hgranger's review against another edition
4.0
Quirky, strange, a little awkward, and all together lovable. This goes for the story and the characters both. It's a bit slow-moving but it gives you time to get to know the people in the book, to feel the town, its sorrows and its joys, and to fall in love with all of it. I always love a book about books, and this one did not disappoint.
kcoccia's review against another edition
4.0
Very cute fun book. A little slow at the beginning but picked up.
marshmallowbooks's review against another edition
3.0
I tend to like books about books, so this was an interesting read. I enjoyed the small town feel of the people. I was listening to the book, and I think i would have gotten to know and love the characters more if I had been reading it.
novel_tea_book_reviews's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.25
chandraleereads's review against another edition
4.0
It’s odd... this book was slow at times and sometimes seemed like it had too many characters and little side stories. That all said, I didn’t really care about those things. The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend was so sweet and delightful that any “flaw” seemed like nothing more than small town charm. Several times I found myself wishing the book would be made into an adorable movie. This book was just what I needed.
hlogan's review against another edition
2.0
I could see what the author was trying to do here, and I so wanted it to be the charming book full of quirky characters that she was aiming for, but it just didn't get there. The characters were two-dimensional and inexplicably strange, and the author didn't hit the right notes or plot points, so the storyline just felt incongruous. Bummer.
wildsalmon's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcoholism and Death
madlymusing's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. It won't win any prizes for literature, but it's light and fun.
It's important to note that the original was written in Swedish. I enjoyed the writing structure; it's simple, but reminds me of a fable. There isn't much by way of plot, and the characters are more archetypal than anything else, but there's still something about it that warmed the cockles of my heart.
It's important to note that the original was written in Swedish. I enjoyed the writing structure; it's simple, but reminds me of a fable. There isn't much by way of plot, and the characters are more archetypal than anything else, but there's still something about it that warmed the cockles of my heart.
livrad's review against another edition
2.0
Sara and Amy are book-loving pen pals, and just when Sara makes the trip from Sweden to small town Iowa to meet, she arrives right after Amy has died. She then stays in town for a while, opening a bookshop from all of Amy's books, despite the fact that the dead-end town isn't full of other readers.
This is a book strictly for book lovers, as it is as much about the plots of other books as it is about its own plot—probably more so, considering how little happens in this book. Even though I love reading and books and books about books, this novel was too sleepy. It had several elements I would normally love in a book (small town setting, ensemble cast, bookish plot, Nordic influences); however, the final product just wasn't to my liking.
The blurb compares it to The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, which was a grand mistake, as this just doesn't reach the same depth or impact. There was a shallowness to the plot that leaned too much toward a cozy book vs. contemporary fiction, let alone literary fiction. And many of the characters were one dimensional or forgettable.
This is a book strictly for book lovers, as it is as much about the plots of other books as it is about its own plot—probably more so, considering how little happens in this book. Even though I love reading and books and books about books, this novel was too sleepy. It had several elements I would normally love in a book (small town setting, ensemble cast, bookish plot, Nordic influences); however, the final product just wasn't to my liking.
The blurb compares it to The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, which was a grand mistake, as this just doesn't reach the same depth or impact. There was a shallowness to the plot that leaned too much toward a cozy book vs. contemporary fiction, let alone literary fiction. And many of the characters were one dimensional or forgettable.