I recently reread The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods. When I picked it up, I didn’t realize I’d read it before. (Note: I read fast, and I’m notoriously terrible at remembering I’ve read a book.) As I got into it, however, I remembered bits and pieces. One image seared into my brain is the basement apartment where a tree begins growing out of the walls and offering the main character books to read. THAT is an image that warms my heart.
What made me grab this book (both times) is the book descripton, which begins “On a quiet street in Dublin, a lost bookshop is waiting to be found…“
Yes, please.
This novel follows three people in two timelines. All three are a bit lost themselves. As their stories unfold, and the mystery of the bookshop is slowly uncovered, the reader is filled with wonder and empathy.
As Opaline, Henry, and Martha struggle to find themselves and the bookshop, the supporting character of Madame Bowden takes center stage. She is an eccentric elderly lady who employs Martha as a housekeeper/personal assistant. Madame Bowden becomes a guide in Martha’s life, supporting and encouraging her. Everyone needs a Madame Bowden in their life!
Enticing tidbits of the story include the words tattooed on Martha’s back, her ability to hear other people’s minds, and Henry’s search for a lost Bronte manuscript. If you need a bit of childlike wonder, this book is for you.
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