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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Simultaneously too saccharine for the subject matter and too disturbing to be cozy.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
hopeful
A great trash read. Mindless, entertaining, and engrossing. Just what I needed.
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I picked this book up for a comforting side quest read and it ended up being the main quest read and was much less comforting than I had anticipated. If you're looking for a Hallmark movie book, this is not it. The themes covered are very real and very dark. Domestic abuse, abandonment, addiction, early 20th century asylums, and even touches briefly on those who were forced to fight for the Axis powers in WWII. The story approaches dark topics and moral conflict without flinching, all while telling the tale of a bookshop that can disappear at will...the will being that of the bookshop itself.
There were some holes in the story and a few quibbles with timelines and layouts to be had, but I gave this book a four star rating because of its incredibly accurate depiction of the consequences of addiction, domestic violence and dysfunctional families. The author wove together the terrible realities that women have faced across history, and the magic of the immortal bookshop into one story very well.
There were some holes in the story and a few quibbles with timelines and layouts to be had, but I gave this book a four star rating because of its incredibly accurate depiction of the consequences of addiction, domestic violence and dysfunctional families. The author wove together the terrible realities that women have faced across history, and the magic of the immortal bookshop into one story very well.