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2014 novel by Jenny Offill From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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 |
Though 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]
According 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]
Dept. 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]
A passage in the novel influenced Rachel Yoder's novel Nightbitch.[12]
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