The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry: A Novel

Don't miss Gabrielle Zevin's new novel, Young Jane Young, coming in August 2017.

"Funny, tender, and moving, The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry reminds us all exactly why we read and why we love."*

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

"A fun, page-turning delight." --Minneapolis Star Tribune

"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

BUY THE BOOK

Published Dec 2, 2014

288 pages

Average rating: 7.65

806 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

Khris Sellin
Jul 05, 2024
8/10 stars
Sweet story about a bookshop owner on the fictional Alice Island of Massachusetts.
njlbo1
Jul 18, 2023
8/10 stars
<3
abookwanderer
Oct 09, 2025
8/10 stars
I’ve had The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin on my tbr for years and when I was invited to read the book to promote the film adaptation, I jumped at the chance. I read this charming novel in one day, almost one sitting. I adored the writing—sharp wit wrapped in a blunt delivery. I was getting major Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society vibes, a novel I rave about often… until the ending didn’t go the direction I wanted it to go.

And I apologize in advance for this meandering review.

I typically hate to give spoilers, but since this is a much older book, and I can’t think of how to review it without spoilers, I’ll be including hints to major spoilers, without coming out and saying what it is specifically. If you haven’t read the book, and don’t want to be spoiled, stop reading now!

I knew this one would have an element of sadness, but I went into it thinking the main characters would be safe since our leading man has already suffered a deep loss. I’m not a reader who requires a happy ending to all my books, but in this case it didn’t feel organic to the story. It wasn’t even an overly emotional ending for me—I shed no tears—but I just wasn’t satisfied with how this one wrapped up.

Now, I’m bummed that I’m not as excited to watch the film. I even wouldn’t mind if they gave it a different ending—which goes against my typical feelings about book adaptations. But I’ll still probably watch it because I do love the actress Lucy Hale who’s playing Amelia. Although she’s nothing like the character is described—tall and blonde, A.J. comparing Amelia to Courtney Love.

But overall, I adored the story, the delivery, and the characters. It may be stereotypical-grumpy-bookstore-owner-meets-quirky-bookseller, but I loved it. Until the ending, at least. I also adored A.J.’s “unexpected package”, a.k.a. the Maya storyline. While it might have also been formulaic, it was executed well, bringing joy and levity to the tale.

I found The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry to be a warm, bookish, cozy read, but with sad elements disguised in humor. Much of it is set in autumn, however, which was a nice coincidence, making this one an unexpected seasonal read. While I wasn’t a fan of the ending, I feel like maybe it will at least be memorable.

Thank you to Algonquin and Netgalley for a complementary copy.

Check out my reviews and playlists at A Book Wanderer
juleskshi
May 22, 2025
10/10 stars
wow i’m sobbing. this was probably one of the best books i’ve read in a while. this book felt like a warm hug. i think i have to read all of gabrielle zevins books now.
AnnaKata
Mar 14, 2025
4/10 stars
This was a cute fast read. I picked this book up because it was cheap. The ending was cute and despite it being only about 150 pages it was fair. This is the kind of book you read on a vacation to keep you relaxed.

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