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joanna27's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
trin's review
3.0
An English widow decides to open up a bookshop in her small town. That was all I knew of this book (well, and that my mom has a dozen of Fitzgerald's slim paperbacks strewn around her house) and that was what made me pick it up. So my reaction here is kind of a case of thwarted expectations: I was expecting something much more light and comic and—okay, I don't want to say life-affirming, because my vanity wants me to think I am not the sort of person who ever desires to read anything that could be described as "life-affirming" or "uplifting." But yeah: I wanted to read something that made me go, "Books and reading FTW!"
This is not that book. Really, it's a tiny, tightly-written tragedy, a story about how people can be really, truly awful to one another, with all the good people getting punished and bad people rewarded. It's very well-written and perfectly, plainly presented, and damn, does it hurt. I finished it just after midnight and went to bed whimpering.
This is not that book. Really, it's a tiny, tightly-written tragedy, a story about how people can be really, truly awful to one another, with all the good people getting punished and bad people rewarded. It's very well-written and perfectly, plainly presented, and damn, does it hurt. I finished it just after midnight and went to bed whimpering.
shelbymarie516's review against another edition
2.0
This might be a 2.5 stars but rounding down for the "Lolita" obsession.If you like accounting and books and Lolita you might be a fan. Trying to escape your accounting job and uncomfortable mentions of Lolita as an iconic life changing book maybe pass on this one.
"understanding makes the kind crazy"
As a small bookstore owner I might try to read all the books before selling them but if that was so I would have the worlds smallest bookshop.
"understanding makes the kind crazy"
As a small bookstore owner I might try to read all the books before selling them but if that was so I would have the worlds smallest bookshop.
jl27's review against another edition
3.0
A strange little book that ended as strangely as it began.
tombennett72's review against another edition
4.0
Lovely writing. And wonderfully reflects the loveliness of bookshops - and how special they can feel to so many of us.
Spoiler alert:
I really wanted her to win.
Spoiler alert:
I really wanted her to win.
drusmilford's review
2.0
Very short book (~120 pages). Became more exciting the last quarter of the book.
jazose's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
wintrovia's review
2.0
A fairly dull and uneventful sorry about a woman who opens a bookshop and the challenges she faces as a result. Perhaps I've fried my story reading brain for subtle and nuanced storytelling like this but I kept waiting for this book to get going and it never did.