“Once you’ve held a book and really loved it, you forever remember the feel of it, its specific weight, the way it sits in your hand.” – p. 259
Hello Readers,
In Erika Swyler’s debut novel, The Book of Speculation (one of our June Picks), the reader meets a family with a dark past and an eerily predictable future. Swyler alternated the chapters between past and present actions, weaving together an interesting tale that illustrated how present actions have future (and sometimes deadly) consequences.
Living on the North Shore of Long Island, Simon found himself struggling to keep his job at a library suffering from budget cuts while living in a run-down home on the Long Island Sound. When a used bookseller sent Simon a book, strange secrets about his family’s past began to surface. The book contained names of some of Simon’s relatives and revealed a pattern of behavior that made him fear for his sister. As Simon dove deeper into his past, the more menacing his future seemed.
I found this book to be a little too dark. The tarot cards and the lingering spirits were sort of out the scope of what I normally read. I think the most compelling feature of this story for me was the setting, Long Island. I recognized so many of the places Swyler wrote about and could easily picture the house on the North Shore with a view of the Long Island Sound. She also made a reference to the Weeki Wachee mermaid show, which was amazing. If you enjoyed The Night Circus, you will probably enjoy this book.
Live, Love, Learn,
Candice & The Write Teacher(s)
What books are you reading from our June Bookshelf? Tweet us your thoughts @TheWriteTeach, using the #TWTBookshelf tag!