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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
A very good book set during the Blitz in London and WWII. A happily ever after but with sadness mixed in, much like life.
As a bibliophile, I’m a sucker for books about books, libraries, and bookstores, so I was immediately drawn to this book. I wish I’d resisted its lure because it proved to be shallow and formulaic.
Grace Bennett and her best friend Viv move to London in 1939 just before the beginning of the war. They move in with Mrs. Weatherford, a friend of Grace’s mother, and her son Colin. With Mrs. Weatherford’s help, Grace gets a job with Primrose Hill Books. She tidies and organizes the shop for Mr. Evans and slowly makes herself indispensible. When war is declared, she volunteers as a warden with Air Raid Precautions and begins reading aloud inside tube stations during the Blitz.
Part of my issue with the novel is the character of Grace. She is so saccharine. Everyone seems to love her as soon as they meet her; both Mrs. Weatherford and Mr. Evans “adopt” her and become parental figures. The people who are not enamoured with her are eventually won over by her compassion and generosity. The first handsome man who comes into the shop is immediately romantically attracted to her. Her only flaws are that she is somewhat shy and considers herself not to be brave.
The book is so predictable because it is so formulaic. After the first few chapters, I was able to correctly predict who would survive and who wouldn’t. Even the title suggests what will happen to Paternoster Row and what will not happen to Primrose Hill Books. The novel is historically accurate, but seems to just check off items from a list: air raids, blackouts, food rationing, victory gardens, evacuation of children, etc.
The author tends to tell rather than show. How many times must we be told that “no one in the world had the spirit of the British. They were fighters. They could take it”? Grace finds courage because “she was British. What’s more she was a Londoner, baptized as such by the firestorm of war, by bombings and incendiaries.” When St. Paul’s Cathedral is undamaged, “It was a mark of the British spirit, that even in the face of such annihilation and loss, they took had kept standing. ‘London can take it.’”
When Grace begins working at the bookshop, she is not a reader. Of course she becomes a book lover – because a handsome man recommends a book to her! When she finally opens that book, “Word after word, page after page, she was pulled deeper into a place she had never experienced and walked in the footsteps of a person she’d never been.” Then, over and over again, it is repeated that books provide pleasure and “an escape from exhaustion and bombs and rationing.” Books make Grace a better person because they provide a “profound understanding for mankind”: “Over time, she had found such perspectives made her a more patient person, more accepting of others.” All of this is true, but the reader doesn’t need to be told this if events clearly show this. Nonetheless, the author feels compelled to repeat that “It is through books that we can find the greatest hope” and “Books . . . [are] a reminder that we always have hope” and “For in a world such as theirs, with people of spirit and love, and with so many different tales of strength and victory to inspire, there would always be hope.” I do not like being treated like a stupid reader!
This is a book for those who want an unchallenging read. It slavishly follows the historical fiction formula with a strong romance element. It did not engage me and is totally unmemorable.
Please check out my reader's blog (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/) and follow me on Twitter (@DCYakabuski).
Grace Bennett and her best friend Viv move to London in 1939 just before the beginning of the war. They move in with Mrs. Weatherford, a friend of Grace’s mother, and her son Colin. With Mrs. Weatherford’s help, Grace gets a job with Primrose Hill Books. She tidies and organizes the shop for Mr. Evans and slowly makes herself indispensible. When war is declared, she volunteers as a warden with Air Raid Precautions and begins reading aloud inside tube stations during the Blitz.
Part of my issue with the novel is the character of Grace. She is so saccharine. Everyone seems to love her as soon as they meet her; both Mrs. Weatherford and Mr. Evans “adopt” her and become parental figures. The people who are not enamoured with her are eventually won over by her compassion and generosity. The first handsome man who comes into the shop is immediately romantically attracted to her. Her only flaws are that she is somewhat shy and considers herself not to be brave.
The book is so predictable because it is so formulaic. After the first few chapters, I was able to correctly predict who would survive and who wouldn’t. Even the title suggests what will happen to Paternoster Row and what will not happen to Primrose Hill Books. The novel is historically accurate, but seems to just check off items from a list: air raids, blackouts, food rationing, victory gardens, evacuation of children, etc.
