Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Glaciers

Beautifully written, Glaciers is the story of a young librarian in Portland, Oregon and her dreams of love and faraway places.  Alexis M. Smith's debut novel takes the reader through a cascading waterfall of imagery.
The title of the book, Glaciers, refers to the imminent demise of the glaciers in the Alaska of her childhood  told through flashbacks during the present narrative.

We follow the story of Isabel and a day in her life as she works in the basement of a library, shops in a thrift store, prepares for a party and reminisces about the past and how it has shaped her life. 

Isabel laments the past and speculates on the future, realizing that she can change her life as she sees fit.  Memories of not only Isabel's life, but also of those she doesn't know is a repetitive theme throughout the book. Her love for vintage reveals Isabel's appreciation for the history of objects that were once new.  Such contemplation by Isabel has the reader visualizing their own journey with objects from the past.

A quick and enchanting read, Glaciers is one of those books you cannot afford to miss.

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