Children's booksChildren's books This article is more than 7 years oldThe Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George - review
This article is more than 7 years old‘this book can only be described as a delight, passionate and unique novel’
I have this bookmark at home, it’s one from the book depository with a boy in the sky holding onto a balloon which is a book - this is the bookmark which I feel represents this book perfectly.
Going in I didn’t really know what this book was going to be about, but I knew it had a bookshop, Paris and more books in it, so of course I knew that I had to read this book! I am very glad I did too; this book can only be described as a delight, passionate and unique novel in itself. I found at many points I was so enwrapped in this world that the world around me seemed to have in fact evaded me. I know that it was after all only January when I read this book but I am quite sure and almost positive that this novel will almost certainly be in my top ten for 2016.
The story follows Monsieur Jean Perdu, he owns the ‘Literary Apothecary’ which is a book barge on Seine river in Paris. This ‘Literary Apothecary’ which Jean Perdu has is special, as he prescribes his customers books, choosing the books which they need as his insight guides him - it appears as if he is looking into the souls of the customer, choosing the books which will make them better versions of themselves. However despite his ability to mend others’ hearts, he seems to be unable to heal his own, left with a broken soul when his true love left him with his book barge and a departing letter. We begin the novel twenty years after these events and we see Perdu almost living a mundane half-life, not daring to open himself up to the world once more. However, when Catherine arrives she forces him to confront his past, and more importantly love again which pushes Perdu to set sail and begin to live again.
The story of the novel I can describe as magical; the writing which George uses makes the novel flow so effortlessly that you can’t help becoming engrossed in this world. Perhaps many will see it purely a story of love but I see the real core of the novel is embracing life; so many of us go about our days in a mundane routine that we almost forget to live. George embodies the meaning of living and life so well as with each supporting character that we meet, it engages us on a level so that we feel connected with every part of your living being. The character development, particularly of Perdu, Manon, Catherine and Max I feel is the main body of the novel, seeing the writing and conversation between the characters improve so much that it is hard to be able to even dislike even one character!
Each and every character are so unique, they really make the novel and make you want to continue to read ahead - but you know that, as Perdu preaches a few times in the novel, you have to take it slowly, delicately and breathe in every word and sentence. The novel itself appears to be a love letter to life, love and of course books, which I completely adore. I am so eager to read more by Nina George and anticipate highly the next novel of hers which I have the pleasure to read.
- Buy this book at the Guardian Bookshop
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