Reviews with content warning for Racism - Bloomsbury Girls

Bloomsbury Girls was a pleasant, undemanding read. It’s set in an old-fashioned London bookstore in 1950 and centres on the three women staff members - Vivien, Grace and Evie. We see the impact of mostly low grade sexism and misogyny (being expected to make the tea, having their ideas rejected or stolen, and not being considered for promotion,rather than sexual assaults - although domestic abuse does feature) on their lives. In the end though the women triumph through a combination of their own skills and the poor judgement of some of the men. Readers of The Jane Austen Society will recognise Evie and a couple of other characters from that book reappear here in minor roles. Another fun aspect was the interaction between the characters and real world literary figures like Daphne du Maurier and Samuel Beckett. There is a minor LGBTQ+ storyline and several low key romances, one of which is interracial and another of which crosses class lines. These all help give the story a more modern forward-looking feel.

If you are after a feel-good story about female cooperation and strength, one that has a satisfying ending but isn’t overly demanding or heavy Bloomsbury Girls might be a good fit.

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cctblog's review

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inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Set in 1950, Bloomsbury Girls is the story of a bookshop in London - Bloomsbury Books - and the people who work there. While the novel focuses on the shop's three female employees, Evie, Grace, and Vivien, from time to time the reader glimpses the story from a male employee's point of view.

Bloomsbury Books is managed by Mr. Dutton, an old-fashioned man (though not without his scandalous secrets) who set a list of rules to be followed at all times. Each of the short chapters in the novel is headed by one of those rules, and I loved seeing how the rules fit into the larger story.

Relationships, both good and bad, are the focus of the novel. Some long-standing and fraught with misunderstanding, others new and tentative - all have a profound impact on the characters. Each woman also gets a taste of romance, and I found Evie's and Grace's love stories to be so sweet.

Also, a quick mention of the audiobook - I went back and forth between the audio version and the ebook, and I found the narration to be delightful...and also too slow, even when I sped it up! Simply put, I can read a book much faster than I can listen to one, but if you are a fan of audio, you'll enjoy this.

Finally, I have to point out that there is a character list at the beginning, which always helps me immensely when I'm beginning a new book. (And the way Vivien is referenced made me chuckle.) 4 stars.

(Content note: Some sensitive themes, including sexual affairs, abuse, racism, and same-sex relationships, are included, though nothing is ever graphic in any way.)

Disclosure of material connection: I received this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, and the opinions expressed are my own.

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foldingthepage_kayleigh's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny informative lighthearted reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

“I thought you were a scholar of obscure 18th century Women writers.”

“They’re not obscure, they’re neglected.”

Truly a love letter to bibliophiles, this book contains all things bookish, from a bookshop setting, cameos from famous authors, to the prizing of rare books and an exploration of the inner lives of writers. With a strong feminist element and the power of great friendship weaved through this book, I think fans of Evie Dunmore and more lighthearted historical fiction will love this one!

One element I particularly enjoyed about this book was how much Daphne du Maurier (or Mrs. Browning, by her pseudonym)—a favourite author of both my mom and I—featured so prominently in this novel. There is a moment in the book where du Maurier was hosting a talk at Bloomsbury Books and said to a particularly onerous reporter Who kept saying that du Maurier writes romance:

“I think I know my own intent. That,” the guest of honour smiled disarmingly towards the women in the audience, “is an author’s and a woman’s prerogative.”

And this statement just had me roaring and cheering along with the audience!

While this follows in the same world and some of the same characters The Jane Austen Society, Natalie Jenner’s first book, I didn’t feel lost at all reading Bloomsbury Girls without having read Jenner’s first book. This can definitely be read and fully enjoyed as a stand-alone!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for providing me with this advanced listening copy—what a fabulous audiobook! Instagram review to be posted on April 28, 2022.

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