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renya_popcornbooks's review against another edition
sad
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.5
karinlib's review against another edition
4.0
As the title implies this is a book about a bookstore. It's name is The Good Novel. The premise is to carry only good novels. A great premise right, any bibliophile worth his/her salt would love to live in a bookstore or library like that. Needless to say, you can see the problem. For example, one of the main characters said that Cormac McCarthy is the greatest living author, and I know people personally that would say, "your kidding, right?" I really enjoyed the book, although I really need to brush up on my French literature.
shirleytupperfreeman's review against another edition
This is a fun one - especially for bibliophiles. It's translated from French by the same person who translated Elegance of a Hedgehog. It's about two people who open a bookstore called The Good Novel. The store only sells 'good novels,' as defined by a select group of people. When it becomes an instant success, the powers that be conspire to bring it down. It is partly a mystery and partly a 'hymn' to good novels. At one point there is a 2 page soliloquy about the type of books they want to sell. One paragraph reads, "We want books that are written for those of us who doubt everything, who cry over the least little thing, who are startled by the slightest noise." No wonder I liked this book!
alanaleigh's review against another edition
4.0
Fans of quality literature and--perhaps more particularly--quality bookstores will undoubtedly be enchanted by Laurence Cossé's A Novel Bookstore. Within its pages, Cossé has created her (and many others') ideal bookstore, entwining its creation with a strange mystery, made more mysterious by the intricate workings of life, love, and what goes in to selecting great novels.
The story opens upon confusing and strange circumstances, where individuals connected in some as-yet-unknown-to-the-reader way have suffered minor attacks upon their persons. The aim appears to have been not to take their lives, but to shatter a piece of what defines them. Eventually, we find our way to the more linear understanding of the novel: a rather unique bookstore sells only good novels and a secret committee of selectors (so secret that even they do not know the other members on the committee) is responsible for submitting titles that comprise the stock. With extensive advertising efforts, the bookstore appears to be quite a success -- until a series of vicious attacks in print, online, and finally on the supposedly-secret committee members shows that clearly not everyone is thrilled with a bookstore that seems to define "good" novels.
Ivan "Van" Georg is a man who does not appear to have made all that much of his life, but he does know good literature... and those who value literature are drawn to him, appreciating his recommendations and the ability to speak with a kindred spirit. After striking up some conversations with a wealthy customer, Francesca Aldo-Valbelli, Van is suddenly enlisted to assist her on an endeavor to open "The Good Novel," a Parisian bookstore where only good novels will be sold. Together, Francesca and Van go about laying plans for the dream bookstore -- lush, elegant and selective, while still fostering a strong sense of community at the store and online. Francesca and Van select eight modern writers as secret committee members and each person is charged with writing down a list of 600 novels. Each year, they will be asked to submit additional titles so that new books might also have a shot at entering the store's stock. These will be the only titles stocked at The Good Novel; though in return, the secret committee members are sworn to silence regarding their involvement.
Francesca goes above and beyond in advertising for the bookstore and immediately it seems to be a hit. Then the grumblings come, which lead to greater issues. Opinion pieces in newspapers asking what right anyone has to exclude certain works from a store. Customers ordering books that the Good Novel does not stock, then failing to pick up the order so the bookstore has to eat the cost. Counter-ads from other bookstores that insist they have books for everyone, not just the elite. Questions buzzing about just who is funding this endeavor. It's hard enough to run a bookstore in the current climate without such bad press (though this buzz doesn't necessarily hurt the sales at the bookstore at first), but then the attacks upon the secret committee members happen. Van and Francesca decide that it's time to come clean with the committee list, go to the police, and recount the whole story. Mixed in to the history of the bookstore (and, indeed, perhaps creating the more emotional, meatier heart of the novel) are the secret histories of Francesca and Van... Francesca cherishing deep grief and hopeless love; Van stumbling in life and passionate about a girl he barely knows.
