Dedicated: The Last Bookshop in London (Review by Erin Woodward)
Rating 4.5/5 Stars
There really are so many great books that use World War II as a back drop. It was an incredibly difficult time for so many people providing rich characters making life and death decisions. The Last Book Shop in London is no exception.
This story follows Grace Bennett and her best friend Viv who move to London in 1939 right before the start of the war. Ideally Grace would have found herself among the gloves and lace of Harrods but instead finds herself in a dusty book shop in London’s Primrose Hill sorting through the stacks of books she’ll never read.
Enter George, a handsome customer who lends Grace his copy of The Count of Monte Cristo before heading to the front. The book ignites in Grace what many of us bookworms know too well, a love for the written word and helps her turn the store around.
This book is not only an epic historical novel but it’s a tribute to those that lived in London during the Blitz, so many stayed behind to protect their beloved city and often held down more than one job. Grace herself volunteers as a ARP (Air Raid Precautions) warden where she earns a heartfelt reputation for reading aloud underground during Air Raids.
GBC Reader Reviews
2 Comments
I absolutely loved this book and didn’t want it to end ! I’m also a historian born and raised in London . Please I would love to read more novels like this !! 5 stars !!!!!
I wanted to change my rating of the book to five stars, but for some reason, the website wouldn’t allow that. I really enjoyed this book because it was largely about the power of good literature helping us through our own lives. As a former English major and retired English teacher, I love books and discussing books with others. I will be leading the discussion of The Last Bookshop in London in one of the book clubs I belong to, and I am really looking forward to that. Some of my favorite books are set in the World War II time period, and each of those books is interesting and unique. The Last Bookshop in London is no different. I liked how this book dealt mostly with the affect of the Blitz on the who people trying to go on with their lives in London, particularly in the bookshop section of town. The characters were well-developed and interesting, as was the plot. This is a book I would like to read again and feel totally comfortable recommending it to anyone.