Book Review: "The Last Bookshop In London" by Madeline Martin

Book: “The Last Bookshop In London” by Madeline Martin

Release Date: April 6, 2021

Genres: Historical Fiction, WWII, Romance

Pages: 320

Rating: 4.25/5 ⭐

Synopsis:

"Inspired by the true World War II history of the few bookshops to survive the Blitz, The Last Bookshop in London is a timeless story of wartime loss, love and the enduring power of literature.

August 1939: London prepares for war as Hitler’s forces sweep across Europe. Grace Bennett has always dreamed of moving to the city, but the bunkers and blackout curtains that she finds on her arrival were not what she expected. And she certainly never imagined she’d wind up working at Primrose Hill, a dusty old bookshop nestled in the heart of London. Through blackouts and air raids as the Blitz intensifies, Grace discovers the power of storytelling to unite her community in ways she never dreamed—a force that triumphs over even the darkest nights of the war."

My Review:

What I liked:

• I have always loved learning about history but I had never got into reading historical fiction, however after having read this book, historical fiction has become one of my favorite genres!! This is the first historical fiction book that I have read through and finished and I can say wholeheartedly that "The Last Bookshop in London" was an amazing read and definitely a 4.25-star rating for me!! Madeline Martin makes amazing historical fiction books and you can tell she takes her time to keep the stories historically accurate and engaging. This novel about WW2 is both sweet and tear-jerking at the same time and brings the reader on a journey of the characters’ love and loss as well as shines a light on the positive impact of books.

• I loved how we learn a lot about the characters as well as seeing how their involvement helps both progress the story as well as deepen its meaning. I really liked Grace’s character and believe she is a character everyone can learn from; she is sweet, helpful, creative, and has a lot of bravery and courage. She carries a lot of weight from her past and current living situation with her family, so she decides to leave with her best friend Viv to London so they both can get a fresh start and follow their dreams, even amid the current war going on. Even with all the hardships from her past as well as the new ones, she always shows dedication to everything she does and she is never bitter with anyone. She is always sweet and tries to help as best as she can. All of the characters that Grace interacts with help build up her character development as well as the plot, especially these characters;

- Viv: Viv is a very outgoing and encouraging friend who is always supportive of Grace. She shows bravery and always does what she believes needs to be done to protect and help others around her.

- George: George is a strong intellectual man and he helps open Grace’s eyes to the beauty of reading which then helps Grace become an avid reader.

-Evans: At the start, Evans appeared to be a standoffish character but as time went on seeing Evans open up and start accepting and admiring Grace as well as her creativity and ideas, was beautiful.

- Mrs. Weatherford: Mrs. Weatherford is a strong and caring older lady who stands up for everyone she cares for. She knows what she wants and what is best for others and she goes after it full force.

- Colin: Colin is a very wholesome and loving character. He is a hard worker and loves taking care of the people around him as well as animals.

• I liked how raw this book felt at times and how it didn’t try to hide or sugarcoat the reality of war. I learned a lot about what people had to do and sacrifice during this time and the devastating effects the war had on the people and their environment. This is definitely a book I believe people can learn from.

What I didn’t like as much:

• Although I love Grace’s character, the only thing that I didn’t like was that she didn’t stand up for herself as often as she could have. She usually stayed silent when being talked down on and although I do believe not everything deserves a response, I do think Grace could have stood up for herself more often instead of other characters having to do it for her most times. Besides that, I love her character, and her beauty really shows inside and out.

Why you should read this book:

• If you are looking for a historical fiction book that has a good balance of wholesome and tearjerking moments, I would recommend this book. You can learn many aspects about WW2 through this book and still be able to enjoy the characters and the plot without any details being overwhelming. This book definitely opened my eyes to how great historical fiction is and I am very happy to have found another author and genre that I can add to my favorites!!