Zevin’s new novel has hit shelves and my feels

5/5 Stars

5/5 Stars

Because I ride the bus for two hours every day, I have a lot of time to read. I went to the library looking for my newly found favorite author: Gabriella Zevin. I found a book of hers waiting for me in the recent arrivals section: “The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry,” published by Algonquin Books. The cover showed a baby in a basket holding a book and I was entranced. For the record, I am a slow reader and it is always a small miracle if I read a book cover to cover.  I finished this 272-paged book in a week.
“The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry” is about a grumpy bookstore owner in a small town grieving over the loss of his wife, Nic. She was his everything; now he doesn’t know how to cope. He only has one thing to look forward to in life nowadays: retirement. He has a persistent copy of Edgar Allen Poe’s “Tamerlane” that he is planning to sell when he is completely ready. After another devastating loss, he receives an emotional push to life again. He comes back from a run to find his bookstore has delivered a new addition that will change everyone that enters Island Books.
This book is perfect for the hopeless romantic, book lover, and/or the gossiper in us all. It is a great, easy read for anyone who loves books, but struggle with finishing them. The way Zevin writes is what I have been waiting for.