The Beekeeper's Apprentice

One of the more charming aspects of our new town is the local library. It's small, but I've yet to search for a book that I can't find in their collection. Even more excitingly, I've yet to look for a book that was checked out. It's a college town, and if the undergrads here are anything like I was when I was in college, they can't even tell you where the local library is located. Why bother when you can get anything you want from the university library?! So the library is always quiet and I can always find the books I'm looking for.*

But the library itself is not what I cheer about the most. What I adore is the "remarks from readers" page that the library has provided at the front of each book. Here readers can add their own book reviews. I just love it. I recently checked out The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King and this is what I saw when I opened the book:

Click to make larger

Remarks from the reader...

dull

6/4/05 No, very dull.

8/09 No, extremely delightful, written in the manner of Jane Austen or the Brontes - a period piece written by a modern woman.  I look forward to reading the next book in the series.  Possible the "dull" and "very dull" comments were written by admirers of Sue Grafton and Janet Evanovich - I, too, enjoy those writers, but the books are not the well-researched, intelligent books this one is - they are interesting for sure, and American, not British in tone.

I just love it. I was a bit confused because so many people had recommended this book to me, so I had assumed it was just a well loved piece of fiction but the discourse here reminded me that, once again, people are so hard to predict.

For my sake, my addition says this (on the back of the page pictured):
10/2011 This is a great book.  If you've read any Sherlock Holmes stories, this is great fun.  I've always felt the lack of a strong female character was a weakness of those stories and this book fixes the problem.  Do read it - it's fun!

I've seen a few of these in the library, but this was by far the best one. I'll post more if I see any more controversies brewing in the stacks!!

*The major exception to the "find the books I'm looking for" rule is young adult books. This is no different than any other library I've ever been to, but things are always shelved incorrectly or missing in this section and it drives me batty. But I guess that just means I'll have to start reading more grown up books.