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A review by rexiesmum
The Bookshop on Primrose Hill by Sarah Jio
2.0
Thank you to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for giving me this ebook in return for a review.
Unfortunately I really disliked this book and I ended up ‘hate reading’ it. I’m always caught by books that are set in bookshops or libraries as an obsessive bibliophile, but this one failed to charm.
The main reason it failed to grab me it was that although this book is set in London it was clear that the writer had no idea what it was like to be English and to speak British English. Why bother to set it in London at all?
The book is called “The bookshop on primrose hill” but not one of the characters call it that so it feels like false advertising! They call it a book “store” and it made me what to cry!
The Americanisms are overwhelming. Has the writer never watched a British tv programme or read a book by an English person?
Just a few examples: a person who went to ‘grade’ school; a Londoner who had ‘bangs’, walked on a ‘sidewalk’, for several ‘blocks’ and also had a ‘tea kettle’ which she used on the hob - I mean seriously? I’ve never seen a kettle that isn’t electric! The daughter complained she’d never received any communication from her mother only to be told by a British septuagenarian that her mother ‘wrote her’!! We also don’t use closets, entryways, slacks, cellphones, government assistance, or eat egg plants, candy or grilled cheese. We content ourselves with aubergines, chocolate and cheese on toast. It would be most unusual to see a FedEx man on a regular (meaning often) basis but a Parcelforce chap or your postman - yes!
I have no idea what a town car is? Is it different from a country one? Probably it’s only different in Fall, because that seems to be when the author thinks daffodils flower? We probably only have termites in zoos and definitely not in basements. And people never buy condos off real estate agents. Our estate agents are never pretend so we don’t feel the need to state their existence every time we reference them.
The thing about all of this is none of this is difficult. It is so well known that we have different words for things! And it is so careless the create a British character - or several (there’s only really one American for the majority of the book) who doesn’t speak correctly. The old adage of ‘write what you know’ seems to have bypassed this author.
There are a few massive plot holes too! The character in 1968 has to marry someone but the reason disappears yet she stays with him for another 30 years! All the while complaining how lonely she is. Her motivation is never clear. Although the author’s is pretty clear…!
Also I’m sorry but if a person gave me a large sum of money and told me to leave the country and my daughter, I’d go and collect her from school on the way to the airport and use the money to buy her a ticket!
The other thing that saddened me was the book they both went on and on about wasn’t even a real book. I get that it was a plot device but if you’re a book lover couldn’t you recommend a book you actually enjoyed?
So I’d say: if you’re British don’t bother, this book will just annoy you. If you’re American, please don’t assume you’re reading something authentic. Pick up a British book and if you’re a bit stuck on a few words or ideas, Google is a wonderful thing.
Unfortunately I really disliked this book and I ended up ‘hate reading’ it. I’m always caught by books that are set in bookshops or libraries as an obsessive bibliophile, but this one failed to charm.
The main reason it failed to grab me it was that although this book is set in London it was clear that the writer had no idea what it was like to be English and to speak British English. Why bother to set it in London at all?
The book is called “The bookshop on primrose hill” but not one of the characters call it that so it feels like false advertising! They call it a book “store” and it made me what to cry!
The Americanisms are overwhelming. Has the writer never watched a British tv programme or read a book by an English person?
Just a few examples: a person who went to ‘grade’ school; a Londoner who had ‘bangs’, walked on a ‘sidewalk’, for several ‘blocks’ and also had a ‘tea kettle’ which she used on the hob - I mean seriously? I’ve never seen a kettle that isn’t electric! The daughter complained she’d never received any communication from her mother only to be told by a British septuagenarian that her mother ‘wrote her’!! We also don’t use closets, entryways, slacks, cellphones, government assistance, or eat egg plants, candy or grilled cheese. We content ourselves with aubergines, chocolate and cheese on toast. It would be most unusual to see a FedEx man on a regular (meaning often) basis but a Parcelforce chap or your postman - yes!
I have no idea what a town car is? Is it different from a country one? Probably it’s only different in Fall, because that seems to be when the author thinks daffodils flower? We probably only have termites in zoos and definitely not in basements. And people never buy condos off real estate agents. Our estate agents are never pretend so we don’t feel the need to state their existence every time we reference them.
The thing about all of this is none of this is difficult. It is so well known that we have different words for things! And it is so careless the create a British character - or several (there’s only really one American for the majority of the book) who doesn’t speak correctly. The old adage of ‘write what you know’ seems to have bypassed this author.
There are a few massive plot holes too! The character in 1968 has to marry someone but the reason disappears yet she stays with him for another 30 years! All the while complaining how lonely she is. Her motivation is never clear. Although the author’s is pretty clear…!
Also I’m sorry but if a person gave me a large sum of money and told me to leave the country and my daughter, I’d go and collect her from school on the way to the airport and use the money to buy her a ticket!
The other thing that saddened me was the book they both went on and on about wasn’t even a real book. I get that it was a plot device but if you’re a book lover couldn’t you recommend a book you actually enjoyed?
So I’d say: if you’re British don’t bother, this book will just annoy you. If you’re American, please don’t assume you’re reading something authentic. Pick up a British book and if you’re a bit stuck on a few words or ideas, Google is a wonderful thing.