BOOK REVIEW
TITLE: The Lost Bookshop
AUTHOR: Evie Woods
PUBLISHER: One More Chapter/HarperCollins UK
RELEASE DATE: June 2, 2023
GENRE: Fantasy, Fiction
BUY LINKS: Amazon; Barnes & Noble; Audible
On a quiet street in Dublin, a lost bookshop is waiting to be found…For too long, Opaline, Martha and Henry have been the side characters in their own lives.
But when a vanishing bookshop casts its spell, these three unsuspecting strangers will discover that their own stories are every bit as extraordinary as the ones found in the pages of their beloved books. And by unlocking the secrets of the shelves, they find themselves transported to a world of wonder… where nothing is as it seems (Description from Goodreads).
MY THOUGHTS
(***Please note that this review may contain spoilers***)
The Lost Bookshop is told in three points of view; Opaline, Martha and Henry. All three stories are woven together by the end and there are many other interesting side characters throughout.
Opaline’s story was my favorite part of the book. In 1922, she was trying to escape a life she didn’t want. Just when it seemed like she was settled and finding her way in the world, her horrible brother would find her and destroy it all. Her story was so interesting and so painful to read. My heart ached for her and she suffered so much at the hands of her brother.
Then there’s Martha’s story which is also heartbreaking and we later find out she’s connected to Opaline in more ways than just the lost bookshop. In present day, Martha has run away to Dublin from an extremely abusive husband and stumbles upon a help wanted ad for a live in maid. She’s hired and discovers that the house is more than it seems eventually turning out to be the lost bookshop that had been Opaline’s.
Henry’s story served the purpose of being the reason that Martha gets interested in finding out Opaline’s story, but I felt that he didn’t need his own POV in the book. However, I think he deserved to find the manuscript he had been searching for throughout the book.
The magic of the bookshop is pretty low key throughout the book and slowly builds. Small magical things happen like random books showing up for Martha to read then sometimes it felt like the shop was trying to play matchmaker a few times. It isn’t until the end of the book that you get the extent of the magic when the bookshop finally reveals itself to Martha and Henry. I do wish there were more magical elements though.
Overall, I would recommend this book! It gives you an idea of how women were treated in Opaline’s time and sheds light on those suffering from abuse like Martha. Those who love books will also enjoy the overarching theme of books and a magical bookshop as well.
OVERALL RATING
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS | TWITTER
Evie Woods is the author of The Lost Bookshop, the #1 Wall Street Journal and Amazon Kindle and Sunday Times bestseller, which has now sold over half a million copies. She is also the author of The Story Collector, The Heirloom and The Mysterious Bakery On Rue De Paris under her real name, Evie Gaughan.
Living on the West Coast of Ireland, Evie escapes the inclement weather by writing her stories in a converted attic, where she dreams of underfloor heating. Her books tread the intriguing line between the everyday and the otherworldly, revealing the magic that exists in our ordinary lives.
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