crafalsk264's review against another edition
emotional
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I am always pleased when I find that a work of historic fiction is actually based on real events or people. It is a bonus when I learn anything I didn’t know before. In this case, I learned that Nancy Mitford was a real person, an author and an investor in Heywood Hill, a London bookstore specializing in old, new and antiquarian books. I was pleased that this book’s description of Nancy Mitford and Heywood Hill shadowed the Wikipedia entrries for both.
Nancy Mitford was the oldest of six Mitford sisters whose controversial lives, style and fashion made them celebrities during the time between the two World Wars. Nancy sought a career as an author and succeeded in publishing several novels. This dual timeline includes a current plot line of Katie Cabot’s flight from her home in Virginia to England after her engagement is broken, Katie comes to stay with a friend in London. She visits Heywood Hill Books—the same store that Nancy had worked at during WWII. Here Katie discovers that Nancy’s letters, papers and drafts of manuscripts still exist and Katie can go through them for her book on Nancy that she wants to write.
This story is intriguing and the characters in the WWII timeline are well developed. The current timeline is not as robust. The little mysteries are solved and the ending is satisfactory. I enjoyed the WWII storyline. The current timeline was weaker but sufficient to advance the story. Although this is not one of my favorite books, I did enjoy it. Recommend to readers who enjoy historical fiction, books-about-books, WWII and British literature.
just_cress's review
3.0
I'm not familiar with the family that inspired this but I enjoyed it enough. Overall, solid body of work.
melmo2610's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this dual time story. I have never read Nancy Mitford's works nor knew much about her before reading this story. This fictionalized account of a brief period of her life was interesting to me for sure as I love a good WW2 story(a personal time period favorite of mine). I really liked the contemporary story line as well. It was really a fun one and held my attention even a bit better than Nancy's storyline. My only minor complaints about the book were I could have done with out all the cussing, and I would have liked to see more of an ending on the contemporary storyline. It was left a bit at loose ends for me. All in all, this was a fun and relatively quick read for me.
tash_turns_pages's review
3.0
Listened to this on audio. Only my second audiobook ever. I enjoyed it. Had to pay close attention as there are lots of characters
quiche12's review
4.0
Part historical fiction and part literary thriller, The Bookseller’s Secret is an absorbing and entertaining read. The novel is told in two dual timelines – London in the 1940s and current day. Both timelines follow two women writers both struggling with writer’s block. One of them is the incredible real-life Nancy Mitford. The other, Katie Cabot is a (fictional) American author who is invited to London by her best friend. Katie idolises Nancy and when she visits the bookshop where Nancy worked in during the war, a spell is cast. Throw in a rather dashing English teacher and a hunt for a missing Mitford manuscript and you have the makings of a rousing thriller. But the story of Nancy is just as intriguing – her notorious family and circle of friends are compelling, sometimes ghastly and frequently amusing! Nancy is desperate to write again and has almost given up when a charismatic Frenchman enters her life and changes it forever.
If you love books and can spend hours in bookshops, this is the book for you. If you’re in a reading slump, this will remind of you why we love books and why they will always play a part in people’s lives.
If you love books and can spend hours in bookshops, this is the book for you. If you’re in a reading slump, this will remind of you why we love books and why they will always play a part in people’s lives.
sophia_she1's review
4.0
very slow start, took me awhile to get into it
eclectic characters & dialogue on both sides of history, makes some of the reading hard bc you have to reread to make sure that actually happened
what really sold me is the fact that the entire historical aspect is REAL?!? did not know that & crazy what she could do with it (maybe crazier that this was real life...)
also didn't like that she mentioned Covid, gave me the ick
+ final thought: her last armie scene hit a little too close to home...
eclectic characters & dialogue on both sides of history, makes some of the reading hard bc you have to reread to make sure that actually happened
what really sold me is the fact that the entire historical aspect is REAL?!? did not know that & crazy what she could do with it (maybe crazier that this was real life...)
also didn't like that she mentioned Covid, gave me the ick
+ final thought: her last armie scene hit a little too close to home...
bnelson13's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was a lovely story. It was a nice lighthearted read and I enjoyed the characters of both Nancy and Katie. The plot was definitely there, but for me, I felt like the secret fell a little short for me and could have been delved into maybe a little more. Great for a quick read though, not a heavy topic.
robinlovesreading's review
4.0
Nancy Mitford was one of six sisters and they couldn't have been any more different. For example, Nancy was a novelist, sister Pamela was a countrywoman, and Diana was a Fascist. Then there was Unity, a Hitler confidante and Jessica, the Communist, while Deborah was a Duchess. They also had a brother named Thomas. Indeed, all of the siblings were strikingly different.
Although this novel is based on the true-life story of Nancy Freeman-Mitford, an English novelist, it was not a biography, and was written as historical fiction. Nancy had a wonderful writing career, but after expericing a devastating loss, as well as being estranged from her husband, she gave up writing. Once known as the Bright Young Thing, it was her sisters who were continuing to make headlines.
Nancy is forced to find a way to earn an income, so she takes the opportunity to manage the Heywood Hill bookshop. One of her customers sees more for Nancy and this helps her to see that she just might write again. Meanwhile, in present time, Katie Cabot is searching for Nancy Mitford's unpublished manuscript. Katie's career needs a boost and unearthing said manuscript would definitely make waves. Then Katie meets Felix Assan, who is also searching for the manuscript and the two become allies. Slowly, the past and the present converge, especially as Katie and Felix dig deeper.
Whether the story takes place during the late 1940s or eighty years later, it is intriguing throughout. I love the extensive research this story proved. Although I had not heard of Nancy Mitford prior to reading this novel, I found her to be a very interesting person, and her trials made a deep impression on me. I also enjoyed how Katie's story developed as she searched for the manuscript, all while developing a kinship with Felix.
Many thanks to Graydon House and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Although this novel is based on the true-life story of Nancy Freeman-Mitford, an English novelist, it was not a biography, and was written as historical fiction. Nancy had a wonderful writing career, but after expericing a devastating loss, as well as being estranged from her husband, she gave up writing. Once known as the Bright Young Thing, it was her sisters who were continuing to make headlines.
Nancy is forced to find a way to earn an income, so she takes the opportunity to manage the Heywood Hill bookshop. One of her customers sees more for Nancy and this helps her to see that she just might write again. Meanwhile, in present time, Katie Cabot is searching for Nancy Mitford's unpublished manuscript. Katie's career needs a boost and unearthing said manuscript would definitely make waves. Then Katie meets Felix Assan, who is also searching for the manuscript and the two become allies. Slowly, the past and the present converge, especially as Katie and Felix dig deeper.
Whether the story takes place during the late 1940s or eighty years later, it is intriguing throughout. I love the extensive research this story proved. Although I had not heard of Nancy Mitford prior to reading this novel, I found her to be a very interesting person, and her trials made a deep impression on me. I also enjoyed how Katie's story developed as she searched for the manuscript, all while developing a kinship with Felix.
Many thanks to Graydon House and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.