'The Last Bookaneer' is a celebration of the written word
Writer Matthew Pearl is earning positive reviews for his new book 鈥淭he Last Bookaneer,鈥� with critics calling the novel 鈥渁 loving testament to the enduring power of paper books鈥� and Pearl himself 鈥渢he reigning king of popular literary historical thrillers.鈥�
鈥淏ookaneer,鈥� which was released on April 28, centers on the hunt for a manuscript by 鈥淭reasure Island鈥� author Robert Louis Stevenson. 鈥淏ookaneers鈥� like Pen Davenport make money by absconding with manuscripts, but now that new laws will put this trade to a halt, Davenport and others set out to complete one last theft: getting their hands on Stevenson鈥檚 unpublished book.聽
The novel was selected by the Monitor as one of the best books of May and writer Jen Forbus called it 鈥渁 grand adventure befitting Robert Louis Stevenson鈥�. [a] magnificently crafted escapade through the dangerous jungles of 19th-century publishing.聽鈥楾he Last Bookaneer鈥櫬爄s a clever gem the bookaneers would undoubtedly steal.鈥�
Meanwhile, both and gave the novel starred reviews, with Chicago鈥檚 Liv Hanson writing for LJ, 鈥淭his swashbuckling tale of greed and great literature will remind you why Pearl ("The Dante Club"; "The Poe Shadow") is the reigning king of popular literary historical thrillers. His latest is guaranteed to delight lovers of history and mystery.鈥� Meanwhile, KR found the book to be 鈥渁n entertaining adventure tale鈥�. Pearl is a smooth writer whose adoption of the ambling pace, digressions, and melodrama of an earlier literary era may not suit today's instant gratifiers, but he offers many of the charms and unrushed distractions of a favorite old bookstore.
was also mostly won over by the book, calling it an 鈥渋ngenious literary caper鈥�. [there鈥檚] a colorful cast of roguish characters鈥�. this book is a loving testament to the enduring power of paper books.鈥�
