women for a middle aged woman.
Liesl begins what investigation she can muster, with very limited assistance so no word of the potential major problem will leak out to deans or donors, etc, all the while wondering about her retirement, her husband's art future, their daughter, the police who are searching for a missing co-worker. Life isn't dull though it is out of her control.
The story does inevitably tackle and resolve the problems of the library and Liesl is integral in that process. She is an interesting woman for what she is not: not loud or showy. Not the "type" to lead a novel perhaps one might say. I say she did a great job considering who she had to work with!
I recommend this book to those who enjoy quiet novels about books, libraries, academe, and managing in the old boy network.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
April 25, 2022
The premise sounded really interesting - I mean rare book? What bibliophile would not be interested in a book with that title? Not me as I read only about 50% through and lost interest; too much time spent on the marriage issues of Liesel and John & Vivek and Miriam and her disappearance. And, Christopher's messy desk and death. What did all of these have to do with the missing books? Ultimately, I don't even know what happened with the missing books.
February 10, 2022
DNF at 29%. And it took me days to get that far.
Look, I wanted to love this book. It’s a book about books. It’s got a lil mystery to solve. The main character is named Liesl, which is the best name in existence. But I was just so so so bored. Nothing was happening, the plot wasn’t moving forward, Liesl was frustrating as a character because she was weak and lacked confidence, and I was choosing not to read for days just to avoid reading this, so it was time to move on. Maybe I’ll come back to it someday, but probably not.
Look, I wanted to love this book. It’s a book about books. It’s got a lil mystery to solve. The main character is named Liesl, which is the best name in existence. But I was just so so so bored. Nothing was happening, the plot wasn’t moving forward, Liesl was frustrating as a character because she was weak and lacked confidence, and I was choosing not to read for days just to avoid reading this, so it was time to move on. Maybe I’ll come back to it someday, but probably not.
January 29, 2022
I would like to thank Netgalley for a copy in exchange for an honest opinion.
I wanted to like this book. I'm always going to want to read something about books/libraries/academic libraries. This book did not work for me, at all.
But I had to stop reading this. 25% of the way through. This book was making me not want to turn on my kindle.
I work in academia, I have a more than passing understanding of how higher ed administration works. This book does not represent that world in any kind of accurate way. A university president who only spends his days training for the Ironman? Nope. (And then blames Liesl for not trying harder to make an appointment with him, are you kidding me?) A half million dollar artifact goes missing, and he says don't call the police? No freaking way. Characters who gaslight Liesl, and are guilty of insubordination, and harassment of same? Oh no no no, that's a quick call to HR to sort out.
One of the things that drove me crazy throughout the part I did read is how no one actually talks to anyone about anything. They just sort of talk around the problem, or not say anything at all. Honestly, a few come to Jesus meetings would sort things out pretty quickly.
Now, let's talk about characterization. It is so cliche. Liesl has spent a considerable amount of time being the deputy to the director of this library. Yet apparently all she's done is pay the bills and write some catering orders? Seriously? No! She doesn't get to that position without at least a Master's degree, and she doesn't get that without an actual knowledge of the library. I know these things! So when she becomes the acting director, everyone reminds her of how little she knows, how she's not the Director. The men in the book are quite terrible to her, they put her down, remind her she's not in charge (when actually she is), belittle her, and she just sits there and takes it. She does try to push back once or twice, but it's half-hearted at best.
I honestly couldn't do this anymore. I was looking for reasons to do anything but read this book, including cleaning out my kitchen cabinets.
I wanted to like this book. I'm always going to want to read something about books/libraries/academic libraries. This book did not work for me, at all.
But I had to stop reading this. 25% of the way through. This book was making me not want to turn on my kindle.
I work in academia, I have a more than passing understanding of how higher ed administration works. This book does not represent that world in any kind of accurate way. A university president who only spends his days training for the Ironman? Nope. (And then blames Liesl for not trying harder to make an appointment with him, are you kidding me?) A half million dollar artifact goes missing, and he says don't call the police? No freaking way. Characters who gaslight Liesl, and are guilty of insubordination, and harassment of same? Oh no no no, that's a quick call to HR to sort out.
