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inkhearted 's review for:
The Lost Bookshop
by Evie Woods
3.75--I feel like there's a whole subgenre out there of books about either figuratively or literally magical bookstores, and I will read every single one I come across. This one is an interesting addition.
Martha, a woman looking to escape her old life, meets Henry, a quirky researcher on the hunt for a mysterious bookstore that might--or might not--exist outside of time. The story flashes back and forth between the exploits of the present-day duo and their developing connection and the adventures of Opaline, the woman at the center of the mystery.
This book left me a bit conflicted because I loved the mystery of it all so much but found the characters somewhat unsatisfying. Everyone's voices felt like they blended into another, which can be a problem for a novel with alternating viewpoints. As for the mystery, after a couple of major twists, we are left with more questions than answers and at least for me--not anything like a clear sense for how the magic works. It's an interesting ride, but not a fully satisfying one. It has a slight Like Water for Chocolate quality to it with frustrated longing and magic that makes its own rules.
Martha, a woman looking to escape her old life, meets Henry, a quirky researcher on the hunt for a mysterious bookstore that might--or might not--exist outside of time. The story flashes back and forth between the exploits of the present-day duo and their developing connection and the adventures of Opaline, the woman at the center of the mystery.
This book left me a bit conflicted because I loved the mystery of it all so much but found the characters somewhat unsatisfying. Everyone's voices felt like they blended into another, which can be a problem for a novel with alternating viewpoints. As for the mystery, after a couple of major twists, we are left with more questions than answers and at least for me--not anything like a clear sense for how the magic works. It's an interesting ride, but not a fully satisfying one. It has a slight Like Water for Chocolate quality to it with frustrated longing and magic that makes its own rules.