The author tends to tell rather than show. How many times must we be told that “no one in the world had the spirit of the British. They were fighters. They could take it”? Grace finds courage because “she was British. What’s more she was a Londoner, baptized as such by the firestorm of war, by bombings and incendiaries.” When St. Paul’s Cathedral is undamaged, “It was a mark of the British spirit, that even in the face of such annihilation and loss, they took had kept standing. ‘London can take it.’”
When Grace begins working at the bookshop, she is not a reader. Of course she becomes a book lover – because a handsome man recommends a book to her! When she finally opens that book, “Word after word, page after page, she was pulled deeper into a place she had never experienced and walked in the footsteps of a person she’d never been.” Then, over and over again, it is repeated that books provide pleasure and “an escape from exhaustion and bombs and rationing.” Books make Grace a better person because they provide a “profound understanding for mankind”: “Over time, she had found such perspectives made her a more patient person, more accepting of others.” All of this is true, but the reader doesn’t need to be told this if events clearly show this. Nonetheless, the author feels compelled to repeat that “It is through books that we can find the greatest hope” and “Books . . . [are] a reminder that we always have hope” and “For in a world such as theirs, with people of spirit and love, and with so many different tales of strength and victory to inspire, there would always be hope.” I do not like being treated like a stupid reader!
This is a book for those who want an unchallenging read. It slavishly follows the historical fiction formula with a strong romance element. It did not engage me and is totally unmemorable.
Please check out my reader's blog (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/) and follow me on Twitter (@DCYakabuski).
I definitely liked this book, it had a bit of everything. But be warned, it was predictable and cheesy! Although, I kinda figured that would be the case so I'm not mad about it. There were some sad moments, times filled with hope, and then my favorite bit of all was the love story between Grace and literature! Over the course of the war, Grace finds comfort and community in reading, and that was the best part for me. I get a lil ~emo~ whenever a character exclaims their love for reading so I had a lot of fun following Grace's reading journey. I nearly screamed when the Great Gatsby was mentioned lol. Overall, 3.5 stars rounded to 4 on here
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Twee citaten uit het boek die ik erg mooi vind:
‘Lezen is.. het is ergens naartoe gaan zonder een trein
of schip te nemen en nieuwe, ongelooflijke werelden ontdekken. Het is een leven leven waarin je zelf niet geboren bent en een kans alles te zien door de ogen van een ander. Het is leren zonder te worden geconfronteerd met falen of met wat de beste manier van slagen is’.
‘De liefde voor verhalen daarin, de avonturen die ze ons laten beleven, de heerlijke afleiding die ze bieden in moeilijke tijden. En boeken herinneren ons eraan dat er altijd hoop is’.
‘Lezen is.. het is ergens naartoe gaan zonder een trein
of schip te nemen en nieuwe, ongelooflijke werelden ontdekken. Het is een leven leven waarin je zelf niet geboren bent en een kans alles te zien door de ogen van een ander. Het is leren zonder te worden geconfronteerd met falen of met wat de beste manier van slagen is’.
‘De liefde voor verhalen daarin, de avonturen die ze ons laten beleven, de heerlijke afleiding die ze bieden in moeilijke tijden. En boeken herinneren ons eraan dat er altijd hoop is’.
Good feel for the time but it was just fine not ohmygod you have to read this
The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin is a story of war on the home front. At the same time, the book paints a picture of what happens when people come together. In this way, this story of war ends up a sweet, feel good story of the triumph of good and, for this reader, a love letter to the power of books to heal.
Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2021/04/the-last-bookshop-in-london.html
Reviewed for NetGalley and the Winter 2021 historical fiction blog tour from Harlequin Trade Publishing.
Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2021/04/the-last-bookshop-in-london.html
Reviewed for NetGalley and the Winter 2021 historical fiction blog tour from Harlequin Trade Publishing.
Fijn feel-good verhaal dat rechttoe rechtaan verteld wordt. Soms is dat precies wat je nodig hebt. Het is echter ook wel wat sentimenteel en alles is een beetje te perfect afgerond en netjes, daarom drie sterren en geen vier.
medium-paced