Review by creolelitbelle - The Last Bookshop in London: A Novel of World War II

creolelitbelle 's review for:

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

4.0

hopeful sad tense medium-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

Normally, I avoid WWII books, because they often feel like the same stories retold. This one feels more about the community and the ties the circle of characters have to each other and their little corner of London. I love how the bookstore functions as its own character with the importance it plays throughout the story. Grace's journey of falling in love with books warmed my heart, and her new, surrogate parents are so wholesome. Everyone ended up being exactly who others needed at that time. Despite my knowing the bombings of Britain were coming, I appreciated and enjoyed seeing those events through the eyes of Grace, Mr. Evans at the bookshop, her partner protecting the city, and the rest of the cast. A full cast for the audio narration would have been phenomenal, but the narrator still does a wonderful job. The comaraderie during disaster is akin to what we experience after hurricanes and floods in Louisiana, so I understood how people came together run support those who need help. The romance is sweet and natural with the minimal contact they have combined with the constant exchange of letters - it works and adds just enough to be story to be believable.

Content Warnings