A review by evitacademia
The Paris Bookseller by Kerri Maher

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring tense slow-paced

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

4.5

I didnt expect to admire this book the way I do. It took me a second to get into, but I was rewarded. The air around the book is rich, profound and intensely marked by cigarettes and wine. The relationships and friendships were described with such intensity I felt like I was part of them, whether they were invigorating or comforting. What elevated the entire scene was the historical accuracy and context because it's so surreal that all this kind of happened like that. The mentions of the famous writers and other famous people like Hemingway or Einstein! Sylvia wasn't just successful, she was flawed and insecure. I especially loved the last scene with the celebration/reading of Friends of Shakespeare and Company when everyone was clapping for Sylvia - I actually cried. And the sophisticated language made it all so believable. I dont think my review is doing it justice, not even close. Only things I didn't enjoy was how long it took me to get through and (this is a personal preference) the French touch of it all, as I don't feel very connected to France. Nonetheless, great book.