A review by nainatai
The Last Bookshop in London: A Novel of World War II by Madeline Martin

inspiring sad medium-paced

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

4.0

My sister recommended this one a few weeks back. As always, her recommendation didn't disappoint. The book is set in London during WW II. It's about a country girl who moves to London just before the war breaks out. She starts assisting at a bookshop and eventually turns it into a space for people to find comfort and distraction in from the war. The story itself is quite predictable and the writing feels a little over the top. It's almost like a Bollywood biopic with a hero who's more superhuman than human, with lots of cheesy dialog-bazi. But for the story, I'm willing to let go of the writing. 
I learnt a lot more of what people may have experienced during the war. Most of my readings around the second WW had been to do with the Holocaust. That part of the book has been done quite well. Going to check if this was we've made into a movie, I suspect it would do quite well as one.