Between the Lines - Not Your Typical Road Trip Story

Oh my, I have done it again.  I have fallen in love with a book and I can’t stop talking about it.  If you are looking for an interesting, heartwarming, quirky book that leaves you thinking about some pretty important issues, you must read The Borrower by Rebecca Makkai. 

Lucy Hull, a Missouri children’s librarian believes that books can save you.  She finds herself in a dilemma when ten-year-old Ian wants to check out the books that he finds most interesting.  Ian’s mother has given Lucy a directive that Ian is not to read anything with witchcraft, evolution, Halloween, or weaponry, among a litany of other forbidden subjects.  Appalled, Lucy begins to smuggle books, such as Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, to Ian when his babysitter is not watching.  Then, Lucy learns that Ian’s mother has enrolled him in a weekend “camp” with anti-gay Pastor Bob who promises to fix children who seem to be “headed down the wrong path.” As Ian grows silent and sullen, Lucy decides she needs to do something to save Ian before his spirit is crushed. 

Lucy and Ian embark on an adventure.  Along the way, the reader becomes acquainted with Lucy’s eccentric Russian immigrant father and other assorted characters. The role of fiction in both Lucy and Ian’s life becomes paramount, as they agree to visit a fictional relative and take on varying identities.  This is not a joy ride…..Ian is not an easy child and Lucy is constantly questioning her actions, but as Hannibal, Missouri recedes farther into the distance, each finds a kind of clarity.

Makkai’s novel is filled with references to well-known children’s books, slightly twisted to fit the story of Ian and Lucy. This debut novel is written with ease, humor and heart, as the well-developed main characters and the eccentric bit players all come to life on the page. Treat yourself to a copy of The Borrower this summer and join me in my romance with this unusual, lovely book.

You may buy this book and other great books from The Open Book located at 1 Glovers Lane, Westhampton Beach, New York or visit us online at www.theopenbookwhb.com