Readers intrigued thus far should hold firm to that interest, for the beginning is a bit dense. I felt a bit daunted by the sudden onslaught of events, French names, and multitude of characters. I even started writing down a character list -- after all, when the authors go by code names to submit their selections and Cossé feels free to refer to them by either name (and they're all vaguely Frenchy), it can get confusing. About fifty pages in, I finally felt like I had my sea legs and never experienced much confusion after that. If anything, the whole mystery is laid out in a rather clear fashion, so it's quite a pleasant ride... until it somewhat peters out. There are many excellent parts to this novel and the entire middle section is a delight... both on the page and off, for it rather stirs within the reader a number of questions about selectivity and the books we feast upon. As a result, it's almost a shame when the ending doesn't have some large finish, but rather a quiet finale... letting us know that being a mystery was perhaps not its main goal. One hopes that Cossé simply wanted readers to think about their book selections and to wonder the same things she wondered... as the reader certainly isn't treated to a grand reveal or any kind of "justice."
When it concerns a bookshop, of course, I suppose the best we can all hope for in today's day and age is simply that it stays in business. It's a charming read, quite a credit to Europa Press, which is developing quite an impressive collection of titles. In my local bookstore, this publisher has a spot of honor... and, indeed, any publisher that puts forth an ode to bookstore like this certainly would seem to merit it. I highly encourage all and sundry to read A Novel Bookstore, but be prepared to simply appreciate the random complications for their own sake and not expect too much of the mystery itself. Van and Francesca are, after all, quite sufficient at holding one's interest as we learn more about their lives and driving forces. It's a bittersweet tale at the end, but real book lovers know that bittersweet is by no means a bad thing.
The story opens upon confusing and strange circumstances, where individuals connected in some as-yet-unknown-to-the-reader way have suffered minor attacks upon their persons. The aim appears to have been not to take their lives, but to shatter a piece of what defines them. Eventually, we find our way to the more linear understanding of the novel: a rather unique bookstore sells only good novels and a secret committee of selectors (so secret that even they do not know the other members on the committee) is responsible for submitting titles that comprise the stock. With extensive advertising efforts, the bookstore appears to be quite a success -- until a series of vicious attacks in print, online, and finally on the supposedly-secret committee members shows that clearly not everyone is thrilled with a bookstore that seems to define "good" novels.
Ivan "Van" Georg is a man who does not appear to have made all that much of his life, but he does know good literature... and those who value literature are drawn to him, appreciating his recommendations and the ability to speak with a kindred spirit. After striking up some conversations with a wealthy customer, Francesca Aldo-Valbelli, Van is suddenly enlisted to assist her on an endeavor to open "The Good Novel," a Parisian bookstore where only good novels will be sold. Together, Francesca and Van go about laying plans for the dream bookstore -- lush, elegant and selective, while still fostering a strong sense of community at the store and online. Francesca and Van select eight modern writers as secret committee members and each person is charged with writing down a list of 600 novels. Each year, they will be asked to submit additional titles so that new books might also have a shot at entering the store's stock. These will be the only titles stocked at The Good Novel; though in return, the secret committee members are sworn to silence regarding their involvement.
Francesca goes above and beyond in advertising for the bookstore and immediately it seems to be a hit. Then the grumblings come, which lead to greater issues. Opinion pieces in newspapers asking what right anyone has to exclude certain works from a store. Customers ordering books that the Good Novel does not stock, then failing to pick up the order so the bookstore has to eat the cost. Counter-ads from other bookstores that insist they have books for everyone, not just the elite. Questions buzzing about just who is funding this endeavor. It's hard enough to run a bookstore in the current climate without such bad press (though this buzz doesn't necessarily hurt the sales at the bookstore at first), but then the attacks upon the secret committee members happen. Van and Francesca decide that it's time to come clean with the committee list, go to the police, and recount the whole story. Mixed in to the history of the bookstore (and, indeed, perhaps creating the more emotional, meatier heart of the novel) are the secret histories of Francesca and Van... Francesca cherishing deep grief and hopeless love; Van stumbling in life and passionate about a girl he barely knows.
Readers intrigued thus far should hold firm to that interest, for the beginning is a bit dense. I felt a bit daunted by the sudden onslaught of events, French names, and multitude of characters. I even started writing down a character list -- after all, when the authors go by code names to submit their selections and Cossé feels free to refer to them by either name (and they're all vaguely Frenchy), it can get confusing. About fifty pages in, I finally felt like I had my sea legs and never experienced much confusion after that. If anything, the whole mystery is laid out in a rather clear fashion, so it's quite a pleasant ride... until it somewhat peters out. There are many excellent parts to this novel and the entire middle section is a delight... both on the page and off, for it rather stirs within the reader a number of questions about selectivity and the books we feast upon. As a result, it's almost a shame when the ending doesn't have some large finish, but rather a quiet finale... letting us know that being a mystery was perhaps not its main goal. One hopes that Cossé simply wanted readers to think about their book selections and to wonder the same things she wondered... as the reader certainly isn't treated to a grand reveal or any kind of "justice."
