A review by thekatiefu
The Bookseller by Cynthia Swanson

2.0

In theory, the premise of this book sounded interesting. In practice, it didn't deliver for me. For about the first 75% of the book, it felt like it was going nowhere: just back and forth between the "real world" and the "dream world" just setting the stage without much clear direction. Then the point finally became clear, and it felt like the plot was only taking place in that last 25%; it was a lot at once and felt rushed. I recognize the author left certain explanations unexplained intentionally, but having those questions unanswered felt unsettling and hokey for me. I also believe it was intentional to match the culture of the times (the 1950s and 60s) to the treatment of certain social issues, though that certainly didn't make me feel any better about who those were dealt with. Overall, it left me underwhelmed, kind of bored, and ultimately annoyed.