Scan barcode
liz_mcc's review against another edition
3.0
Really enjoyed learning more about Shakespeare and Company, the woman behind it, and this time period in Paris. I had no idea about the shop's tie to Joyce's Ulysses and knew nothing about the impressive Sylvia Beach. This book made me want to read more about her!
Historical fiction about real people is sort of odd to me. I appreciated the author's note at the end that helps explain what's real and what's imagined/embellished but the concept is still strange to me and why I'm only giving it 3 stars.
Historical fiction about real people is sort of odd to me. I appreciated the author's note at the end that helps explain what's real and what's imagined/embellished but the concept is still strange to me and why I'm only giving it 3 stars.
dielesemotte's review against another edition
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Die Buchhändlerin von Paris hat mich sehr oft hin- und hergerissen. Anfangs war ich gar nicht begeistert, dann kamen Abschnitte, die mir richtig gut gefallen haben, und dann wieder Teile, die schwächer waren. Ich glaube der Hauptkritikpunkt war für mich, dass mir Sylvia zu flach geschrieben war. Ich habe bei so vielen der Nebencharaktere mitgefühlt, aber die Gefühle der Protagonistin selbst wurden mir häufig nicht deutlich genug. Trotzdem hat mir die eindeutige Liebe zur Literatur gefallen und ich sehe das Buch als eine angenehme Art an, ein bisschen was über die Geschichte der queeren Community in Paris und über James Joyces Ulysses zu lernen.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide and War
annacabrespina's review against another edition
4.0
M'ha agradat moltíssim!!! <3 m'ha transportat a parís dels anys 30, i sobretot quan parlava de les relacions i dinàmiques socials del moment m'ha semblat preciós. La relació entre l'Adrienne i la Sylvia també, i quant a les referències literàries no se'm han fet gens pesades. El personatge d'en James Joyce si que m'ha molestat una mica, m'ha semblat molt egocèntric. L'únic que no se'm ha fet tan distret han sigut les cartes intercanviades entre escriptors i editors, ja que apareixen completes al llibre i en ocasions no m'interessaven tant. En general m'ha encantat, molt recomanat!
uncreativeoops's review against another edition
Didn't like the writing style. This also felt like the most American perspective on Paris and Sylvia beach; I fon't think this is how people talk actually. I also might just not like historical novels - there are interviews and videos with these people and it feels really strange to read made-up dialogue between them. And I always feel like the novel is just ticking boxes in what has to happen and what facts need to be mentioned, especially with characters from relatively recent history.
emna507's review
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
sofi0518's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars rounded up
The start of this book was shaky for me. I did not enjoy the start of Sylvia and Adrienne's relationship - I don't know how much of this was true or artistic license on the author's part but it just turned me off. However, once Sylvia established her bookstore and the literary characters showed up on the scene, I was hooked. Just imagining all of those amazing people wandering around Paris was fascinating. Sylvia's journey to get Ulysses published was also very interesting, especially for someone like me who lives in a state where MATH books are getting banned - the more things change, the more they stay the same. Her relationship with James Joyce was just so complicated - she was better than he deserved.
Sylvia was a woman way ahead of her time.
Now I am off to read Ulysses!!!
The start of this book was shaky for me. I did not enjoy the start of Sylvia and Adrienne's relationship - I don't know how much of this was true or artistic license on the author's part but it just turned me off. However, once Sylvia established her bookstore and the literary characters showed up on the scene, I was hooked. Just imagining all of those amazing people wandering around Paris was fascinating. Sylvia's journey to get Ulysses published was also very interesting, especially for someone like me who lives in a state where MATH books are getting banned - the more things change, the more they stay the same. Her relationship with James Joyce was just so complicated - she was better than he deserved.
Sylvia was a woman way ahead of her time.
Now I am off to read Ulysses!!!
alavandula's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.5
mtm7's review against another edition
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
annineamundsen's review against another edition
4.0
Very interesting book based on the true story of Sylvia Beach opening Shakespeare and Company in Paris, as well as publishing Ulysses by James Joyce. There's a cast of many well-known authors, who were actually regulars at the bookstore and Sylvia's friends.
Oh and she was a lesbian, living with her partner who also owned a bookstore
CW: death of a parent, death of a pet, mentions of war and PTSD, suicide, economic troubles
Oh and she was a lesbian, living with her partner who also owned a bookstore
CW: death of a parent, death of a pet, mentions of war and PTSD, suicide, economic troubles