Dept. of Speculation is a 2014 novel by American author Jenny Offill. The novel received positive reviews, and has been compared to Offill's later work, Weather.
 First edition | |
| Author | Jenny Offill |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
Publication date | January 28, 2014 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Pages | 179 pages |
| ISBN | 9780345806871 |
Composition and writing
editThough not purely autobiographical, the novel draws from Offill's life.[1] Offill has said Dept. of Speculation "[...] came from the ashes of another book".[1] Dept. of Speculation eschews a typical plot, which Offill has said was deliberate.[2]
Reception
editCritical reception
editAccording to Book Marks, the book received a "positive" consensus, based on nineteen critic reviews: twelve "rave", three "positive", and four "mixed".[3] Culture Critic assessed critical response as an aggregated score of 83% based on an accumulation of British and American press reviews.[4]
The novel has been compared to Renata Adler's 1976 book Speedboat.[5][6] In her review of the book, published by NPR, Meg Wolitzer praised the novel as "[...] intriguing, beautifully written, sly and often profound".[7] Wolitzer also praised the novel's humor.[7]
Offill has said she did not anticipate the book's success.[8]
Honors
editDept. of Speculation was shortlisted for 2015 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction,[9] and the Folio Prize.[10]
The novel was included on the New York Times' list of the best books of 2014.[11]
Influence
editA passage in the novel influenced Rachel Yoder's novel Nightbitch.[12]
References
edit- ^ a b "In Fragments Of A Marriage, Familiar Themes Get Experimental". NPR. 26 January 2014. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
- ^ Pieknik, Matt (31 March 2014). "How Much Could Be Left Unsaid: An Interview with Jenny Offill". The Paris Review. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
- ^ "Dept. of Speculation". Book Marks. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
- ^ "Jenny Offill - Dept. of Speculation". Culture Critic. Archived from the original on 21 Jan 2015. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
- ^ Wood, James (24 March 2014). "Mother Courage". The New Yorker. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
- ^ Gay, Roxane (7 February 2014). "Bridled Vows (Published 2014)". The New York Times. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
- ^ a b Wolitzer, Meg (23 January 2014). "'Speculation' Shows Good Stories Come In Small Packages, Too". NPR.org. NPR. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
- ^ Haas, Lidija (28 February 2015). "Jenny Offill: life after Dept. of Speculation – the underdog persona's not going to fly any more". the Guardian. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
- ^ "Announcing The 2015 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction Winner | The PEN/Faulkner Foundation". PEN/Faulkner Foundation. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
- ^ Piepenbring, Dan (9 February 2015). "The 2015 Folio Prize Shortlist". The Paris Review. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
- ^ "The 10 Best Books of 2014 (Published 2014)". The New York Times. 4 December 2014. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
- ^ Tyler, J.A. (22 July 2021). "Ferocious and Violent: The Millions Interviews Rachel Yoder". The Millions. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
