The Last Bookshop in London

 

My Thoughts:

I don't only read YA. I also don't only read YA books from indigenous and authors of color, however, it does make up most of my TBR (to be read) lists. However, this book caught my eye because I just like historical fiction books about books, libraries or bookshops. It appeals to that little girl in me who wanted to read every book at the Manoa public library. I also am a sucker for a great historical romance.

In addition, following the 2023 Oscars, I watched the new All Quiet on the Western Front. I spent 3 hours reading about the futility of the war in the trenches and wanted to read about what was going on in London from a female perspective. This is the book that needs to follow the watching of Western Front. It was worth staying up and finishing this in one sitting. This book follows the lives of two young women coming from the countryside into London just as London starts to prepare for war with Hitler's forces. This is the story of Grace in London and her relationships with her landlady, her grouchy boss and the dashing engineer she meets at the bookstore. Once France falls, England is in the war and everything changes for the characters, especially Grace. She feels like her friend Viv is the brave one, but Grace shines in the midst of chaos and tragedy. 

This is not really a YA novel, but it can be. The romance is mild, but some of the war activities are a bit gruesome. However, it is a walk in Hyde Park compared to the movie All Quiet on the Western Front, so use this novel to lift your spirits. This is for the YA or middle level reader who is fascinated by historical fiction and wants a window into WWII era London.

From the Publisher:

August 1939: London prepares for war as Hitler’s forces sweep across Europe. Grace Bennett has always dreamed of moving to the city, but the bunkers and drawn curtains that she finds on her arrival are not what she expected. And she certainly never imagined she’d wind up working at Primrose Hill, a dusty old bookshop nestled in the heart of London.

Through blackouts and air raids as the Blitz intensifies, Grace discovers the power of storytelling to unite her community in ways she never dreamed—a force that triumphs over even the darkest nights of the war.

Publication information:

Author: Madeline Martin

Publisher: Hanover Square Press (April 6, 2021)