The Book of Speculation by Erika Swyler

image by LibraryThing

This is one of the those books that slowly grabbed my attention and held it tightly.  Simon is a reference librarian whose days are numbered living in a house on the edge of a hill whose days are numbered.  And then he receives a book in the mail.  The book tells the story of a long ago carnival.  And at that moment the book shifts between the real life story of the carnival and the present time story of Simon and his sister Enola and their oddly cursed family.

This story is filled with Tarot cards, mermaids who can hold their breath for long minutes yet are susceptible to a curse that drowns them, and a house that is slipping into the sea.

I enjoyed Simon and his odd frozen in time life.  I liked his librarian skills - searching and seeking information and sticking with a problem.  I liked the fact that the library plays such a role in his story - even as the floodwaters threaten.  And I cared about Amos and his choked off voice - he was also frozen in a completely different way.

Enjoyed this fast and interesting read!