Genre
Fantasy
Setting and Context
A bookstore near Silicon Valley
Narrator and Point of View
An unnamed, third-person omniscient narrator.
Tone and Mood
The tone is magical; the mood is mysterious.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Mr Penumbra is the protagonist; his employer is the antagonist.
Major Conflict
The major conflict of the novel occurs when Mr Penumbra loses his job working at a technology company in Silicon Valley, as he is laid-off.
Climax
The climax of the story is reached when Mr Penumbra stumbles upon an old bookstore and starts to work there instead.
Foreshadowing
The finding of the secret society is foreshadowed by the discovery of the mysterious books.
Understatement
The need to pursue our passions is understated throughout the novel.
Allusions
The story alludes to the relationship between technology and print.
Imagery
The imagery of the magical world of books is present in the novel.
Paradox
The fact that Mr Penumbra has spent his life with technology, yet now works in a bookstore is an example of paradox in the story.
Parallelism
There is a parallel between the happiness that Mr Penumbra now has and the books he reads.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
N/A
Personification
N/A
