The Intuitionist: A Novel by Colson Whitehead

The novel is a blend of mystery and speculative fiction set in a parallel universe where elevator inspection is a high-stakes profession. The protagonist, the first black woman elevator inspector in a fictional city, is a member of the "Intuitionist" school of elevator inspection, which involves intuitive and psychic readings of elevators. When an elevator she inspects crashes, she is blamed for the incident and must delve into the political corruption and racial prejudice of her world to clear her name. Along the way, she discovers a mysterious notebook that may contain the secrets to perfecting elevators and changing her world forever.

The 2300th greatest book of all time

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Total Points: 254

Since this book was first published in 1999, there is a penalty of 40.0%. The age adjusted score is 152.4.

This is to prevent newer books from reaching super high on the ranked list of the greatest books of all time. The greatest books should also stand the test of time.