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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
Un beau récit autour de l'amour de la littérature, de la résilience et des livres comme thérapie.
Une héroïne obligée de devenir forte, une population obligée de se soutenir, des moments forts en peu de pages. Une très belle histoire en conclusion
Une héroïne obligée de devenir forte, une population obligée de se soutenir, des moments forts en peu de pages. Une très belle histoire en conclusion
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
This book reads like a children's author got confused and wrote a book for grownups. Writing is stiff and stilted, characters are all caricatures of themselves. It's hard to make a war novel dull, but we seemed to have succeeded with this.
Audiobook. A positive WW II story, how to carry on during war time by working together. A story about the rescuing effect of books on a community.
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
I absolutely loved this book! It’s my first novel by Madeline Martin, it definitely will not be the last. It takes the reader deep into the world of London during the Blitz, with richly drawn characters you can’t help but care for. It is also very clearly written by someone who adores reading and the feelings that it evokes within the reader. Highly recommend!
2 1/2 stars
So much hype about this one, but it didn't work for me. Nothing necessarily wrong with the quality of writing or character development, and I like an ode to good books and reading, however this was saccharine sweet, too tidy (actually more like wildly unrealistic), and too predictable. In fact, I found it challenging to finish.
So much hype about this one, but it didn't work for me. Nothing necessarily wrong with the quality of writing or character development, and I like an ode to good books and reading, however this was saccharine sweet, too tidy (actually more like wildly unrealistic), and too predictable. In fact, I found it challenging to finish.
emotional
hopeful
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
Set in World War II-era London, “The Last Bookshop in London” follows the journey of Grace as she starts a new life in the city. Without a letter of recommendation that would have afforded her a chance of a job at a more prestigious shop, she is forced to take employment at a run-down bookshop. Given that the city was on the precipice of war, and her decidedly lackluster interest in books, her new situation was feeling less like a new beginning and more like calamity. But we quickly find that Grace’s indomitable optimistic spirit isn’t about to give up so fast.
I was surprised at how much this book tugged at my heartstrings. The author does a wonderful job of developing the small cast of characters, and getting you invested in their lives. You walk with them through terrible loss, the horrors of war, burgeoning love, and the tough journey they each take while finding their place in war-torn London.
While the book does include some romance, the real love story is between Grace and the books she used to find so boring. It was a delight to see how she developed her love for reading, and how the books helped her to cope with the struggles she faced in wartime London.
If you like good, clean historical fiction, definitely give “The Last Bookshop in London” a try. It is heartfelt and charming, but doesn’t shy away from tackling tough situations. And for the bookworm, it is full of literary references that will have you wanting to add everything Grace read to your own “to be read” list.
I was surprised at how much this book tugged at my heartstrings. The author does a wonderful job of developing the small cast of characters, and getting you invested in their lives. You walk with them through terrible loss, the horrors of war, burgeoning love, and the tough journey they each take while finding their place in war-torn London.
While the book does include some romance, the real love story is between Grace and the books she used to find so boring. It was a delight to see how she developed her love for reading, and how the books helped her to cope with the struggles she faced in wartime London.
If you like good, clean historical fiction, definitely give “The Last Bookshop in London” a try. It is heartfelt and charming, but doesn’t shy away from tackling tough situations. And for the bookworm, it is full of literary references that will have you wanting to add everything Grace read to your own “to be read” list.
A very good book set during the Blitz in London and WWII. A happily ever after but with sadness mixed in, much like life.