Hold Circulation by Syntell Smith

A character-driven drama that spotlights the beauty of banality, and the shushed secrets that form the foundation of life, Hold Circulation by Syntell Smith is the third installment of his compelling Call Numbers series.

A story of redemption and personal revelation, bouncing around the stacks of a surprisingly drama-filled library, this novel peers into the pages of a dozen or so interconnected lives, revealing Janelle Smith’s plunge into parenthood, Gerry’s questionably criminal life choices, Angie’s late-night DJ dabbling, Heywood’s spiritual crises, and much more. Stretching far beyond the shelves of the 58th Street Branch, these are richly tangled tales from a truly humanistic storyteller.

At times, it can be hard to keep track of all the characters and their intertwined dynamics and touchy histories, but the short vignette style of storytelling keeps the pace up and the larger plotlines moving. Like looking in from above at a dollhouse of common characters, this is a detail-focused novel with an aim of exposing the simple manifestations of human nature. There is drama, and realistic intrigue, as Smith captures something pure and relatable in the prose. Dialogue is the major driving force of the story, and Smith has a spot-on, yet cleverly twisted ear for authentic conversation, shifting smoothly between different characters’ levels of authority and intimacy.

A meticulously crafted read, Hold Circulation is an engrossing and original work of contemporary fiction, and a particularly strong addition to this unique series.