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fhammond_36's review against another edition
3.0
Succinct and scathing writing perfectly captures the bleakness of both the landscape and the mean, lazy, weak, ordinary and self serving characters. Not sure where the humour was to be found but definitely some wisdom on self preservation.
potatereader's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
michaela_w's review against another edition
informative
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
joanna27's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
trin's review against another edition
3.0
An English widow decides to open up a bookshop in her small town. That was all I knew of this book (well, and that my mom has a dozen of Fitzgerald's slim paperbacks strewn around her house) and that was what made me pick it up. So my reaction here is kind of a case of thwarted expectations: I was expecting something much more light and comic and—okay, I don't want to say life-affirming, because my vanity wants me to think I am not the sort of person who ever desires to read anything that could be described as "life-affirming" or "uplifting." But yeah: I wanted to read something that made me go, "Books and reading FTW!"
This is not that book. Really, it's a tiny, tightly-written tragedy, a story about how people can be really, truly awful to one another, with all the good people getting punished and bad people rewarded. It's very well-written and perfectly, plainly presented, and damn, does it hurt. I finished it just after midnight and went to bed whimpering.
This is not that book. Really, it's a tiny, tightly-written tragedy, a story about how people can be really, truly awful to one another, with all the good people getting punished and bad people rewarded. It's very well-written and perfectly, plainly presented, and damn, does it hurt. I finished it just after midnight and went to bed whimpering.
shelbymarie516's review against another edition
2.0
This might be a 2.5 stars but rounding down for the "Lolita" obsession.If you like accounting and books and Lolita you might be a fan. Trying to escape your accounting job and uncomfortable mentions of Lolita as an iconic life changing book maybe pass on this one.
"understanding makes the kind crazy"
As a small bookstore owner I might try to read all the books before selling them but if that was so I would have the worlds smallest bookshop.
"understanding makes the kind crazy"
As a small bookstore owner I might try to read all the books before selling them but if that was so I would have the worlds smallest bookshop.
jl27's review against another edition
3.0
A strange little book that ended as strangely as it began.
tombennett72's review against another edition
4.0
Lovely writing. And wonderfully reflects the loveliness of bookshops - and how special they can feel to so many of us.
Spoiler alert:
I really wanted her to win.
Spoiler alert:
I really wanted her to win.
drusmilford's review against another edition
2.0
Very short book (~120 pages). Became more exciting the last quarter of the book.