There were things I liked about this book and things I disliked.
The good things: There was a scavenger hunt for Miranda, the main character, to find out a "secret". Miranda inherited a bookshop from an uncle that she hadn't seen in 16 years and he left her clues to follow. She wasn't even sure, however, why she was following these clues. The clues were very clever and incorporated quite a few book titles and quotations to find the next clue. I enjoyed all the references to the books that were used. A scavenger hunt of this kind to find something fun or a prize at the end would have been very enjoyable.
What I didn't like was the whole idea of a scavenger hunt to reveal the "big secret". It seemed like a lot of work on the part of both parties when the truth could have and should have just been told to Miranda. I love scavenger hunts for the fun of it. This hunt was to reveal a hurtful secret that should have been dealt with in a more loving and passionate way. I guess though if she had just been told, there would not have been a story to tell.
Booooorrrrrriiiinnnnngggggg⦠I figured out the family secret by the third chapter and skipped to the last three chapters just to make sure.
If you've come this far, you know the storyline: Miranda inherits her uncle's failing bookstore in LA. She enjoyed scavenger hunts with him as a child and after his death, he has presented her with numerous clues to solve a family secret.
This is an interesting read, not compelling but if you love old, independent bookstores, you will likely enjoy. The variety of characters and scavenger hunt clues kept my interest.
Even though the characters--including the MC-- in The Bookshop of Yesterdays are not always likeable or even sympathetic, they are, in the final analysis, quite human, and isn't that really what a good author strives for -- characters that are real and human? Well, perhaps a couple of the minor characters (Charlie and Lee) are sympathetic. Given that, the story was a veritable page-turner for me--a mystery with no crime, an intellectual and literary scavenger hunt, a family drama replete with romance and tragedy. It is a fitting and enjoyable nod to Shakespeare's The Tempest.
A wonderful read woven with mystery, family drama, romance and lovely, relatable characters. I especially like the book references and quotes intertwined throughout the story.
I live in LA so I know all the places Miranda speaks of; that added some interest for me. Otherwise it's a medium good read about a girl solving a family mystery. A quiet read, but engaging.
