The Bookshop on the Corner: Jenny Colgan

I Liked this book. And… I didn’t like this book.

I know. I Know. That’s ambiguous. The last thing anyone wants in a book review is an ambiguous report, but that’s the whole of it. I liked it. I didn’t like it. I completely recommend reading it.

It’s not that novel (yes, I did go for the pun) of a plot line. (Let’s be honest, they’re well used plots because we love reading them.) There’s a woman approaching the big three zero, shy and timid, uses reading as her shield, works in a library. There’s a bold and much more fabulous roommate; a cranky, wannabe Fitzgerald co-worker, who sort of has a thing for her, and of course is much more cut throat; and the inevitable cuts to the library to make way for a media center. Which is where our heroine goes dashing off into the unknown to follow the deepest desires of her heart.

I love this set up. I love the vicarious thrill of running off into the world, with only oneself as armor, seeing what can be made of it. It’s exciting. So I was quite happy to squash back in the recliner; if I glance up there’s a charming view of my Fisch’s pool, and the jessamine vines growing on the fence, and the fat pair of cardinals playing about in the bath. Everyone settled down in their own chair, with their own book.

Here’s what I like about the book:

The character’s. I love a book with supporting character’s that are real. People that I can see meeting in my real life, with there own histories, and problems – even if they aren’t discussed in page, I can sense them looming between the lines. It’s part of the magic that suspends reality. This book has plenty of real characters. People I would have liked to have read more about. People I almost liked more than the main character.

Here’s what I didn’t like about the book:

I knew who she was going to end up with, and I knew who the creep was going to be. In and of itself, that isn’t so bad. However, I felt the endgame romantic relationship was understandable but lacked development. The creep relationship was so believable in the way it played out, but (and here’s the kicker) everyone made our heroine responsible for it. As if she should have known. (disclaimer, nothing violent happens, there’s just a douchie male character). That’s a theme throwout the book, her behavior is at fault, and she should have known, or assumed things that I think are ridiculous for anyone to go through there lives assuming.

Then at the very end, a character makes her first, on page appearance, and GAH! this character was so cliched, and trite, it almost ruined the whole book for me. After all the lovely, annoying, believable characters, this one was thrown in, and while people like this exist, it was like the water suddenly going cold when you’ve just lathered up your hair.

Here’s the thing. There are bits I was entirely charmed by, bits that made me laugh, bits that made grumble, and sigh, and roll my eyes. But I finished it, in one afternoon. I am a person that feels life is too short to wear ugly shoes, eat bad food, or read un-enjoyable books. I didn’t set this one aside.

Overall:

Four out of Five for world building.

Four out of Five for Background Characters

Three out of Five for Main Protagonist

Three out of Five for Overall Satisfaction

Would recommend, but not the hardback version, maybe a share-around with your book friends. Do other people have share-around books, that sort of float between people, and no-one knows who it belongs too?