One of the things that drove me crazy throughout the part I did read is how no one actually talks to anyone about anything. They just sort of talk around the problem, or not say anything at all. Honestly, a few come to Jesus meetings would sort things out pretty quickly.
Now, let's talk about characterization. It is so cliche. Liesl has spent a considerable amount of time being the deputy to the director of this library. Yet apparently all she's done is pay the bills and write some catering orders? Seriously? No! She doesn't get to that position without at least a Master's degree, and she doesn't get that without an actual knowledge of the library. I know these things! So when she becomes the acting director, everyone reminds her of how little she knows, how she's not the Director. The men in the book are quite terrible to her, they put her down, remind her she's not in charge (when actually she is), belittle her, and she just sits there and takes it. She does try to push back once or twice, but it's half-hearted at best.
I honestly couldn't do this anymore. I was looking for reasons to do anything but read this book, including cleaning out my kitchen cabinets.
March 28, 2022
Although this is a novel that is deeply about a library and I'm a librarian, it really isn't my kind of book. (To be fair it's set in a university rare books library which is probably about as far from the public library -- where I work -- in terms of types of libraries as you can get).
I'm still puzzling as to why I liked it in many ways, but it never quite fully engaged me. Let's see if I can tease it out!
Jurczyk's novel is a kind of literary mystery, although it's fairly genre flexible. I wouldn't recommend it for someone looking for a straightforward, old-fashioned mystery. It is plot-centred, which is one reason it didn't fully win me over. I love a compelling plot in addition to compelling characters, but I cannot do without the compelling characters.
What I can't quite figure out is why I didn't find the characters that compelling. Liesl, the older woman protagonist here, is a unique person who appears to be one thing -- a dowdy, detail oriented librarian more comfortable being the person in the background making sure things run smoothly than the person in the spotlight -- but is in reality much more complex. She's got secrets!
Actually, all of her librarian and library worker colleagues do too, as well as other university types that pepper the novel. A fair amount of the characters are downright unlikable and mean, but not in an interesting way, really. (The university president character is a plain old jerk, a typically entitled white man concerned with money and reputation only. He literally feels entitled to steal Liesl's lunch from her when he is hungry and doesn't have a lunch of his own).
I think Liesl and the other characters are missing the vulnerability and emotional interiors that would have made me attached to them. I'm not quite sure the narrative wants the reader to be attached though.
The tone is removed and often downright glib. The writing style reminds me of Jane Rule who writes similarly so-called masculine prose that is very clever but emotionally detached.
I can say this makes the book not a good match for me but I shouldn't complain that it isn't doing a thing it's not trying to do. The novel feels like it's edging on satire at some points. (Notably, I do not generally like satire).
If you are fascinated by the topic of rare books / rare book libraries and/or are a plot-focused reader who doesn't mind being at a distance from the characters and their interior emotional states, I think this is an excellently done book of that type.
I'm still puzzling as to why I liked it in many ways, but it never quite fully engaged me. Let's see if I can tease it out!
Jurczyk's novel is a kind of literary mystery, although it's fairly genre flexible. I wouldn't recommend it for someone looking for a straightforward, old-fashioned mystery. It is plot-centred, which is one reason it didn't fully win me over. I love a compelling plot in addition to compelling characters, but I cannot do without the compelling characters.
What I can't quite figure out is why I didn't find the characters that compelling. Liesl, the older woman protagonist here, is a unique person who appears to be one thing -- a dowdy, detail oriented librarian more comfortable being the person in the background making sure things run smoothly than the person in the spotlight -- but is in reality much more complex. She's got secrets!
Actually, all of her librarian and library worker colleagues do too, as well as other university types that pepper the novel. A fair amount of the characters are downright unlikable and mean, but not in an interesting way, really. (The university president character is a plain old jerk, a typically entitled white man concerned with money and reputation only. He literally feels entitled to steal Liesl's lunch from her when he is hungry and doesn't have a lunch of his own).
I think Liesl and the other characters are missing the vulnerability and emotional interiors that would have made me attached to them. I'm not quite sure the narrative wants the reader to be attached though.
