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solson1974's review against another edition
2.0
Yuck! Character spends the entire book in love with a man who seems to have no redeeming qualities. Possible opening for a different relationship that gets danced around but never really gets fleshed out. I didn't get it.
medini_l's review against another edition
3.0
‘Every blink is an elegy.’
This was very reminiscent of [b:The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry|18293427|The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry|Gabrielle Zevin|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1404582137s/18293427.jpg|25694131], but instead of a bookseller protagonist, this one has a young woman, who finds unlikely sanctuary in The Owl, a second-hand bookstore.
Esme is a young English girl, studying art history in Columbia, New York, where she somehow can’t shake off the feeling that she’s perpetually a fish out of water. In her strange new environment, she meets and begins a relationship with an economics professor, Mitchell, who’s ten years older than her.
As the book started off, I found it to be cold and clinical, like an analysis, stating the emotions, but holding me at arm length, preventing me from actually feeling anything. But as I delved deeper and got used to the author’s style of writing, I appreciated its restrained manner and quiet humor. It’s subtle, slow paced and peaceful. Not in a sleep-inducing way, mind you. The writing makes you think and the author’s words come alive so effortlessly in your imagination, but it isn’t flowery or overwhelming.
‘Her manner of speaking has some sort of affinity with dandelion clocks- her words float gently in the powdery air of her living room without any seeming intent.’
Esme is such a wonderful character. She appears meek and shy initially, but is in fact so much more than anyone gives her credit. Her worries, her fears, her apprehensions and even her most intimate thoughts are laid bare for us to witness. I normally don’t like this, but here it has worked wonders.
Also, I wasn’t expecting this book to be funny, but it was. Not like rolling-on-the-floor-with-tears-of-laughter type, but more like an occasional chuckle.
‘Everyone congratulates the pregnant woman. So I congratulate the girl. She smiles, but looks embarrassed. The man smiles too, and rubs his other hand on her rounded tummy.
“Thanks,” he says, “but we had our baby two days ago.”
“Oh-well, then- more congratulations!” I say.
I hope there isn’t another one in there that they’ve not noticed.’
The name of this book might be ‘The Bookstore’, but it largely focuses on the toxic relationship between Esme and Mitchell. All of us know that one friend/relative who’s in a relationship with someone who’s emotionally abusive or cold and manipulative, but Mitchell beats them all. I’ve never read anyone like him before. His character study was fascinating, but horrifying and cringe-worthy at the same time.
Spoiler
Mitchell finds it okay to lust after girls in Esme’s presence even though she finds it uncomfortable. At one point he suggests a threesome with another girl they meet at a coffee shop and when Esme refuses, he stops talking to her. On top of this, Esme blames herself for this incident when they break up. She’s a human being with basic rights! Of course she can refuse something she doesn’t want, you sick scumbag!‘He is beautiful and cold and hard as the diamond in his ring. If I were watching this scene play out in a movie or in a book, I would be willing the heroine to say no with all my heart.’
The Owl itself is so cute and the motley crowd of unlikely allies (especially George and Luke) in there is just adorable. I can’t pretend I got all the book references, maybe ‘coz I’m not as well-read as I thought I was.
The end was kind of anticlimactic for my tastes, but that’s just me. I can’t help myself; I need closure at the end of every book which wasn’t there here, especially with regard to the non-progression of the unnamed relationship between Esme and Luke.
“These books…,” she begins, and stops. I am frightened; for her, for myself decades from now, struggling to retain dignity with two strangers as they take away my books. I can see the straight line to her grave, to mine.
At its heart, The Bookstore is all about the love we have for physical copies, the uncontrollable urge to press our noses into books for its characteristic musty smell, the fear that Amazon will soon replace bookstores, the very need to read as if our very life depends on it… I’m sure all book lovers will relate!
cozigremlin's review against another edition
5.0
This book is different. The writing style was somewhat all over the place and the dialogue short and choppy... But it worked. For me that is. There were lots of references made to artists and authors and books, and I wrote a few down (they seemed interesting), but it can be overwhelming for a reader that likes to understand every single aspect of the book they are reading.
As a reader who reads more sci-fi and fantasy then books that have somewhat more "realistic" characters I absolutely loved this book. And that's because I hated it at times. Esme is human. And Meyler did an incredible job of it. I loved Esme's intellect, her way of speaking, her sense of loss and confusion in the world and the people around her (I could sadly relate very well to it); but it was also these traits that sometimes grated on my nerves. There were some cases were, yeah, the initial shock will make you speechless at first, but she never said anything. She just let it go. And... Gah. It just got annoying sometimes.
And wow. Mitchell. I hope, to God that I never meet a person like this. Ever. His thought process and speaking we're similar to Esme's but.. . His whole personality was just annoying to me. But I can get where Esme feels she can never stop loving him. Love is blind and all that.
Anyways, when is closed this book I felt happy. This books makes you think and feel. The goal of anymore at book.
As a reader who reads more sci-fi and fantasy then books that have somewhat more "realistic" characters I absolutely loved this book. And that's because I hated it at times. Esme is human. And Meyler did an incredible job of it. I loved Esme's intellect, her way of speaking, her sense of loss and confusion in the world and the people around her (I could sadly relate very well to it); but it was also these traits that sometimes grated on my nerves. There were some cases were, yeah, the initial shock will make you speechless at first, but she never said anything. She just let it go. And... Gah. It just got annoying sometimes.
