A review by keepreadingbooks
A Glove Shop in Vienna and Other Stories by Eva Ibbotson

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I don’t think A Glove Shop in Vienna is necessarily for everyone, but for me it really hit the spot for my reading mood this time of year. In (most of) these stories, we go back to the world before World War I, a glittering world run by empires (I kind of picture the opening scene and narration of Anastasia as the vibes), and they are filled with delicious nostalgia and old-world romance. I won’t make the mistake of claiming the world was better back then – it absolutely wasn’t for the majority of people – but I’ve always felt an attraction to that time period and I will probably always be charmed by certain elements of it. 

 

This was, in want of a better word, a truly indulgent read for me. I have taken so long to read this, not because I didn’t like it, but because I liked it so much. I didn’t want to spoil the reading experience by reading it on my noisy and interrupted commute, and I refused to start a story and not finish it in the same sitting (I wanted to stay in the atmosphere of each story until it was done), so I primarily read it in the evenings and usually only a story per evening. There was old-world Russia, Vienna, England, there was winter and Christmas and mostly happy endings and comforting feelings – and there was also old-fashioned stereotypes and gender roles, but oh, I didn’t mind too much. I just got cosy and enjoyed myself.