The tone is removed and often downright glib. The writing style reminds me of Jane Rule who writes similarly so-called masculine prose that is very clever but emotionally detached.
I can say this makes the book not a good match for me but I shouldn't complain that it isn't doing a thing it's not trying to do. The novel feels like it's edging on satire at some points. (Notably, I do not generally like satire).
If you are fascinated by the topic of rare books / rare book libraries and/or are a plot-focused reader who doesn't mind being at a distance from the characters and their interior emotional states, I think this is an excellently done book of that type.
March 10, 2022
The title hooked me at first, and reading the blurb intrigued me more. Love the academia setting and especially the department itself which atmospherically captivating and unique, like an old small library that only having limited published books on its shelves with only pencil is allowed if you want to take notes.
The first few chapters of the book get me invested but along the way it gets too underwhelming. The idea of its mystery was compelling-- a missing most prized manuscript, a no show to work librarian and a boss on coma holding a secret to the lost manuscript or maybe manuscripts? It lacks in execution that even with its few riveting subplots (gender inequality, workplace discrimination, academia politics, mental health) the development did not weave or progress seemlessly to me. Too slow moving and scattered.
I also have problems with characters' exposition and their characterization. Weird how it says that Liesl has been working there for almost 40 years but still know too little about all those collection and that sudden love problems? What's up with that moment sitting on the bench with Francis, Liesl? I don't find the secondary as interesting too-- how they were being so disrespectful, and mostly having an unapproachable attitude really irks me so much. I feel bad that Miriam's story just wrapped in a total blame-- her psychological matter could be given more depth, or at least not abruptly settled in shame.
You might go for the setting for this one so I won't stop you if you already having this book inside your list, you'd probably love the book more than I do. Still find the central character's job as exciting (though it can be hectic too) and I appreciate that the author detailing those scope specifically into her narrative. Would go for 2 stars to this👌🏻
Thank you Times Reads for sending me a complimentary copy of the book in return for my honest review!
The first few chapters of the book get me invested but along the way it gets too underwhelming. The idea of its mystery was compelling-- a missing most prized manuscript, a no show to work librarian and a boss on coma holding a secret to the lost manuscript or maybe manuscripts? It lacks in execution that even with its few riveting subplots (gender inequality, workplace discrimination, academia politics, mental health) the development did not weave or progress seemlessly to me. Too slow moving and scattered.
I also have problems with characters' exposition and their characterization. Weird how it says that Liesl has been working there for almost 40 years but still know too little about all those collection and that sudden love problems? What's up with that moment sitting on the bench with Francis, Liesl? I don't find the secondary as interesting too-- how they were being so disrespectful, and mostly having an unapproachable attitude really irks me so much. I feel bad that Miriam's story just wrapped in a total blame-- her psychological matter could be given more depth, or at least not abruptly settled in shame.
You might go for the setting for this one so I won't stop you if you already having this book inside your list, you'd probably love the book more than I do. Still find the central character's job as exciting (though it can be hectic too) and I appreciate that the author detailing those scope specifically into her narrative. Would go for 2 stars to this👌🏻
Thank you Times Reads for sending me a complimentary copy of the book in return for my honest review!
May 15, 2021
This intricately woven literary mystery brings readers into the cut-throat world of academia where rare book collections compete for money and prestige, and where those in power will do whatever it takes to protect their institution. A strong female protagonist and complex relationships drive this impressive, genre-bending debut.
January 24, 2022
I love mysteries set in libraries, as well as stories about women who finally come into their own. TDORBASC has all that and more! What would you do as a diffident older librarian who, upon an unwanted promotion, learns that the rarest manuscript in the collection has gone missing? A fine read for bibliophiles of all stripes and anyone who loves grand stories.
Pub Date 25 Jan 2022
Thanks to the author, Poisoned Pen Press, and NetGalley for the ARC; opinions are mine.
Pub Date 25 Jan 2022
Thanks to the author, Poisoned Pen Press, and NetGalley for the ARC; opinions are mine.
