The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry: A Novel
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER BY THE AUTHOR OF TOMORROW, AND TOMORROW, AND TOMORROW NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE STARRING LUCY HALE & KUNAL NAYYAR "A fun, page-turning delight." --Minneapolis Star-Tribune "Funny, tender, and moving, The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry reminds us all exactly why we read and why we love." --Library Journal (starred review) A. J. Fikry's life is not at all what he expected it to be. He lives alone, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. But when a mysterious package appears at the bookstore, its unexpected arrival gives Fikry the chance to make his life over--and see everything anew. "This novel has humor, romance, a touch of suspense, but most of all love--love of books and bookish people and, really, all of humanity in its imperfect glory." --Eowyn Ivey, author of The Snow Child "Marvelously optimistic about the future of books and bookstores and the people who love both."--The Washington Post "You won't want it to end." --Family Circle "A natural for book groups." --Richmond Times-Dispatch "A reader's paradise of the first order." --The Buffalo News "Captures the joy of connecting people and books . . . Irresistible." --Booklist "A wonderful, moving, endearing story of redemption and transformation that will sing in your heart for a very, very long time." --Garth Stein, author of The Art of Racing in the Rain "Readers who delighted in The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, and Letters from Skye will be equally captivated by this novel." --Library Journal, starred review
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Community Reviews
This is a charming book about a man who at first take is as lonely and isolated as the island he lives on. As the story unfolds, however, so does Mr. Fikry and the journey he is on.
I thought “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow” was a singular masterpiece piece by Gabrielle Zevin. It’s hard for any writer to craft such moving stories again and again without recycling a lot of tropes and characters. “The Storied Life of A.J. Fikrey” was a precursor to what I now see as the magnum opus for Zevin. Both books stand apart yet share a mastery of human emotions.
What really stands out for me is how Zevin can shape her stories into tributes to a particular craft. In this case, we get an homage to the book industry and creative process. Along with glimpses into the complexities of love in small-town life, betrayal, self-discovery, and gut-wrenching heartbreak that you have to make yourself not look away from.
This one is a book lover’s book that underscores the best parts about the family we make versus the ones we are born into. I am surprised; I had not heard more about it before. I’d recommend it as a great book club selection as well. But, be warned, Zevin knows how to break your heart into a million pieces with no apologies or sugarcoating the facts. You will need your Kleenex close by.
I really liked this book. A lot. It helped provide greater literary vision, thoughtfulness, and vocabulary than I have had from other books. If you are a reader, I think youâd appreciate hearing all the different books and the the subtle relevance of them within the story. The storyline and plot were great and it felt different than other books. Highly recommended!
This was a really good story, definitely one of those types of books that is written for people who love being around books. There were a lot more plots and characters than I expected, and I think they all were given just enough time, but maybe could have had more? I wasn't as emotionally impacted by the emotional parts, but based on the tone of the book I'm not sure I was really supposed to be. The book felt more about the general ups, downs, and surprises of life in a way that I don't think was meant to be super heavy.
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