veronicag's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Miscarriage, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Vomit
roniquereads's review
4.0
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This is going to seem odd, but the reason I liked this book was because I hated Mitchell van Leuven. Nope. Not going to sugar coat that. I did not like his character at all. In my mind while reading this story, Mitchell embodied every notion or idea I have about a person who has been given everything in his life but still believes he has nothing. He is a modern day Holden Caulfield. To complain about everything and everyone, yet do nothing about it to make it right while having every resource to do so is wasteful. I can't stand that mentality and therefore I could not stand him.
And I know it sounds off, to like a book because you hate a character. This book luckily is not about Mitchell however. It's centered around Esme Garland who is a British transfer student, studying Art in New York. I relate to her character because she is enamored by the world around her. She pays attention to the City, to the people and the effect she has on both. She remains quite simple and down to Earth, given the events that happen to her during this novel, and never loses her sense of self.
I liked Esme as a character as much as I disliked Mitchell. I think that's what made this story work for me. I really wanted Esme to write Mitchell off or tell him how selfish and ridiculous he was being but she never gave him the satisfaction of being down right angry at him. She just kind of let him continue his crazy elsewhere while dealing with the results of knowing him.
Esme finds solace in The Owl, a second hand bookstore at which she eventually finds a part-time job after learning she is pregnant. While Mitchell pretty much deserts her right before she is about to tell her the news, the employees and patrons of The Owl take her in and act as a second family to her during her pregnancy.
As much as this title angered me due to the blatant refusal of Mitchell and his family to take responsiblity for his actions, I loved the story between Esme and the city of New York and the patrons/workers of The Owl.
This is going to seem odd, but the reason I liked this book was because I hated Mitchell van Leuven. Nope. Not going to sugar coat that. I did not like his character at all. In my mind while reading this story, Mitchell embodied every notion or idea I have about a person who has been given everything in his life but still believes he has nothing. He is a modern day Holden Caulfield. To complain about everything and everyone, yet do nothing about it to make it right while having every resource to do so is wasteful. I can't stand that mentality and therefore I could not stand him.
And I know it sounds off, to like a book because you hate a character. This book luckily is not about Mitchell however. It's centered around Esme Garland who is a British transfer student, studying Art in New York. I relate to her character because she is enamored by the world around her. She pays attention to the City, to the people and the effect she has on both. She remains quite simple and down to Earth, given the events that happen to her during this novel, and never loses her sense of self.
I liked Esme as a character as much as I disliked Mitchell. I think that's what made this story work for me. I really wanted Esme to write Mitchell off or tell him how selfish and ridiculous he was being but she never gave him the satisfaction of being down right angry at him. She just kind of let him continue his crazy elsewhere while dealing with the results of knowing him.
Esme finds solace in The Owl, a second hand bookstore at which she eventually finds a part-time job after learning she is pregnant. While Mitchell pretty much deserts her right before she is about to tell her the news, the employees and patrons of The Owl take her in and act as a second family to her during her pregnancy.
As much as this title angered me due to the blatant refusal of Mitchell and his family to take responsiblity for his actions, I loved the story between Esme and the city of New York and the patrons/workers of The Owl.
nicolebonia's review
I went into The Bookstore expecting to really enjoy it. Sadly I didn’t as much as I had hoped, but I was invested enough to read until the end to find out what happened to Esme and her pregnancy.
A lot of this novel unfolds in conversations, and I didn’t find very many of them to be convincing, or particularly interesting. Part of the problem is that about half take place in the bookstore, The Owl (I guess to be expected in a novel so titled). I learned some things about all of them, but I didn’t get a chance to know anyone beyond superficial interactions. There wasn’t much depth.
Esme’s relationship with Mitchell was also problematic. He shows repeatedly that he doesn’t seem to be that much in love, and was such an ass to the point that it seems as if Meyler is hinting at mental illness or some sort of deficiency. Their relationship and the depth of Esme’s feelings for him never made sense. Esme seemed to like him well enough in the beginning, but was also much more concerned about school, and the new life she was building in New York. In many respects her behavior did make sense for a woman in love, and in a toxic relationship. I just didn’t see the love, so it was very hard to understand why she went through the things she did.