March 27, 2022
Liesl Weiss works at a university library that specializes in rare books. As assistant to the department director, she's been satisfied to maintain the details of running the department behind the scenes. But when the director has a debilitating stroke, Liesl is thrust into the limelight. She finds herself in way over her head, drinking too much and butting heads with the university president. When a recently acquired rare Bible goes missing Liesl is determined to find the missing relic. Fingers are being pointed at various faculty members and donors must be reassured. Was the book misplaced or was it stolen?
While I enjoyed the university setting, the reverence of the rare documents and the beauty of the library, at times I found Liesl a bit annoying and I had the mystery solved way before the reveal.
3.5 stars.
While I enjoyed the university setting, the reverence of the rare documents and the beauty of the library, at times I found Liesl a bit annoying and I had the mystery solved way before the reveal.
3.5 stars.
November 26, 2021
My first thought about this book was that it was taking us a long time to get nowhere fast. It's also true that it takes an age to show us where we are, as I had no idea what the setting was until Chapter 4, beyond it being a university library. It's one in Toronto, apparently, wherein our heroine has come back from an extended break away to replace her boss, who's in a post-stroke coma or something. Day One of her standing in for him is supposed to be the big showing off for the latest showpiece acquisition, a stunner of a Bible. The glitch is that said coma man is the only one to know the safe numbers to gain access to it. The bigger glitch, and the place we finally get to, with no surprise whatsoever involved, is that the volumes are not in the safe after all.
What follows wants to be a mystery novel, concerning the disappearance. Who's to blame – that bloke we can't get to like, or that bloke we're not supposed to like, or the woman colleague we bizarrely drop into seeing on her first morning of work, fourteen years prior to all this, or the university manager and his absenteeism due to training for an iron man, of all things? The choice of distractions these characters make is risible at times, but either way it's hard to care, with the 'no-loves-lost' attitude making reading about them so disagreeable. And with the book as unobtainable in our mind – something else we can't care about – this becomes a slog.
Especially as this is about as much about books as 'The Phantom Menace' was about phantoms. It's about people, and we're at a loss to find one to enjoy. It's about Liesl, our lead, getting old, drinking far too much now she's soon to not be a career woman, and how it feels when an old flame tries to revive things. It's about her husband, who only reminded me of the "Black! Black!! BLACK!!!" nutjob painter from 'The Fast Show'. It's about those evil Straight White Men (god curse them and all they do for the world) being bossy and, you know, either academic or managerial.
Come here for something that smacks of being a debut, makes one wonder what a "sparkling book-club read" (to quote the blurb) has to do with something this mediocre, a flippancy when it comes to bringing mental health into things as an issue, and really quite icky sexism. One and a half stars.
What follows wants to be a mystery novel, concerning the disappearance. Who's to blame – that bloke we can't get to like, or that bloke we're not supposed to like, or the woman colleague we bizarrely drop into seeing on her first morning of work, fourteen years prior to all this, or the university manager and his absenteeism due to training for an iron man, of all things? The choice of distractions these characters make is risible at times, but either way it's hard to care, with the 'no-loves-lost' attitude making reading about them so disagreeable. And with the book as unobtainable in our mind – something else we can't care about – this becomes a slog.
Especially as this is about as much about books as 'The Phantom Menace' was about phantoms. It's about people, and we're at a loss to find one to enjoy. It's about Liesl, our lead, getting old, drinking far too much now she's soon to not be a career woman, and how it feels when an old flame tries to revive things. It's about her husband, who only reminded me of the "Black! Black!! BLACK!!!" nutjob painter from 'The Fast Show'. It's about those evil Straight White Men (god curse them and all they do for the world) being bossy and, you know, either academic or managerial.
Come here for something that smacks of being a debut, makes one wonder what a "sparkling book-club read" (to quote the blurb) has to do with something this mediocre, a flippancy when it comes to bringing mental health into things as an issue, and really quite icky sexism. One and a half stars.
November 8, 2023
This book with a catchy title is written from a place of real love of rare book and archives, stemming from the author’s work as a librarian and having worked in a rare book library. When a prized manuscript goes missing, Liesl Weiss has to navigate this world in what unfolds.
