Reviews

The Bookstore by Deborah Meyler

brianajae's review against another edition

4.0

I don't know what it was about this book but I was just constantly waiting for it to be over. Not that I didn't like the writing or the characters...it just didn't grab me quite enough.

jadelibrarian's review against another edition

2.0

1.5 stars. I did not finish this book. I was so disgusted by the actions of its protagonist that I literally slammed it shut. If it wasn't a library book or 1:30am, I'd probably have thrown it at the wall.

I chose this book because it was on a list of books set in bookstores, and I happened to like some of the books on the list. Yup, not a good enough reason. When I first started reading it, I didn't particularly like the writing style. I thought it was too wordy, pretentious even, without really saying or describing much. But it had a couple of episodes that I thought were interesting enough so that I kept on reading. I thought it would finally get to the good part once she got a job at the bookstore (and it certainly showed some promise), but when she ran into her ex again, I just had it. No point in wasting more time on this book -- so many other books to read on my nightstand.

Once I decided to stop reading it, I read the other reviews on here, and I pretty much agreed with the negative ones, and I'm really glad I decided to stop reading it. Funnily enough, I tweeted about how I slammed this book in disgust, and someone asked if I was reading Fifty Shades. I haven't read that book (and unlikely to do so) but, without her knowing any details about the book other than the protagonist took the boyfriend back, she's actually right. From what I know about 50, there are a lot of similarities -- young woman, older rich guy, abusive relationship. But this one doesn't have the (badly written, I hear) sex. No, thanks. Next!

Give me a book about the bookstore instead!

hayley_bopp's review against another edition

3.0

Although it was chick-lit, it wasn't completely vacuous. I thought the characterisation of Mitchell was good - I hated him - but would've liked to have got to know more about his past and his link with the girl (whose name I've forgotten) who I assume is an ex. But maybe that was the point - that he was so closed off and absorbed with himself.

allmusic's review against another edition

5.0

I found this book very frustrating to read and I kept complaining every time Esme, the main character, would whine, complain, and get walked on by Mitchell. But that's why I think it's a really good book, when reading a book I like to be pulled in and have the book get a reaction out of me, and that's what this book accomplished. I was a little disappointed that the book wasn't focused more on the on-goings of a bookstore but some sappy love story that doesn't go right, because I don't like to read the synopsis at the back of the book. But overall I think it was a good book.

shellygreninger's review against another edition

3.0

This is going to be a relatively short review, mostly because I had such a hard time with this book. I think that there is a real audience out there for this book, I just don't know that I fit into that group. I wanted to love it so much, I just didn't... I was totally taken by the title and the cover art is just beautiful. I love the romantic notion of working in a little bookstore in New York City. Honestly, that would be my dream job!

This wasn't an easy read for me, it took me almost a week to get through it which is unheard of for me unless it's 1000 pages. This book is just so different from what I normally read. It's really dry, scholarly and at times pretentious.There are these rambling paragraphs where I found myself skimming because I had NO idea what she was talking about.

Esme, as a main character, was impossible to connect with. She's a little dry too, but not unlikable. I never really got a full sense of her, what she looked like or what she really wanted. Mitchell is a class A douche. From the moment we meet him we know what and who he really is and it's not good. He treats Esme like a doormat and she just lets him do it because she seems to be in love with him. It's all very vague though and I never got a feeling of true connection between them even though Esme kept insisting that it was there and that she loved him.

For me the real true main character of this story is The Owl. This is a charming little used bookstore that I would love to spend hours in. It's full of colorful characters that make this story come to life for little pockets of time. From George the eccentric older gentlemen who runs the store to DeeMo one of the homeless men that frequent the store, the feeling of belonging is just there when you step inside. I do have to say that Luke is my favorite, though. There is something there, but it's disappointing that it's never fully explored. I think he is in love with Esme and there are brief glimpses where you see it, then it's gone.

There is no real sense of closure with this book, it just ends abruptly when Esme comes to a point where she settles into her role as mother. I am sure there was a point that this book was trying to get across, other than the normal HEA that I am used to seeing, but I am not sure what it was. I guess it was just a little more than the "fluff" I tend to read. If you like a more intellectual book or you enjoy women's fiction then this may be something you want to check out. If you are looking for a love story or something with a nice tied up happy ending you aren't going to find that here.

mzpolarbear's review against another edition

3.0

I liked it, overall. Though there were times I was not really sure where the story was going, but I think that is kind of the point of the story. Life is not neat, life is not ordered, life does not have an "ending" (happily or otherwise), life just keeps on going and all you can do is keep moving along with it. There really wasn't any one story line that was completed, but more, it was like the window into these lives closed and we are left to ponder what WE think happened next, or about the choices that these characters made during our brief chance to watch the moments of their lives.

mholles's review against another edition

4.0

So easily could have been chick-lit, but it went so much further. Esme is a young British woman studying art history in New York. She thinks she loves her rich boyfriend, but he is lousy, pretentious, and a liar. Just as she is about to announce her pregnancy, he dumps her. The story quickly passed the chick-lit stage when she gets a job at the local book store and becomes involved in the lives of the staff and customers.

balden4325's review against another edition

4.0

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, so much that I basically read it in a day barely stopping to sleep and eat. In hindsight I realized though that since pretty much the beginning of it I'd been preoccupied by one thought and one thought only and when I was nearing the end it became a mantra in my head as I was reading...GET AWAY FROM THAT CRAZY BASTARD! It was kind of distracting.

bkmckown's review against another edition

4.0

Cute and surprisingly quirky. But can I just say how frustrated I was with her because I HATE MITCHELL!!

heatherbennett's review against another edition

1.0

Let's call this 1.5 stars. The parts without Mitchell were decent. Luke kind of made up for Mitchell and is the main reason I stuck with it. None of the characters were as well rounded as they could have been though. Esme was ridiculous. She's moved to New York to work on her PhD. You'd expect some level of intelligence or independence or something but she's a whiny doormat who insists she loves this horrible, selfish, cruel, man-child for some reason that's never made clear and then spends the rest of the novel acting in whiny, desperate, embarrassing ways. It's hard to stomach.
At least the setting is charming. It made me want to rush out to the nearest used book store.