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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
lucindarella321's review
emotional
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, and Death of parent
ellaxo's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Minor: Alcoholism, Misogyny, Lesbophobia, and War
sinewton's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide and War
olive21's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, and Death of parent
Moderate: Chronic illness, Suicide, and Alcohol
Minor: Antisemitism and War
zackarinareads's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
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? It's complicated
3.5
I liked a lot of this but it also dragged on and on and took me forever to finish.
I would recommend it though, if you're looking for a descrete queer book! It doesn't say anything on the blurb and is very queer on the inside.
I would recommend it though, if you're looking for a descrete queer book! It doesn't say anything on the blurb and is very queer on the inside.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Suicide, Terminal illness, and Antisemitism
claireeshelby's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
I greatly enjoyed the literary references and the book’s strong basis in reality while retaining its sense of fictional wonder. The plot was repetitive at times, but the repetition highlighted the mundanity of life, bookmarked by more inspiring, momentous events. Overall a wanderlust-inducing read that definitely inspired me to pick up more classics.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide
josieruby1's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide
flo_llot's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide
authorbrittanibee's review against another edition
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.0
I was originally drawn to this historical fiction piece because of the main protagonist, Sylvia Beach. I wanted to learn more about her and how she came to build such a notable bookshop in Paris as well as fight against American censorship by publishing Ulysses during the time of Prohibition. Unfortunately, I found that I wasn’t able to find the rhythm of this story until the final third of the novel. There was something about the cadence in which events were shared that didn’t resonate with me, at times outright disorienting me. The vast amount of time that the novel spanned was incredibly jarring, but maybe that is just me. I do find that I enjoy really delving deep into minute details that perhaps others don’t find as intriguing.
Regardless, I still very much enjoyed the fictionalization of Sylvia Beach’s life, and was incredibly intrigued to learn in the author’s note that Sylvia, herself, wrote an autobiography. I think I might have to dive down that rabbit hole in the future and see the time period in which she operated Shakespeare and Company through her own eyes.
Content Warnings
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Suicide, and Death of parent