The Storied Life Of A. J. Fikry (Thorndike Press Large Print Basic) Paperback – Large Print, December 10, 2014

I love books about bookstores. I like quirky characters. I like a good premise. This book had all these but I didn’t come away with any great fondness for the writing style or the characters. It didn’t ring true. It was choppy. It did not evoke any feelings of sentimentality or sadness because these were cardboard characters. Maya, as a child, children do not speak that way. The slow pace of the courtship — I almost just gave up. These are thirtysomethings acting like junior high kids. The cop story line was totally unbelievable too. Sorry, it had so much promise but ultimately let me down.

This is a love story: love between adults, love of a child, and love of books, not at all the type of book I generally read. I LOVED it! A.J. has been rather a curmudgeon since his wife died. He runs a small bookstore on a small island. When a child is abandoned in his store, he first fosters then adopts her. She becomes a reader, and books are integral to the plot. Add in a publishing house representative, a sister-in-law married to a writer, a cop who isn't a reader (yet), and several other rolks (including an alcoholic actor who impersonates a beloved author) and you have a story that will make you giggle, make you cry a bit, and thoroughly entertain you from beginning to end. I cannot give a higher recommendation.

"We aren't the things we collect, acquire, read. We are, for as long as we are here, only love. The things we loved. The people we loved."This will be one of those rare unicorns of a book that will go on my favorites shelf and that I will recommend to all of my friends.Everything about this book completely and utterly captivated me to a point where I spent all Labor Day reading this book and basking in all the emotions it dredged up. You will want to finish this all in one sitting so beware. It is also a book that you will want to read and re-read which brings to mind a point A.J. Fikry made that books come to you during certain times of your life where they will mean something special and relevant to what you are going through and at opposing times they may mean and touch your heart in an entirely different way.The storied life of a.j. Fikry is one that will remain in my heart and mind. It's a story that I can only imagine for some reason or another will resonate with all readers.Read this book!! You won't be sorry! You can thank me later!

First let me say-this is not your normal review. I started doing the treadmill. And it was really long and tedious. Then I started listening to music and that helped a bit. Then one day I took my kindle and reading while I was working on the treadmill made the time go by faster. I was looking for a book to read-and stumbled on to the Storied Life of AJ FIkry. Let me say, this isn't one of those blockbusters, or torrid romances, or brainless memoirs. Thank goodness. This is such a great little book. I limit myself to reading it while I am working on the treadmill-and I find myself looking forward to each morning when I can read a little more of this lovely book. The time on the treadmill passes by so quickly, I am sad when I have to put in the bookmark and wait till next morning to visit my friends at the bookstore. I am not finished yet, but I know I will be sad when I am. It is a lovely book. The characters are real and they make you smile and sometimes even chuckle. Kudos to Ms. Zevin

This book reads like a bad high school report. The author jumps around, does not connect situations, leaves loose ends, and uses bad language and situations that are not necessary! Sometimes they just seem like they are thrown in for shock value, which is common for authors who do not know how to write. How this made it on the New York's Best Seller List is unbelievable!!!! Would NOT recommend this book to anyone!!!!

I was pleasantly surprised by many turns in this novel. I actually didn't have any idea what the book was about when I started reading - and, at this point - having finished, I think I know what it's about but I'm unsure that I could really describe the "type" of book to anyone who asked. There's a line that stands out (not a direct quote) that says something like - each book hits you in a different way depending upon where you are in life when you read it. This book, although different from my life, still affected me emotionally... yet, not like it did my friend who recommended it. She was in tears at the end of the book. I did feel sad, but she has children and I do not. Maybe, because I am at a little different spot in life than she is, that is why the book was a little different for each of us. Still, it was an interesting read.

I am torn between liking this book and thinking it's a quirky mess. The good and bad things that happen are abrupt. There isn't much leading up to and no emotional after effects of the life and story changing events. At the same time I like the quirkiness of the characters and the story. I can imagine going to the book store and loving it. I think the characters critiquing of the books and bookstore itself are the main characters because that's what I loved and felt warm in my heart about. I did have a fondness for A. J. It was a pleasant read although I could have put it down at anytime and probably forgotten it. I think this book will be different things to different people. If anything I said made sense and helped you decide I'm glad but I think you have to read it for yourself to form an opinion..