It wasn’t all loss. I did enjoy the descriptions of the bookstore and some of the patrons, Esme’s work on her graduate degree, and the discussions of authors, artists, novels, and the literary life in general. My finishing The Bookstore was driven by trying to see what perspective Esme gains around choices concerning her pregnancy and relationship, but unfortunately the novel’s conclusion was unsatisfying. It ended rather abruptly – with few indications of where Esme will go next, or how much of her past has been resolved. Less ambiguity by the end would have gone a long way in shaping how I felt by the novel’s end. As it stands, I was more disappointed than not.
A lot of this novel unfolds in conversations, and I didn’t find very many of them to be convincing, or particularly interesting. Part of the problem is that about half take place in the bookstore, The Owl (I guess to be expected in a novel so titled). I learned some things about all of them, but I didn’t get a chance to know anyone beyond superficial interactions. There wasn’t much depth.
Esme’s relationship with Mitchell was also problematic. He shows repeatedly that he doesn’t seem to be that much in love, and was such an ass to the point that it seems as if Meyler is hinting at mental illness or some sort of deficiency. Their relationship and the depth of Esme’s feelings for him never made sense. Esme seemed to like him well enough in the beginning, but was also much more concerned about school, and the new life she was building in New York. In many respects her behavior did make sense for a woman in love, and in a toxic relationship. I just didn’t see the love, so it was very hard to understand why she went through the things she did.
It wasn’t all loss. I did enjoy the descriptions of the bookstore and some of the patrons, Esme’s work on her graduate degree, and the discussions of authors, artists, novels, and the literary life in general. My finishing The Bookstore was driven by trying to see what perspective Esme gains around choices concerning her pregnancy and relationship, but unfortunately the novel’s conclusion was unsatisfying. It ended rather abruptly – with few indications of where Esme will go next, or how much of her past has been resolved. Less ambiguity by the end would have gone a long way in shaping how I felt by the novel’s end. As it stands, I was more disappointed than not.
caslater83's review
4.0
This is my first Deborah Meyler novel. I'm quite pleased with her writing skills. Esme Garland sounds like a lovely young woman, someone that I think I could be friends with, even with our cultural differences. However, her taste in boyfriends makes me cringe. Mitchell is a selfish stuck-up snob who only thinks of his sexual needs, his public image, and his family fortune.
I sense that the author (Ms. Meyler) wanted us to develop an early approval/like for Luke. Naturally, it worked for me. Luke is the type of guy that seems to quietly like Esme, even though she doesn't really want to admit that Mitchell is all wrong for her. He's not really pushing the "Mitchell is not the guy you need in your life" envelope. He's letting her figure it out for herself, even though it does take some heartache on both sides. Love isn't just a feeling. It's action. What are you willing to do for love? Luke was willing to let the relationship between Mitchell and Esme fizzle out. He was still there for Esme while Mitchell was off doing his own thing. Luke's got heart. Mitchell doesn't even know what a heart is.
I hope that the next book I read will be as good as this one. It only got 4 stars instead of 5 because of the sexual content. Aside from that, I was perfectly happy with the book.
I sense that the author (Ms. Meyler) wanted us to develop an early approval/like for Luke. Naturally, it worked for me. Luke is the type of guy that seems to quietly like Esme, even though she doesn't really want to admit that Mitchell is all wrong for her. He's not really pushing the "Mitchell is not the guy you need in your life" envelope. He's letting her figure it out for herself, even though it does take some heartache on both sides. Love isn't just a feeling. It's action. What are you willing to do for love? Luke was willing to let the relationship between Mitchell and Esme fizzle out. He was still there for Esme while Mitchell was off doing his own thing. Luke's got heart. Mitchell doesn't even know what a heart is.
