The Library of Unrequited Love
10 journalers for this copy...
Says Amazon,
"El Pais called The Library of Unrequited Love "a thrilling soliloquy, an exciting breath of love." The librarian, a single, middle-aged woman, a sharply opinionated and thoughtful bookworm, whose ex-boyfriend left her for another woman, discovers one morning a patron who has been locked in over night.
Against her quiet nature, she starts to talk to him, what results is a soliloquy of frustrations, observations, and anguish, covering--with wit, pathos, and passion--history, literature, the Dewey Decimal System, love, and loneliness, as well as revealing her unrequited passion for a quiet student-researcher named Martin, whose studiousness, grace, and "beautiful neck" strikes her.
Divry's prose is seamless--never laborious--both funny and poignant. The book's compactness offers an immersive reading experience that touches universal emotional experiences from the perspective of a bookworm."
***
From the recycling shelf of the local library.
"El Pais called The Library of Unrequited Love "a thrilling soliloquy, an exciting breath of love." The librarian, a single, middle-aged woman, a sharply opinionated and thoughtful bookworm, whose ex-boyfriend left her for another woman, discovers one morning a patron who has been locked in over night.
Against her quiet nature, she starts to talk to him, what results is a soliloquy of frustrations, observations, and anguish, covering--with wit, pathos, and passion--history, literature, the Dewey Decimal System, love, and loneliness, as well as revealing her unrequited passion for a quiet student-researcher named Martin, whose studiousness, grace, and "beautiful neck" strikes her.
Divry's prose is seamless--never laborious--both funny and poignant. The book's compactness offers an immersive reading experience that touches universal emotional experiences from the perspective of a bookworm."
***
From the recycling shelf of the local library.
This book is delightful, an absolute gem. I chuckled out loud while reading it and really felt for the narrator. Recommended reading for any bookworm. I definitely want to get another copy to keep in my PC, but this one will get to travel because I want other bookcrossers to read it, too :)
A very good sales speech, I swallowed the bait. Taken from the meet-up at Cafe Jugend, where they even had a bookshelf.
Finished. A fast read, but I think I won't be able to face another librarian any day soon.I, too, once knew the Dewey Decimal System by heart as I am a librist (do they use that word in English for a trained bookshop sales person?) by my first profession. Over 30 years ago... l have forgotten all about Dewey, for me he is merely the famous library cat.
Journal Entry 5 by 
kirjakko
at Pella's Cafe in Tampere, Pirkanmaa / Birkaland Finland on Friday, April 20, 2018
kirjakko at Pella's Cafe in Tampere, Pirkanmaa / Birkaland Finland on Friday, April 20, 2018
Released 6 yrs ago (4/21/2018 UTC) at Pella's Cafe in Tampere, Pirkanmaa / Birkaland Finland
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
The lovesick old spinster is on her way to Tampere. Oh, I am taking the book, too. Actually I am going to the theatre, but Annelis has promised to attend the local meet-up.
A small book about a library, books and unrequited love, so of course I picked it up at the meet-up. I might even get to this faster than usual because there was another one who was also interested in it...
An odd novella about a bit strange librarian who is talking about her life and ideas to some poor person who had fallen asleep in the basement of the library where she works and had spent the night there. The librarian seems to be "slightly" obsessed with books, libraries, the Dewey decimal classification, other librarians, people in general, and about the neck of a certain Martin. I am not quite sure I quite liked the book but it was pretty interesting to read about the thoughts of an elderly (and maybe quite mad) librarian who is stuck working in the basement.
Journal Entry 8 by MsTytti at Tampere, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases on Thursday, July 5, 2018
Released 5 yrs ago (7/5/2018 UTC) at Tampere, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Continuing its journey to Kemppu at the meet-up.
Received at the meet-up. Thank you!
This librarian's rant was an interesting little snack of a book to read on a warm summer's day. I didn't relate to all of the narrator's thoughts and opinions, but I some of it I related a lot. I didn't notice before that this book is originally French, but I might have guessed it just by the style alone, there was something very French in this one.
