I just finished reading The Last Bookshop in London, by Madeline Martin and it has made it onto my favorite books list.
Set in WWII London, it offers memorable characters, harrowing situations, heroic actions, budding romance, and books. Lots of wonderful books.
Add a cosy chair, a cup of hot chocolate, and you have the perfect recipe for a delightful afternoon!
“Of course, there were fewer patrons at Primrose Hill Books, and the ones remaining perched on tightly strung nerves. But books served a purpose. Distractions were always needed. Most certainly in times of strife.”
So, thinks Miss Grace Bennett, a young woman in the bloom of her youth, just hired as the assistant to Mr. Evans, the disgruntled elderly proprietor of Primrose Hill Books in London.
Grace makes it her “project’ to bring some organization to the half-hazard dusty piles of books covering every inch of the store and to create a marketing strategy to get more customers through the door.
The unfolding story of Grace’s work at the bookshop is set within the backdrop of war. Nightly bombings, destruction, and death are a daily reality for Grace and the other characters we meet throughout the book.
One night during a bombing, while many people were hiding underneath the Farringdon Station, Grace, who just happened to have a book with her, was asked by someone to read out loud to help them get through the night.
And, so began the daily readings in the underground station and at the bookshop. People would flock to the tube (subway) station and the bookshop to spend time together “just getting away from the war”. Losing themselves in the adventures between the pages of the books Grace read aloud to them.
This is an unforgettable story of loss, grief, compassion, hope, and love.
Most of all love.
A love of books and reading, to be sure.
But even more so, it portrays a coming together as a community to support each other in the midst of immeasurable suffering.
There’s a handsome soldier, George Anderson, to sweep Grace off her feet. We saw that coming! He’s the one responsible for instilling within Grace the love of reading.
Besides the charming Mr. George Anderson, there’s an array of delightful supporting characters without which Grace’s story couldn’t be told. Viv, Mrs. Weatherford, Colin, Mr. Evans, Mr. Stokes, Jimmy, and the regular customers who frequent the bookshop.
I love it when a book’s characters are so well developed that they become friends, endeared to my very heart and soul.
When I quite literally cry at their deaths and cheer at their triumphs.
When I’m saddened as I close the book, after the last page is read.
Saddened that my journey through their story is complete and now I must say good-bye. Promising to visit them again someday.
I felt just this way as I moved through this exquisite and beautiful book.
The Last Bookshop in London is based on real events. The history lover in me couldn’t resist doing a bit of research to see if the accounts of the bookshop related events depicted in the story were true. It turns out they are based on actual events.
I discovered that during WWII, the people of London were franticly buying up books to distract themselves from the horrors of war. Book clubs began popping up all over London.
The destruction of the bookshops and publishing houses on London’s Paternoster Row during the war was a devastating blow to book lovers in London and everywhere.
Does the story have a happy ending? Does any story involving war end happily?
War leaves immense pain, loss, and destruction in its wake.
Yet, from the midst of the rubble emerge the real heroes.
Neighbors helping neighbors. People coming to the aid of others. Children orphaned by the war being taken in by others, given a new home.
People picking up the pieces and moving forward as best they can.
And, books can help with that.
As the people in war torn London, during the second world war, discovered first hand.
“But books served a purpose. Distractions were always needed. Most certainly in times of strife.”
There are several way to get your hands on this book, which you most definitely want to do!
We have two copies at The Floyd County Library which you can check out or put on hold. Click the link to reserve a copy.
Reserve The Last Bookshop in London Here
It is also available on Libby in both the e-book and audiobook formats.
If you need instructions on how to install the Libby app on your devices, please click the link below.
Instructions for the Libby App Here
If you need further assistance getting set up with Libby, please give us a call. We’re happy to be of service!
