Journal Entry 1 by jeniwren from Greigs Flat, New South Wales Australia on Monday, December 01, 2008

The main character in this novel, Rosemary moves from Tasmania, Australia to New York after the death of her mother. She has a passion for books and finds a job in a large used bookstore called The Arcade. She makes some friends and becomes involved in some intrigue involving an alleged lost manuscript of Herman Mellville's.

This was an enjoyable read and although the plot meanders with a few too many subplots its strength is the quirky characters that inhabit The Arcade. Amongst the mix is an albino bookstore manager, an immigrant woman with a tragic past, the transsexual cashier and Rosemary's infatuation with a man who is obsessed with note taking and trivia but sadly he doesnt feel the same way about her.

The writing is quite beautiful and definitely an author to watch and I would recommend this a decent read with characters that linger rather than the story.
 

Journal Entry 2 by jeniwren from Greigs Flat, New South Wales Australia on Monday, December 01, 2008

Just resetting status 

Journal Entry 3 by jeniwren from Greigs Flat, New South Wales Australia on Tuesday, November 03, 2009

This has been sitting on my shelf for nearly a year and deserves to be read and enjoyed so I have decided to make this available to the OZ Virtual Book Box. 

Journal Entry 4 by jeniwren from Greigs Flat, New South Wales Australia on Monday, February 08, 2010

Book posted today on its way to Salamander Bay NSW. Requested from the OZVBB. 

Journal Entry 5 by bekoh from Fern Bay, New South Wales Australia on Thursday, February 11, 2010

I like the look of this book. Thanks Jeni, & thanks for little note too, it's a nice touch :-) 

Journal Entry 6 by bekoh from Fern Bay, New South Wales Australia on Sunday, March 21, 2010

An enjoyable read, although the main character is so naive I just wanted to grab her & give her a good shake. 

Journal Entry 7 by bekoh at Salamander Bay, New South Wales Australia on Sunday, August 15, 2010

resetting status 

Journal Entry 8 by bekoh at Aussie Post, OZ VBB -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Released 1 yr ago (1/19/2011 UTC) at Aussie Post, OZ VBB -- Controlled Releases

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

posted off today - sorry for the delay. 

Journal Entry 9 by livrecache at Hobart, Tasmania Australia on Sunday, January 30, 2011

This book arrived some time in the past week. We've been away, and I'm just going through my mail now. I'm looking forward to reading this. Thanks very much. 

Journal Entry 10 by livrecache at Hobart, Tasmania Australia on Monday, February 07, 2011

What a strange book. I found it an uneasy mix of literary history, mystery and love story. The characters were somewhat Dickensian, and that's not a bad thing, although I found Oscar, the longed-for love interest to be a total pain, and Geist quite repellant, as I think Rosemary was supposed to find him. In fact, all the male characters were unsympathetically although interestingly drawn. The women were treated much more kindly.
The book was well written, and well researched. I agree that Rosemary was way too naive. I also have difficulty with Tasmania being 'exotic' as it's obviously meant to be. Clearly, to New Yorkers it is. As a Tasmanian dweller I don't find it to be exotic; but then I don't find New York exotic either. (Trivial point, sorry.)

I'm very glad to have read this thank you bekoh and jeniwren. I shall offer it to the next OZ VBB.