Available at summer meet-up in Kotka.
From the summer meetup. I'm sorry to have forgotten to journal it:( But I have read the book and did enjoyed reading it. Maybe the obsession with Martin was bit too much but otherwise funny.
Menee Helmet 2018 haasteeseen vaikeaan kohtaan 13. Kirjassa vain yksi tai kaksi hahmoa
Menee Helmet 2018 haasteeseen vaikeaan kohtaan 13. Kirjassa vain yksi tai kaksi hahmoa
PKS-miittiin
Now it was my turn to take this one home with me. Thank you for sharing it!
Journal Entry 15 by 
toukokuu
at Hartola, Päijät-Häme / Päijänne-Tavastland Finland on Thursday, November 28, 2019
toukokuu at Hartola, Päijät-Häme / Päijänne-Tavastland Finland on Thursday, November 28, 2019
My travel reading, I made space in my luggage and left this in Hartola. I didn't finish reading this yet.
Now it was time to visit Hartola again and finish this book. I got more into it when reading the rest of it. I was all the time waiting for the listener of the librarian's monologue to speak out but it never happened. Some amusing points but all in all maybe I should have read this in another state of mind. By the way, I had to check what "unrequited" means in Finnish. Yksipuolinen. Well, that suits this story, sadly lacking dialogue.
Journal Entry 17 by toukokuu at Wishlist RABCK, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, March 4, 2020
toukokuu at Wishlist RABCK, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, March 4, 2020
Released 4 yrs ago (3/4/2020 UTC) at Wishlist RABCK, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Kirja pääsee kuriirikyydeillä Joensuuhun Soozreaderille. Kiitos Tarya ja Bookgeo!
Journal Entry 18 by 
Soozreader
at Joensuu, Pohjois-Karjala / Norra Karelen Finland on Thursday, March 12, 2020
Soozreader at Joensuu, Pohjois-Karjala / Norra Karelen Finland on Thursday, March 12, 2020
Thank you very much for this wishlist surprise!
Journal Entry 19 by Soozreader at Joensuu, Pohjois-Karjala / Norra Karelen Finland on Sunday, May 17, 2020
Soozreader at Joensuu, Pohjois-Karjala / Norra Karelen Finland on Sunday, May 17, 2020
I thought this would be a good, quick snack read in between but actually this little book has more pages than meets the eye. In a way I liked it (I loved the fact that it took place in a library!) but on the other hand I’m not at all sure I got it. Still a worthwhile read! Confusing? Well, life is. Thank you for sharing!
Released 3 yrs ago (6/26/2020 UTC) at
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
The book is on its way to the next reader. Happy reading!
Thank you!
Journal Entry 22 by sumako at Kuopio, Pohjois-Savo / Norra Savolax Finland on Wednesday, October 14, 2020
Should have read at once, but had about a month gap between start and finish.
At times boring, at times funny.
At times boring, at times funny.
Released 2 yrs ago (7/27/2021 UTC) at Kuopio, Pohjois-Savo / Norra Savolax Finland
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Kiitos hyllyntyhjennysavusta!
Journal Entry 24 by 
Chania
at Kokkola, Keski-Pohjanmaa / Mellersta Österbotten Finland on Thursday, July 29, 2021
Chania at Kokkola, Keski-Pohjanmaa / Mellersta Österbotten Finland on Thursday, July 29, 2021
Can't wait to read this, thank you! And a really cool bookmark too!
Journal Entry 25 by Chania at Kokkola, Keski-Pohjanmaa / Mellersta Österbotten Finland on Monday, August 9, 2021
Chania at Kokkola, Keski-Pohjanmaa / Mellersta Österbotten Finland on Monday, August 9, 2021
Interesting book! I kind of waited something to happen at the end (something other than talk) but now when I think about it, it wouldn't have fit in. I don't really know how I felt about librarian - she wasn't especially warm or kind person, but somehow I felt sorry for her. I hope Martin will ask her help one day, and make her life a bit happier!
Merry Christmas from your Secret Santa!
Thank you kindly, Secret Santa! Will update soon.
