Review: The Printed Letter Bookshop

The Printed Letter Bookshop The Printed Letter Bookshop by Katherine Reay
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I don't go into work on Fridays, but that doesn't mean it's a day off, and I have a disciplined schedule to make sure I don't get sidetracked and not get any work done.

However, today I gave myself a slacker day, setting aside my regular schedule to finish The Printed Letter Bookshop.

This is the story of a small bookstore in Illinois, told from the perspective of three very different protagonists. Yes, three main characters with their own ways of seeing the world, each tied to Maddie, the deceased owner of the bookstore.

At first the different perspectives were distracting, but ultimately I came to appreciate how Reay weaves them together to illustrate the necessity of community and the importance of recognizing that there is no single story in a story because we all view events and circumstances differently.

There was a happy, fairly predictable ending, but the ending didn't feel forced like so many books do when they end the way you want them to end. This felt natural and satisfying, and when I finished the book, I felt rested and ready to start the rest of my book.

After I wrote this review.

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