The Imperfectionists

I recently finished The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman. This was an interesting novel, as Rachman took an approach to storytelling that I hadn't encountered before. The Imperfectionists is a story about a floundering international newspaper based in Italy with a whole host of motley, lost little characters.

What is interesting about the book is that each chapter is dedicated to a different character. This allows the reader (or at least me) to get so involved with each character as we are able to hear their thoughts and learn a bit about their pasts and lives firsthand rather than relying on one narrator. Each of these characters are incredibly engaging. I got so involved with each one that even the characters who frustrated me (Why the hell are you with him? Stop! He's a douche!) were still interesting and entertaining. The downside is that with each new chapter I had to say goodbye to a character I had grown to love. Normally I get a whole book before I have to say goodbye. But because they all worked at the same newspaper, the characters did make cameos into each other's stories, which was always a happy surprise and tied the whole novel together as a whole. In the last chapter Rachman does make sure to tie things up, giving just a sentence or two about each character so I did get some kind of closure. I was so grateful for that, cause some of the chapters ended on cliffhangers that had me throwing the book across the room.

The Imperfectionists is a great book to read when you're busy. Because each chapter is devoted to a new character--a new story--it is easy to pick up a long while later and not feel completely lost. That fit well into my schedule right now, busy college life and all.

I will warn you that this isn't a happy book. As in real life, the characters don't get everything they want. Some of the characters get nothing they want--or at least nothing they thought they wanted. While this is an accurate reflection on the disappointments of life it doesn't leave you with warm fuzzy feelings. But sometimes that's okay, because even though they don't get everything they want and the ends aren't all tied up with a bow they characters are still okay. They're fine, maybe even happy. There's some hope for ourselves in that, I think.

In other news, I HATE WEDNESDAYS.

I am listening to the lovely song Permafrost by Laurena Sagura, which you should listen to and then buy. She's a Nerdfighter, so she is obviously made of Awesome, and who doesn't want to support Awesome?