The Last Bookshop in London
by Madeline Martin
Historical Fiction - WWII
325 pages
Historical Fiction - WWII
325 pages
SUMMARY:
Grace moves to London in 1939 with her best friend Viv and both young girls are eager to experience the big city and begin their lives there. However, as their lives and the war progress, things take unexpected turns. Grace finds work in a bookshop and eventually discovers the value to reading good literature against the backdrop of a momentous period of history.
MY THOUGHTS:
I've been starving for
good but light fiction lately... My nightstand lately is filled with
non-fiction. All interesting subjects, but nothing that can sustain and
compel my reading through the entire book. I feel like my reading has
stalled out. I do also have The Brothers Karamazov by Dostoevsky, which
is excellently written (an understatement), but often requires effort to
read. I have been dying for easy fiction that is also well written.
This book was recommended by ReadAloudRevival.com Books for Mamas. I liked many of her children's book recommendations, so I gave it a try. At first, I was distrustful and weary of the stated innocence of the main character. I was anticipating that she would be "liberated" of her innocence later in the story - such is the way of most modern books. I didn't think clean chick lit existed. But eventually, I realized that this was a genuinely innocent book. Woah! Wholesome virtues like innocence, patience, hard work and forbearance are highlighted in various characters for their own sake. No modern values spin.
I loved the character of Mrs. Weatherford. She is a bit of a bossy busybody but in a good way. Intuitive and genuinely helpful. Not prideful, shrill or rude. She exemplifies calm authority, smart leadership and informed/organized planning.
I also loved that the heroine is constantly humble, perhaps due to her difficult childhood. She consistently seeks to make the current situation (whatever it is) better for both herself and others around her. She shows striking business acumen and personal bravery, but also breathtaking humility and respect for the people around her.
The novel had the feel of a Hallmark movie (before it went woke) but with a bit more depth due to the WWII setting. Unexpected twists happen and beloved characters die. Multiple characters experience redemption, unexpected friendships develop and everyone is shown to be a good person in the end. So it has that fairy tale feel. Though, of course, some characters are dead and the city of London is in rubble at the end of the novel.
I didn't completely lose myself in the environment of the book. Part of me held back, critical and evaluating. But this book is remarkable for what it is - clean chick lit. No bad language, sexual content or normalized bad behavior. Similar to Anne of Green Gables, many female readers will love this book and its heroine. It didn't totally satisfy me personally; I wish it had even more depth and reality. But, at least on paper, it was everything I wanted.
This book was recommended by ReadAloudRevival.com Books for Mamas. I liked many of her children's book recommendations, so I gave it a try. At first, I was distrustful and weary of the stated innocence of the main character. I was anticipating that she would be "liberated" of her innocence later in the story - such is the way of most modern books. I didn't think clean chick lit existed. But eventually, I realized that this was a genuinely innocent book. Woah! Wholesome virtues like innocence, patience, hard work and forbearance are highlighted in various characters for their own sake. No modern values spin.
I loved the character of Mrs. Weatherford. She is a bit of a bossy busybody but in a good way. Intuitive and genuinely helpful. Not prideful, shrill or rude. She exemplifies calm authority, smart leadership and informed/organized planning.
I also loved that the heroine is constantly humble, perhaps due to her difficult childhood. She consistently seeks to make the current situation (whatever it is) better for both herself and others around her. She shows striking business acumen and personal bravery, but also breathtaking humility and respect for the people around her.
The novel had the feel of a Hallmark movie (before it went woke) but with a bit more depth due to the WWII setting. Unexpected twists happen and beloved characters die. Multiple characters experience redemption, unexpected friendships develop and everyone is shown to be a good person in the end. So it has that fairy tale feel. Though, of course, some characters are dead and the city of London is in rubble at the end of the novel.
I didn't completely lose myself in the environment of the book. Part of me held back, critical and evaluating. But this book is remarkable for what it is - clean chick lit. No bad language, sexual content or normalized bad behavior. Similar to Anne of Green Gables, many female readers will love this book and its heroine. It didn't totally satisfy me personally; I wish it had even more depth and reality. But, at least on paper, it was everything I wanted.
RECOMMENDED FOR:
Middle school readers and older. Despite
the Hallmark feel, the realities of war make this book questionable for younger readers. Adults with sensitive minds will probably not be troubled.
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