This was recommended to me by my wife and I'm pleased I took her advice because it is a little gem. It's an uplifting, feel-good novel which whisks the reader through a whole range of emotions before building to a climax that ties things off just perfectly. I knew I was going to like it a few pages in when AJ, the irascible owner of the only bookshop on Alice Island, launched into an impassioned tirade about the kind of books he does NOT like and, with only a few exceptions, managed to pin to the board just about all of my own thoughts on the matter. I do hope we're meant to like him because, if not, I spent far too many pages nodding in agreement or punching the air.With a big-hearted offering such as this, clearly aimed at the mainstream, it's easy sometimes to overlook the quality of the writing but Gabrielle Zevin has clearly put her extensive reading to good use. There are wonderful set pieces here that tug at the emotions and such impressive restraint characterises the writing, preventing it from falling into schmaltzy overkill.Strongly recommend this! Book clubs will love it . . . as will anyone with an ounce of humanity.

This book had been on my radar for such a long time and after reading it I regret leaving it so long. Though sad in places it's wonderfully uplifting,charming and humourous and if you've not read it, I urge you too; particularly if you've enjoyed books like The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend, 84 Charing Cross Road or The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.Initially AJ came across as a spiky unlikeable character, but as you get to know him you'll realise he's just protecting himself and really has a heart of gold. The secondary characters all play significant parts with none of them feeling like fillers which I liked. I honestly don't think I disliked any of them which is rare.What really comes through also is the author's love of books and how well read she is to be able to have the mini analysis and empart these little pearls of wisdom at the start of each chapter. These some way link to main character's daughter throughout and as she grows up which is really sweet.Occasionally twee, but I think any book lover will take Island Books and its owners and customers into their hearts and will think about them long after the final page is turned.

It just goes to show that I shouldn't believe other people.Nice thoughts. Sentimental. Sad, of course.An easy read with no surprises. Not much happens and then it ends.Yes, the importance of books comes through. Yes, Maya changes AJ's life. But I couldn't find much that hooked me.I read on as it was quite short, but after recently finishing Robin Hobb's Assassin trilogy I found the book clumsy and the writing quite infantile. Dialogue was odd and I think I would have rather watched a film with similar sentiments, acted well enough to tug at the heart.A bit if a yawn.

A grumpy, widowed bookseller finds a small child in his shop one afternoon. For reasons it's not necessary to explain here, he gets to keep the child, and bring her up. She becomes the joy of his life, amongst other rather nice things that happen. It's a book for bookie people too. Loads of book titles appear on these pages, and also there is the mysterious disappearance of a book that Mr Fikrey owns that might just be worth a small fortune. Easy to read, but a story with a real heart. The author has written another book I really liked - Elsewhere - and these two books ensure that if another is published, I will be reading it!

Strange start to this; thought the title character was an old grumpy Scrooge character, but is quickly revealed to be a half Indian binge drinking widow in his late 30s. This same thing happens a few pages later, when a sound of a crying baby changes in a few lines to a vocal two year old who can express opinions and views. Difficult to recalibrate once you've formed an image of a character.There's a truly cringe inducing scene in the otherwise ok film "Sideways" when one character asks another which wine was the one that got them hooked. This book has some similar moments - all the characters seem to find bonding moments when talking about their favourite books.This has a kind of Wonder Boys feel to it, and oddly reminiscent of the Harvey Keitel/William Hurt movie Smoke. It's also cute and lightly Dickensian, with a touch of Judy Blume, and slightly corny (bitter man reconnects to life and love through an abandoned child he's forced to look after). I got the several small "twists" right away, but that's not really the point of the book. As the blurb and other reviewers have pointed out it's about the love of books. And it succeeds, warmly. It's not earth shattering or life changing; not every book needs to be, but it's a quick, smartly written read that will leave you with a little smile and autumnal glow. I can already see the second tier movie; starring the kind of B list workmanlike actors you've seen before but couldn't say in what. Gently memorable.