The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry
2014 • 273 pages
Ratings97
Average rating3.9
15
Ratings97
Average rating3.9
Special Free Preview! In the spirit of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, Gabrielle Zevin’s enchanting novel is a love letter to the world of books--and booksellers--that changes our lives by giving us the stories that open our hearts and enlighten our minds. On the faded Island Books sign hanging over the porch of the Victorian cottage is the motto "No Man Is an Island; Every Book Is a World." A. J. Fikry, the irascible owner, is about to discover just what that truly means. A. J. Fikry’s life is not at all what he expected it to be. His wife has died, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. Slowly but surely, he is isolating himself from all the people of Alice Island--from Lambiase, the well-intentioned police officer who’s always felt kindly toward Fikry; from Ismay, his sister-in-law who is hell-bent on saving him from his dreary self; from Amelia, the lovely and idealistic (if eccentric) Knightley Press sales rep who keeps on taking the ferry over to Alice Island, refusing to be deterred by A.J.’s bad attitude. Even the books in his store have stopped holding pleasure for him. These days, A.J. can only see them as a sign of a world that is changing too rapidly. And then a mysterious package appears at the bookstore. It’s a small package, but large in weight. It’s that unexpected arrival that gives A. J. Fikry the opportunity to make his life over, the ability to see everything anew. It doesn’t take long for the locals to notice the change overcoming A.J.; or for that determined sales rep, Amelia, to see her curmudgeonly client in a new light; or for the wisdom of all those books to become again the lifeblood of A.J.’s world; or for everything to twist again into a version of his life that he didn’t see coming. As surprising as it is moving, The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry is an unforgettable tale of transformation and second chances, an irresistible affirmation of why we read, and why we love.
Reviews with the most likes.
A cozy little story about the life of a small town book store owner which fully changes after a baby gets abandoned in his store. It's a story about choices that we make and the people that we choose to have around.
Even though there are some heavy themes, the underlining message and theme is hopeful and happy.
Books and the love of reading are an essential element to the story and are elemental in every characters life, and that's where I couldn't connect in the same way. I like reading, but not in the same life fulfilling way and I'm not as literary as all those characters.
What a real treasure. This book accomplishes so much in so few pages. At first A.J. Fikry is a very dis-likeable character. Why would I want to read about him? Keep reading. If you quit this book early, you are missing out on so much. The pages are short and the story moves along very quickly. The soul of this book is in the second half. It captures you. Nothing else exists but Alice Island and the little bookstore. It's a perfect little book for book lovers. Some books leave you happy, others sad, and others leave you wanting for more. This book... I just held it tight. It was happy, sad, mysterious, charming. It had a little bit of everything. It's a special little book and has earned a place of honor on my self.
Sometimes a book just leaves you feeling. I can't say with 100 percent certainty what I expected going into this book (things I knew about it: 1] It was likely literary fiction, and 2] it had something to do with books), but I know that got much more out of it. It's a simple story, in a way, though the plot gets a little convoluted at times. But this one's not so much about the plot, it's about the people, and the way that — like books — we connect with the right ones at the right time. You'll probably get more out of it if you're a reader, but as long you're a human, it's worth a read.
I loved this book, and I think it would make an even better movie. Zevin has an interesting, almost flat way of writing that is almost indescribable. She does not over-describe anything or anyone, but you still feel like the characters are whole. I loved that the book traveled over time and made it feel like snapshots in time. There's a great, subtle humor to this book.
People who like books about books and enjoy scenic small-towns with a little bit of a mystery will love this.
