{"product_id":"9781466857797","title":"The Book of Speculation","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eI came across this book at auction as part of a larger lot I  purchased on speculation. The damage renders it useless to me, but a  name inside it led me to believe it might be of interest to or your  family....\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSimon Watson, a young librarian, lives alone in a  house that is slowly crumbling toward the Long Island Sound. His parents  are long dead. His mother, a circus mermaid who made her living by  holding her breath, drowned in the very water his house overlooks. His  younger sister, Enola, ran off to join the circus six years ago.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOne  June day, an old book arrives on Simon's doorstep. Fragile and water  damaged, the book is a log from the owner of a traveling carnival in the  1700s, who reports strange and magical things-including the drowning  death of a circus mermaid. Since then, generations of \"mermaids\" in Simon's family have drowned-always on July 24, which is only weeks away.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs  his friend Alice looks on with alarm, Simon becomes increasingly  worried about his sister. Could there be a curse on Simon's family? What  does it have to do with the book, and can he stop it in time to save  Enola?   \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Book of Speculation\u003c\/i\u003e is Erika Swyler's gorgeous and  moving debut, a wondrous novel about the power of books, family, and  magic.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"St. Martin's Publishing Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47124885209328,"sku":"9781466857797","price":11.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9781466857797_p0.jpg?v=1763686874","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9781466857797","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}