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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
hopeful
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Fun but not much substance.
hopeful
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
Trigger warnings: war, loss of a parent, bombings
Grace Bennett has always dreamed of living in London and leaves rural England for the city at the beginning of World War II. Grace and her lifelong friend Viv move in with Mrs. Weatherford, one of Grace's mother's longtime friends. Mrs. Weatherford finds Grace a job at Primrose Hill Books and Viv works as a salesgirl at Harrod's.
Grace's job at the bookshop is initially for only 6 months so she can attain a letter of reference to join Viv at Harrod's, but Grace takes a shining to the bookshop and becomes an asset to the owner.
When in a public bombing shelter, Grace begins telling the other Londoners about the book she's reading, and they ask her to read it aloud. Her reading enraptures the people underground and takes their minds off of the bombings.
The people begin coming back to the shelter to hear Grace read, which inadvertently saves the lives of people who would have been in another shelter if not for wanting to hear her stories. More and more people in the shelters gather to listen, and they form an impromptu book club at Primrose Hill Books.
The bookshop and its customers become dear to Grace, and she begins to see the owner as the father she never had. Through bombings, deaths, and the despair of war, the bookshop stands as one of the last beacons of hope for civilians who have sent their children away, lost loved ones, and worry about the men in their families serving in the military.
Saskia Maarleveld is a great narrator who is quickly becoming one of my favorites. Her intonation is flatter for narration and more emotional for dialogue, which makes the story dynamic.
Recommended for book lovers and readers of historical fiction, especially World War II fiction.
I received an electronic galley copy of this title from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I also received a digital audio recording of this title from the publisher through Libro.fm as a librarian review copy. I read the latter edition.
Read the review here: https://guenevol.wixsite.com/novelmaven/post/bookshop-london
Grace Bennett has always dreamed of living in London and leaves rural England for the city at the beginning of World War II. Grace and her lifelong friend Viv move in with Mrs. Weatherford, one of Grace's mother's longtime friends. Mrs. Weatherford finds Grace a job at Primrose Hill Books and Viv works as a salesgirl at Harrod's.
Grace's job at the bookshop is initially for only 6 months so she can attain a letter of reference to join Viv at Harrod's, but Grace takes a shining to the bookshop and becomes an asset to the owner.
When in a public bombing shelter, Grace begins telling the other Londoners about the book she's reading, and they ask her to read it aloud. Her reading enraptures the people underground and takes their minds off of the bombings.
The people begin coming back to the shelter to hear Grace read, which inadvertently saves the lives of people who would have been in another shelter if not for wanting to hear her stories. More and more people in the shelters gather to listen, and they form an impromptu book club at Primrose Hill Books.
The bookshop and its customers become dear to Grace, and she begins to see the owner as the father she never had. Through bombings, deaths, and the despair of war, the bookshop stands as one of the last beacons of hope for civilians who have sent their children away, lost loved ones, and worry about the men in their families serving in the military.
Saskia Maarleveld is a great narrator who is quickly becoming one of my favorites. Her intonation is flatter for narration and more emotional for dialogue, which makes the story dynamic.
Recommended for book lovers and readers of historical fiction, especially World War II fiction.
I received an electronic galley copy of this title from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I also received a digital audio recording of this title from the publisher through Libro.fm as a librarian review copy. I read the latter edition.
Read the review here: https://guenevol.wixsite.com/novelmaven/post/bookshop-london
emotional
inspiring
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
As close to "cozy fiction" as a historical fiction book set in the Blitz could be. Enjoyable light read. Relationships develop very quickly
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, War
Mr. Evans poked his head out from between the shelves and regarded her with waggling brows. "I do hope that was a joke."
.
Oh, it gets me. Every time. The dynamic between an old, curmudgeonly character and someone who's bright and young. The way he ends up caring about her when he didn't want a shop assistant in the first place. Cried when he died.
Also cried when Colin died. I was like: surely not. The author wouldn't kill off Mrs. Weatherford's husband and her son. And then it happened.
Didn't care too much about the romance plot with George—it could have been cut completely and have the same impact (as Viv was also someone she was sending letters to).
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I greatly enjoyed this book! I loved all the characters, cat included! You should write more WWII stories Madeline! This WWII story was from a different perspective than what they normally are.
I won't soon forget this story. This is one of those where the characters remain in your head long after reading it.
I won't soon forget this story. This is one of those where the characters remain in your head long after reading it.
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I liked it- as a history buff, this was right up my alley. It was a bit “happily ever after” for me and the epilogue seemed to wrap up rather quickly… zooming over the last years of the war. But, overall, it was an enjoyable read.