When it concerns a bookshop, of course, I suppose the best we can all hope for in today's day and age is simply that it stays in business. It's a charming read, quite a credit to Europa Press, which is developing quite an impressive collection of titles. In my local bookstore, this publisher has a spot of honor... and, indeed, any publisher that puts forth an ode to bookstore like this certainly would seem to merit it. I highly encourage all and sundry to read A Novel Bookstore, but be prepared to simply appreciate the random complications for their own sake and not expect too much of the mystery itself. Van and Francesca are, after all, quite sufficient at holding one's interest as we learn more about their lives and driving forces. It's a bittersweet tale at the end, but real book lovers know that bittersweet is by no means a bad thing.
steph_silva89's review against another edition
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
tea_tales_tomes's review against another edition
3.0
Actually, 3.5.
The premise for this story is truly a winner. It is really well written (well, translated) but I can't help but get the feeling that it must be a much more beautiful read in the language in was originally published in i.e., French. What I liked:
1) The concept of a bookstore that sold only 'good' novels and did not waste time with the waffle that comes from many publishers today;
2) The lovely prose that was almost an ode to books and reading; and
3) The characters that surely to speak to booklovers that can lose themselves for hours in bookstores.
What I did not like:
1) The overly dramatised love affair between Ivan and Anis;
2) The sometimes disjunct narrative which is possibly a matter of being 'lost in translation';and
3) The fact that the mystery of who was behind all the attacks was never solved. For a book that is said to be an "Agatha Christie style mystery", this really fell short of an appropriately retributive ending.
Despite my low-ish rating, I would recommend this book to people that love and value great literature as much as I do.
The premise for this story is truly a winner. It is really well written (well, translated) but I can't help but get the feeling that it must be a much more beautiful read in the language in was originally published in i.e., French. What I liked:
1) The concept of a bookstore that sold only 'good' novels and did not waste time with the waffle that comes from many publishers today;
2) The lovely prose that was almost an ode to books and reading; and
3) The characters that surely to speak to booklovers that can lose themselves for hours in bookstores.
What I did not like:
1) The overly dramatised love affair between Ivan and Anis;
2) The sometimes disjunct narrative which is possibly a matter of being 'lost in translation';and
3) The fact that the mystery of who was behind all the attacks was never solved. For a book that is said to be an "Agatha Christie style mystery", this really fell short of an appropriately retributive ending.
Despite my low-ish rating, I would recommend this book to people that love and value great literature as much as I do.
kimelena's review against another edition
3.0
I had mixed feelings about this book: I liked the tone (perhaps owing in part to the translator - I really enjoyed another book translated from French by this same woman, Alison Anderson) and I loved all of the references to good novels, the majority of which I haven't read. On the other hand, I thought the story lost focus about halfway through the book and that the ending was anticlimactic.
kategci's review against another edition
4.0
I sped through this great French novel which left me somewhat unsatisfied at the end. The premise of the main part of the story can be appreciated by any serious reader of great books; that is to have a bookstore devoted to only "great" novels as chosen by a committee of literary giants. You know that you can shop in this store and any book you pick will be well-written, serious and worth buying. The back story added after the store is opened with all the attacks on committee members and the book shop itself left me a little confused as I could not perceive a book shop being that great a threat to the Parisians or the whole publishing industry (authors, agents, publishers, etc). By the end, when the threat is never actually identified, but more alluded to, the book ends on a somewhat down note as the characters attacked never have their cases resolved. Also, by just moving the book shop to a different part of Paris seems to make the attacks stop. Or do they stop?
Is the book shop an allegory for other parts of French life or the Arts as a whole? Or the current practice of attacking and dissecting any thing that is new or popular?
A Novel Bookstore did not feel completely finished, but I highly recommend it because Mme. Cosse writes very well and her use of language and imagery regarding how readers love their books is very worthwhile.
Is the book shop an allegory for other parts of French life or the Arts as a whole? Or the current practice of attacking and dissecting any thing that is new or popular?
A Novel Bookstore did not feel completely finished, but I highly recommend it because Mme. Cosse writes very well and her use of language and imagery regarding how readers love their books is very worthwhile.