I think my book group chose this book of short stories to gain some insight into contemporary China. Well, I'm not sure what I am taking away from these 10 stories. They certainly don't play to stereotype. Most don't even really end. Some hint at magical realism and some just left me with a dissatisfied sense of understanding. Chen is a journalist and it does seem like she went looking for a story, reported what she saw and then just decided, "there. done." I guess maybe she is saying, "We are a large, diverse country and not what the west expects." If pulling back the curtain was her intent, I am still not sure what it is I am meant to see.
Tuesday, November 2, 2021
The Last Bookshop in London by Madelin Martin
In 1939, young Grace Bennett and her best friend Viv want nothing more than to leave the quiet streets of Norfolk for the excitement of London. Both dream of working at Harrod's but without recommendations from a previous employer, that can't happen. Viv is not above a little white lie and fakes a letter which lands her a coveted job on Harrod's shopping floor. Grace, instead, must rely on the generosity of her mother's friend and temporarily work as an assistant to the curmudgeonly Mr. Evans,` owner of Primrose Hill Books. Tucked away on a side street, far away from stylish Paternoster Row where multiple bookstores looked out on each other, the shop is dusty and disorganized. With little interest in reading, Grace hopes she can survive her 6 months of employment with enough skill that she will earn her a good recommendation and be off to join Viv. But the war and the blitz and Grace's own journey to self discovery change all that. A warm fuzzy tribute to the power of reading and small book stores everywhere.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)