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jencolumb0 's review for:
The Lost Bookshop
by Evie Woods
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I am so conflicted about this book. On the one hand, I really enjoyed reading a book set primarily in Dublin, where I have recently traveled. It was lovely to be able to see, so clearly, the things the author described in Dublin as a result. The nods to Irish literature were lovely as well and I legitimately enjoyed the author's style of writing.
However, I have come around to being offended that such deeply horrific treatment of women is meant to make up the backbone of a mystical beach read type thing with a meet-cute and all. I am keenly aware of the violent misogyny to which most of the world's women are subjected and I don't need to read about it in my recreational time. The main female characters (and plenty of side characters) were subjected to just awful abuse. Opaline couldn't even have sex the first time without it hurting (which she dismissed, as so many do, because they've internalized that female pain is okay; it is not). Before I digress too significantly, I understand if the author had to work through Some Things or wanted to draw attention to the practice of institutionalizing women (and undermining them through claims of insanity, etc) as a means of control (for those who have somehow not yet read The Rose Code, I guess) but I am at a place in my life in which I need to recreate with more joy and I have limited time for all of that horror to not serve a better purpose than "look at this destined couple be cute in their bookshop". YES, self-discovery and actualization is a wonderful thing but we *have got* to keep going after the hardy congrats for surviving horrific abuse and turn to actually changing the system so that ish is no longer tolerated.
Coleen Hoover fans: this is another one for you.
However, I have come around to being offended that such deeply horrific treatment of women is meant to make up the backbone of a mystical beach read type thing with a meet-cute and all. I am keenly aware of the violent misogyny to which most of the world's women are subjected and I don't need to read about it in my recreational time. The main female characters (and plenty of side characters) were subjected to just awful abuse. Opaline couldn't even have sex the first time without it hurting (which she dismissed, as so many do, because they've internalized that female pain is okay; it is not). Before I digress too significantly, I understand if the author had to work through Some Things or wanted to draw attention to the practice of institutionalizing women (and undermining them through claims of insanity, etc) as a means of control (for those who have somehow not yet read The Rose Code, I guess) but I am at a place in my life in which I need to recreate with more joy and I have limited time for all of that horror to not serve a better purpose than "look at this destined couple be cute in their bookshop". YES, self-discovery and actualization is a wonderful thing but we *have got* to keep going after the hardy congrats for surviving horrific abuse and turn to actually changing the system so that ish is no longer tolerated.
Coleen Hoover fans: this is another one for you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicide, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, War, Injury/Injury detail