The setting alone is what drew me into this book. Yet it is a world that I know little about, and Jurczyk competently described the world so that non-specialists could understand the setting in which this book revolved. Some of the writing and characters seemed a little cliché, whether because reality really does match stereotypes or that edges had been too far smoothed for ordinary readers to relate to. The parts about university politics and funding simultaneously felt like a detour from the main mystery of the book while still feeling (disappointingly) real given my limited exposure to that side of life. This is a slow moving book, taking its time to explore what the author wanted to discuss, although a tighter edit may have assisted in more closely weaving the central mystery into the overall narrative to give it a greater drive.
While I did not dislike it, I wanted to like it more. Still, I do not regret the time spent reading it and those with a particular interest in the area or who are willing to engage with it may get a particular enjoyment.
The setting alone is what drew me into this book. Yet it is a world that I know little about, and Jurczyk competently described the world so that non-specialists could understand the setting in which this book revolved. Some of the writing and characters seemed a little cliché, whether because reality really does match stereotypes or that edges had been too far smoothed for ordinary readers to relate to. The parts about university politics and funding simultaneously felt like a detour from the main mystery of the book while still feeling (disappointingly) real given my limited exposure to that side of life. This is a slow moving book, taking its time to explore what the author wanted to discuss, although a tighter edit may have assisted in more closely weaving the central mystery into the overall narrative to give it a greater drive.
While I did not dislike it, I wanted to like it more. Still, I do not regret the time spent reading it and those with a particular interest in the area or who are willing to engage with it may get a particular enjoyment.
Read
August 28, 2024DNF. Unlikeable people acting in unlikely ways.
July 24, 2022
For over 40 years, Christopher Wolfe was the Director of the Department of Rare Books and Special Collections at the university. When Christopher has a stroke, nobody knows the combination to the safe storing the newly acquired Plantin Polyglot Bible. Assistant Director Liesl Weiss returns from her sabbatical to assume the reins, to placate the donors and the university president, and to locate the book. Death, bickering, mental illness, missing books, and university politics ensue. I found Liesl initially inept and insipid with little backbone. I was ready to quit reading the book numerous times. For much of the tale, I was indifferent to or bored of the characters and the plot even when everything was falling apart. It took me over two months to finish reading the book. I had looked forward to reading this novel about books and a library with an intriguing cover and title. However, my advice is don’t bother.
February 15, 2022
As an archivist and former librarian, this book really appealed to me. However, this book was incredibly slow moving. It’s meant to be a mystery but there is no investigation; just a bunch of hemming and hawing about what they should do to find the missing manuscript. I almost stopped listening several times but persevered and did not enjoy it anymore as time went on. There’s a dual timeline that doesn’t really serve any purpose. And each chapter had separate sections marked as part 1, part 2, which broke up the flow of the story even more than the dual timeline. This book just wasn’t for me.
November 15, 2022
Listened to this on audiobook, story well suited for that format. To me, this is a novel that includes a mystery or a puzzle. The suspense isn’t in figuring out who stole the library’s wonderful new acquisition but watching the characters come to terms with the answer.
I enjoyed the setting (the special collections library on a large university campus in Toronto). The author is a librarian at the University of Toronto’s main library and worked as a graduate student in the special collections library.
I appreciated that the young author gave her old (60s) characters varied and active personal and family lives, gave us glimpses into their homes and research. From a couple of YouTube interviews, it seems she drew heavily on her experience and even based the missing books on actual early printed books and manuscripts.
Scenes with university president at the end were great fun. Book starts slow but I was sorry to see it end.
I enjoyed the setting (the special collections library on a large university campus in Toronto). The author is a librarian at the University of Toronto’s main library and worked as a graduate student in the special collections library.
I appreciated that the young author gave her old (60s) characters varied and active personal and family lives, gave us glimpses into their homes and research. From a couple of YouTube interviews, it seems she drew heavily on her experience and even based the missing books on actual early printed books and manuscripts.
Scenes with university president at the end were great fun. Book starts slow but I was sorry to see it end.
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