I hope that the next book I read will be as good as this one. It only got 4 stars instead of 5 because of the sexual content. Aside from that, I was perfectly happy with the book.
sjj169's review
1.0
I have no clue why I finished this book. I did it though. I always feel guilty if I don't make it through an ARC so I guess that prodded me on.
The main character Esme..good grief. The woman is living in New York working on her PHD for Gawd's sake. You think she would have a brain in her head. She does not even come close. Let that man walk all over you sister..while you whine that you love him. Make me sick.
I so wanted to just say walk away from his ass. You can raise a baby. Quit giving women a bad name!
Then there is Mitchell. This asshole has got to be one of my all time hates in a love interest. I can't even say he was the love interest. He was the sperm donor. That is all. He dumps her, finds out she is pregnant, comes back to try and make her choose between him or having the baby. Then Mr. Charming decides he wants to marry her. What does she do?? Frigging agrees.
She should have been saying this to him instead.
This book was supposed to be about a bookstore. There is some bookstore in it but it takes a backseat to this excuse of a love story. I may puke.
Then while Esme is pregnant she constantly whines about not being able to have a drink.
I hope that I have better sense next time and just slam the kindle shut if I pick up a book as bad as this.
I recieved an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I'm guessing this is about as honest as it gets.
The main character Esme..good grief. The woman is living in New York working on her PHD for Gawd's sake. You think she would have a brain in her head. She does not even come close. Let that man walk all over you sister..while you whine that you love him. Make me sick.
I so wanted to just say walk away from his ass. You can raise a baby. Quit giving women a bad name!
Then there is Mitchell. This asshole has got to be one of my all time hates in a love interest. I can't even say he was the love interest. He was the sperm donor. That is all. He dumps her, finds out she is pregnant, comes back to try and make her choose between him or having the baby. Then Mr. Charming decides he wants to marry her. What does she do?? Frigging agrees.
She should have been saying this to him instead.
This book was supposed to be about a bookstore. There is some bookstore in it but it takes a backseat to this excuse of a love story. I may puke.
Then while Esme is pregnant she constantly whines about not being able to have a drink.
I hope that I have better sense next time and just slam the kindle shut if I pick up a book as bad as this.
I recieved an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I'm guessing this is about as honest as it gets.
abbyistrying's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
booksnaturemagic's review
1.0
I wanted to like this book! I love bookstores and books, used to live in NYC and enjoy stories about the city, and I was intrigued by the plot about a single mom deciding to have a baby on her own. But ick. The main character, Esme, is so weak and, honestly, unbelievable. It is totally not plausible to me that a grown woman who traveled across the world to get her PhD at Columbia and is living on her own in NYC, studying art history and well versed in feminist theory and literature - that she would stay with a man who was so blatantly awful - belittling, controlling, perhaps even abusive. There was nothing at all plausible about their relationship - it was so obviously WRONG and she kept making dumb decisions that I couldn't stomach someone who was in her shoes would continue to make! And it was also blatantly obvious that the reader is supposed to yearn for her to end up with some other guy who works in the bookstore - predictable. The other thing that bugged me was how the author's snotty, hipster or perhaps intellectual bias kept slipping out. Disappointing - couldn't even finish it. Too frustrating.
nolsreadsbooks's review
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
This book was shit
hsimonton's review
2.0
Couldn't finish this. I don't think Esme could have made a worse decision if she had tried - maybe she was trying
adrienneambo's review
3.0
Listened to this debut in the audio format. The narrator brought Esme Garland to life, so much so that I wanted to strangle some sense into her!!! On a PhD fellowship to Columbia for art history, Esme becomes involved with upper crust New Yorker, Mitchell van Leuven. Not all that glitters is gold and Esme discovers after becoming pregnant that Mitchell is not what he seems. Needing extra funds, Esme takes a position at the Owl, a small independent bookstore. I really enjoyed the story and thought the characters were well rounded, but at times a little pompous for my liking.