The Lost Bookshop

2.5 ⭐️ - rounded up

"The Lost Bookshop" by Evie Woods is less a cohesive novel and more a literary potluck, with five better novels crammed into one undercooked dish. The result? A narrative that’s both overstuffed and unsatisfying. The book teeters between historical fiction and magical realism but doesn’t commit to either, leaving the magic unexplained and the historical setting sadly neglected. Instead of weaving an intricate tale, it leans on clichés and predictable twists, offering little in the way of originality or depth.

I have nothing against open-ended books that invites the reader to fill in the gaps, but this one doesn’t just leave threads loose—it unravels entirely.. It feels more like a first draft, with the author still trying to figure out how to tie it all together. Characters are forgotten, plot lines left unexplained, and the reader is left feeling unsatisfied with a story that feels unresolved.

The silver lining here is Opaline. Her chapters sparkled, and the twist involving her brother genuinely surprised me. But the novel overextends itself by juggling three points of view. Had the novel limited itself to just the dual POVs of Martha and Opaline, with a deeper dive into Martha’s character and the connection these women share, I think the book could have been a four or five-star read, as the premise of this novel is fascinating and Opaline felt like the most flushed out character in the book.

Meanwhile, Henry’s chapters had me skimming. His character felt like an afterthought, with trauma tacked on for depth that never materialized and seemingly existed only to serve as a foil to Martha. His supposed growth was rushed, existing only to move the plot along, and his connection to Martha felt flimsy and unconvincing. The author frequently told us how characters felt, instead of letting their actions show it and many of Henry's choices and actions genuinely made no sense.

In the end, this book had all the ingredients for something magical but needed a stronger editor to bring them together. Instead, it overreaches, with unresolved plot lines, abandoned characters, and half-baked magical elements leaving readers with little more than disappointment.

This was one of those books I saw and knew nothing about before I dove into it. I was looking for a new audiobook, this one looked interesting so I took a chance with it and I am so glad I did! I ADORED this book. It took me a little bit to get into it but as soon as I did, I couldn’t stop reading! First of all there’s a little mystery, getting the past perspective of Opaline is such a cool aspect to have alongside Henry and Martha's point of views. I knew there was going to be some sort of connection between the past and present day but I couldn't predict what was going to end up happening. As much as I loved the magical piece I also loved the characters and the romantic pieces as well. It was cute and wholesome and every time we get a book about books I feel attached emotionally. I'm not sure how many people know about this one, but you should absolutely check it out if you get the chance! P.S. You get some great accents when you listen to the audiobook!

Fun but not believable.

Two poorly-wed storylines with interesting female leads and several characters that were woefully underdeveloped. The fantasy/magic element was also confusing and somehow managed to be both essential to the plot and a nebulous afterthought with no throughline. It was a cute love story on one hand and a harrowing (if vague) tale of domestic violence. The author could have benefited from an editor telling her she either needed to commit to the dual timeline and flesh out both worlds better, or write two separate books. Overall, a disappointing read that was only mildly entertaining.

May Book