A review by crafalsk264
The Bookseller by Cynthia Swanson

challenging emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

KItty Miller (aka Katharyn Andersson) is a co-owner of a bookstore with her best friend, Frieda, in the early 1960s. Kitty is a 30ish single woman living in a studio with a cat named Aslan. Katharyn is a wife, mother of triplets, a boy, a girl, and a boy with Autism. She knows that one of these lives is a dream but which one?

In the Katharyn reality, she is having trouble coping with the triplet with Autism, Michael. She had been told that Michael’s problems were caused by a lack of maternal nurturing. Her husband, Lars, is the best with Michael. Katharyn has more success with Mitch and Missy. She has had a falling out with Frieda and their small bookshop is closed. In the Kitty reality, she is still in partnership with Frieda but the bookstore is failing. In both realities, Kitty/Katharyn’s parents are her greatest support.

I am confused regarding this book. The basic premise is interesting. The characters are all pretty likable and are adequately developed and similar to other books such as “Sliding Doors” and “The Family Man”. I am uneasy about something I can’t quite put my finger on. The best subplot is the boy who lives in Kitty’s building and has a reading problem that is creating problems in all his schoolwork. Kitty is a former teacher and she plans to help teach him to read. When all of the books that are at his reading level are too young for his age. When she realizes this, she  learns about baseball so she can write reading material that will engage him and make him want to read. I enjoyed this book even though I had some unknown reservations. Recommend to readers of historical, fantasy, books-about-books, mystery and adult literature.