“Sometimes books don’t find us until the right time.”
In The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, independent bookstore owner A.J. Fikry is grieving the loss of his wife and has isolated himself from most people in his small island town. The sales at his store are on the decline, a rare book has been stolen, and he is at a low point in his life. One night, he finds a package that has been left on the floor of his bookstore, which changes his life forever.
With The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, Gabrielle Zevin has created a beautifully written and touching story. It’s a story of happiness, humour, sadness, grief, hope, love and the beauty of new beginnings. It is also about the love of books and the role bookstores play in a community. Each chapter starts with a book selection and review by A.J. and gives the reader a nice introduction to the section ahead. By the end of the book I had a good list of titles to research and add to my reading list. The characters are endearing, wonderfully likeable and their wit and charisma are a source of many great quotes. Quite simply, it’s a charming novel that will touch your heart.
Favourite quote: “Why is any one book different from any other book? They are different, A.J. decides, because they are. We have to look inside many. We have to believe. We agree to be disappointed sometimes so that we can be exhilarated every now and again.”
About a Book 