And wow. Mitchell. I hope, to God that I never meet a person like this. Ever. His thought process and speaking we're similar to Esme's but.. . His whole personality was just annoying to me. But I can get where Esme feels she can never stop loving him. Love is blind and all that.
Anyways, when is closed this book I felt happy. This books makes you think and feel. The goal of anymore at book.
ktrusty416's review against another edition
3.0
A smart, funny read with an engaging (though sometimes infuriatingly naive) protagonist, excellent literary, art and musical references and well drawn secondary characters. Of course, it's not surprise that a book that revolves around the denizens of a bookstore would appeal to me greatly.
jeannemurray3gmailcom's review against another edition
4.0
The Bookstore was a delight to read. Descriptions of New York and the quirks of a bookstore were wonderfully written. Reading about life for Esme from her point of view, both made me cry at times and laugh at times. I highly recommend The Bookstore.
b00kr3vi3ws's review against another edition
2.0
This book is unique in my case because I decided to pick it up based on the title alone. I mean what could be more attractive than ‘The Bookstore’ to a bookworm like me?
Esme is in her early twenties with a full scholarship to Columbia. Originally from Britain, she is in states on a student visa. The story starts when she discovers that she is pregnant. Her boyfriend, Mitchell, dumps her before she can tell him about her pregnancy. So, she decides that she will keep the baby, get a job and continue with her studies – all on her own. She finds a job at a bookstore called ‘The Owl’ that is barely thriving. Then Mitchell re-enters her life and after finding out about her pregnancy tries to convince her to go for an abortion with threats and bribe. But Esme finds her own footing and takes control of her life with the help of an add mix of co-workers and customers at ‘The Owl’.
Though in the end I could not help but like Esme as a character, I kept wondering throughout the novel about how a clearly intelligent girl like her (she did win that full scholarship to Columbia) could be such a fool when it came to men! I mean Mitchell treated like trash, yet she kept going back to him. And by God, I would love to plant a nice kick at Mitchell! He is a character that had me fuming from the very beginning. Such a jerk. The wide variety of characters that worked at the bookstore and dropped by often as customers were a bright patch in the novel. I loved these quirky people who brightened up not only Esme’s life but also the novel.
As for the plot, there isn’t much to it other than Esme and Mitchell’s push and pull relationship. It would have been a drag if it hadn’t been for the sundry other characters. But it was certainly getting irritating with me mentally screaming at Esme to not to go back to the jerk again and again. But the author kind of made up for it with her detailed description of place and settings. For a person who hasn’t been anywhere outside India, I was able to create a detailed imagery of what the bookstore and its neighbourhood might look like in the backdrop of New York City.
Overall, this is a 50-50 kinda book. It was an okay read though I wouldn’t miss much if I hadn’t picked it up.
Esme is in her early twenties with a full scholarship to Columbia. Originally from Britain, she is in states on a student visa. The story starts when she discovers that she is pregnant. Her boyfriend, Mitchell, dumps her before she can tell him about her pregnancy. So, she decides that she will keep the baby, get a job and continue with her studies – all on her own. She finds a job at a bookstore called ‘The Owl’ that is barely thriving. Then Mitchell re-enters her life and after finding out about her pregnancy tries to convince her to go for an abortion with threats and bribe. But Esme finds her own footing and takes control of her life with the help of an add mix of co-workers and customers at ‘The Owl’.
Though in the end I could not help but like Esme as a character, I kept wondering throughout the novel about how a clearly intelligent girl like her (she did win that full scholarship to Columbia) could be such a fool when it came to men! I mean Mitchell treated like trash, yet she kept going back to him. And by God, I would love to plant a nice kick at Mitchell! He is a character that had me fuming from the very beginning. Such a jerk. The wide variety of characters that worked at the bookstore and dropped by often as customers were a bright patch in the novel. I loved these quirky people who brightened up not only Esme’s life but also the novel.
As for the plot, there isn’t much to it other than Esme and Mitchell’s push and pull relationship. It would have been a drag if it hadn’t been for the sundry other characters. But it was certainly getting irritating with me mentally screaming at Esme to not to go back to the jerk again and again. But the author kind of made up for it with her detailed description of place and settings. For a person who hasn’t been anywhere outside India, I was able to create a detailed imagery of what the bookstore and its neighbourhood might look like in the backdrop of New York City.
Overall, this is a 50-50 kinda book. It was an okay read though I wouldn’t miss much if I hadn’t picked it up.
swt's review against another edition
2.0
No appeal for some reason. Didn't care at all about Esme, Mitchell, Luke, the baby, or the bookstore. DNF
pglt1177's review against another edition
3.0
hmmm. it was an ok book. i don't know what I was expecting but it was ok.
brite's review against another edition
2.0
The main character seriously needed to grow a spine and stand up for herself once in a while.
cramz's review against another edition
3.0
For a novel titled “The Bookstore” I assumed the main character would spend more time actually at the bookstore. A large part of the story deals with her dysfunctional relationship with her boyfriend.