A review by medini_l
The Bookstore by Deborah Meyler

3.0

‘Every blink is an elegy.’

This was very reminiscent of [b:The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry|18293427|The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry|Gabrielle Zevin|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1404582137s/18293427.jpg|25694131], but instead of a bookseller protagonist, this one has a young woman, who finds unlikely sanctuary in The Owl, a second-hand bookstore.

Esme is a young English girl, studying art history in Columbia, New York, where she somehow can’t shake off the feeling that she’s perpetually a fish out of water. In her strange new environment, she meets and begins a relationship with an economics professor, Mitchell, who’s ten years older than her.

As the book started off, I found it to be cold and clinical, like an analysis, stating the emotions, but holding me at arm length, preventing me from actually feeling anything. But as I delved deeper and got used to the author’s style of writing, I appreciated its restrained manner and quiet humor. It’s subtle, slow paced and peaceful. Not in a sleep-inducing way, mind you. The writing makes you think and the author’s words come alive so effortlessly in your imagination, but it isn’t flowery or overwhelming.

‘Her manner of speaking has some sort of affinity with dandelion clocks- her words float gently in the powdery air of her living room without any seeming intent.’

Esme is such a wonderful character. She appears meek and shy initially, but is in fact so much more than anyone gives her credit. Her worries, her fears, her apprehensions and even her most intimate thoughts are laid bare for us to witness. I normally don’t like this, but here it has worked wonders.

Also, I wasn’t expecting this book to be funny, but it was. Not like rolling-on-the-floor-with-tears-of-laughter type, but more like an occasional chuckle.

‘Everyone congratulates the pregnant woman. So I congratulate the girl. She smiles, but looks embarrassed. The man smiles too, and rubs his other hand on her rounded tummy.
“Thanks,” he says, “but we had our baby two days ago.”
“Oh-well, then- more congratulations!” I say.

I hope there isn’t another one in there that they’ve not noticed.’

The name of this book might be ‘The Bookstore’, but it largely focuses on the toxic relationship between Esme and Mitchell. All of us know that one friend/relative who’s in a relationship with someone who’s emotionally abusive or cold and manipulative, but Mitchell beats them all. I’ve never read anyone like him before. His character study was fascinating, but horrifying and cringe-worthy at the same time.

Spoiler

Mitchell finds it okay to lust after girls in Esme’s presence even though she finds it uncomfortable. At one point he suggests a threesome with another girl they meet at a coffee shop and when Esme refuses, he stops talking to her. On top of this, Esme blames herself for this incident when they break up. She’s a human being with basic rights! Of course she can refuse something she doesn’t want, you sick scumbag!

Seriously WTH? Do people like this exist?

‘He is beautiful and cold and hard as the diamond in his ring. If I were watching this scene play out in a movie or in a book, I would be willing the heroine to say no with all my heart.’

The Owl itself is so cute and the motley crowd of unlikely allies (especially George and Luke) in there is just adorable. I can’t pretend I got all the book references, maybe ‘coz I’m not as well-read as I thought I was.

The end was kind of anticlimactic for my tastes, but that’s just me. I can’t help myself; I need closure at the end of every book which wasn’t there here, especially with regard to the non-progression of the unnamed relationship between Esme and Luke.

“These books…,” she begins, and stops. I am frightened; for her, for myself decades from now, struggling to retain dignity with two strangers as they take away my books. I can see the straight line to her grave, to mine.

At its heart, The Bookstore is all about the love we have for physical copies, the uncontrollable urge to press our noses into books for its characteristic musty smell, the fear that Amazon will soon replace bookstores, the very need to read as if our very life depends on it… I’m sure all book lovers will relate!