Review: The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry

The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


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.

-- I knew I had a hit on my hands the minute I read that we would be reading about books. Who doesn't love reading about books in a book??? I adored it! But AJ, although a gruff character, you have to love him! Each character, A.J., Lambiase, Amelia, Maya, Ismay and a few others -- all are so enjoyable and some not so much.

I fell in love and I read in about 5 hours. Told in little snippets, AJ has gotten a second chance. He is a grumpy man. His wife has passed. After being drunk, he finds someone has stolen his precious copy of a limited edition of a poem book of Edgar Allen Poe's. Then, leaving his door unlocked to go running one day, someone leaves a baby in the bookstore. After finding the mother's body floating dead, AJ decides to keep Maya.

What a wonderful story! I recommend it highly! You will come to love AJ and all the inhabitants! It ended way too quickly for me! Zevin is an author I wouldn't even think twice about putting the book in my cart. When I see her name from now on, it will just be added! Thank you shereads.org and Zevin for such a great read!

I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion!



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