''Dept. of Speculation'' is a 2014 novel by American author
Jenny Offill
Jenny Offill (born 1968) is an American novelist and editor. Her novel ''Dept. of Speculation'' was named one of "The 10 Best Books of 2014" by ''The New York Times Book Review''.
Early life
Jenny Offill is the only child of two private-school ...
. The novel received positive reviews, and has been compared to Offill's later work, ''
Weather
Weather is the state of the atmosphere, describing for example the degree to which it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, clear or cloudy. On Earth, most weather phenomena occur in the lowest layer of the planet's atmosphere, the ...
''.
Composition and writing
Though not purely autobiographical, the novel draws from Offill's life.
Offill has said ''Dept. of Speculation'' "
..came from the ashes of another book".
[ ''Dept. of Speculation'' eschews a typical plot, which Offill has said was deliberate.
]
Reception
Critical reception
According to literary review aggregator '' Book Marks'', the book received mostly "Rave" and reviews, with some less positive reception. The novel has been compared to Renata Adler's 1976 book '' Speedboat''. In her review of the book, published by NPR, Meg Wolitzer praised the novel as " ..intriguing, beautifully written, sly and often profound".[
Offill has said she did not anticipate the book's success.
]
Honors
''Dept. of Speculation'' was shortlisted for 2015 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, and the Folio Prize
The Rathbones Folio Prize, previously known as the Folio Prize and The Literature Prize, is a literary award that was sponsored by the London-based publisher The Folio Society for its first two years, 2014–2015. Starting in 2017 the sponsor is ...
.
The novel was included on the '' New York Times''' list of the best books of 2014.
Influence
A passage in the novel influenced Rachel Yoder's novel ''Nightbitch
''Nightbitch'' is a 2021 novel by American writer Rachel Yoder. The book is a magical realism style story of a stay-at-home mom who sometimes transforms into a dog.
Writing and composition
Yoder had not written for two years when she began writin ...
''.
References
2014 American novels
Novels set in New York City
Alfred A. Knopf books
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