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A review by cheryl1213
The Bookseller by Cynthia Swanson
2.0
Meet Kitty, an independent and quirky woman who co-owns a small bookshop with her best friend in Denver in the early 1960s. She paints her bedroom a cheery bright yellow, eagerly anticipates a daily note from her mother who is on an extended trip to Hawaii, and acts like she’s given up on love but is a hopeless romantic at heart. When she falls asleep she enters a dream world, one set apart in Sliding Doors fashion by just one altered moment that makes a world of difference. Here she’s Katherine, wife and devoted mother navigating a busy social scene that is notably missing some of the most important people in Kitty’s world. Katherine’s story includes a bit of a twist that provides insight into some major societal changes over the past 50-ish years.
I wanted to like this so much more than I did. It had some interesting themes and touched on some issues of major significance but still felt a bit too “fluffy.” I wanted a bit more seriousness than I got and major elements simply didn’t feel realistic (ex. Katherine’s all-too-perfect husband). While I try not to judge a book solely by its ending, the conclusion to this one was a sharp disappointment that clouds my opinion. Two (maybe 2.5 since I didn’t struggle to finish it like most two star books) stars (of five). “Chic lit” with a gloss on some serious issues. Advance reader copy supplied by publisher in return for honest review.
I wanted to like this so much more than I did. It had some interesting themes and touched on some issues of major significance but still felt a bit too “fluffy.” I wanted a bit more seriousness than I got and major elements simply didn’t feel realistic (ex. Katherine’s all-too-perfect husband). While I try not to judge a book solely by its ending, the conclusion to this one was a sharp disappointment that clouds my opinion. Two (maybe 2.5 since I didn’t struggle to finish it like most two star books) stars (of five). “Chic lit” with a gloss on some serious issues. Advance reader copy supplied by publisher in return for honest review.