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A review by uutopicaa
The In-Between Bookstore by Edward Underhill
2.0
*NOTE: I had the opportunity to experience the audiobook as an ARC (advanced reader copy) through NetGallery, and I’m grateful to the publisher for providing it. This review reflects my honest opinion.
So, where do I even begin?
I really wanted to love this book. The premise sounded fantastic, and it seemed incredibly promising. The concept reminded me of some of my favorite "bookish" books (I know that sounds a bit funny) like "The Cat Who Saved Books", "Almond", "Days at the Morisaki Bookshop", "Before the Coffee Gets Cold" (this one is about time travelling), and "Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop". These are the types of stories I gravitate toward, and I thought this one would be right up my alley.
But I was wrong.
So, the plot. The novel follows a trans young adult (he is almost in his 30´s I believe) living in New York City with his queer friends. For various reasons, he decides to temporarily return to his hometown in Illinois and help her mom pack up everything in their house so she can move to a smaller condo. While there, he visits the local bookstore where he once worked as a teenager. Through a strange twist of fate (or maybe the bookstore’s magic), he encounters his teenage self—pre-transition. The two versions of him get to interact, understand one another better and help each other navigate self-acceptance, life choices and personal growth.
On paper, this sounds like a heartwarming, thoughtful story that touches on important issues. It promises great queer representation and positive messages about being true to oneself, and it has the potential to be a deeply moving narrative. But unfortunately, it didn’t quite hit the mark.
Let’s start with the pacing. The rhythm of the book is all over the place. Some scenes rush by while others drag on for far too long. There are entire chapters that feel unnecessary, contributing little to the overall story and could easily be skipped without any impact on the plot. This inconsistent pacing made the reading experience feel disjointed.
Another issue is the characterization. The protagonist, while well-meaning, is unidimensional and annoying. He constantly repeats the same thoughts about himself throughout the book. For example, whenever his mother is mentioned, he says something like, “I didn’t know my mom was working on this project, but I haven’t called her in months” or “I didn’t know my mom was planning to move, but I barely call her once a year.” This kind of repetition happens in almost every chapter, which makes it feel less like a fully realized character and more like a character stuck in a loop.
When it comes to the other characters, the mother is the only one who feels well developed and like a real person. Everyone else is merely a token, filling a specific role in a particular scene before fading into the background to be forgotten. I wish we got to see more of them.
The overall structure of the story felt more like an unpolished draft than a finished product. It seemed as though the book was rushed to publication, perhaps in an attempt to capitalize on the current cultural conversation around queer identity, which, although probably well-intentioned, gave the book a sense of being hurried and incomplete.
Ultimately, I had high hopes for this story, but the execution fell short. The concept is intriguing and the representation of queer identities is commendable, but the storytelling doesn’t do justice to the potential of the idea. If you’re looking for a meaningful, heartwarming tale about self-discovery, there are better options out there.
Sadly, I can’t wholeheartedly recommend this one. Great premise, but poor execution.
So, where do I even begin?
I really wanted to love this book. The premise sounded fantastic, and it seemed incredibly promising. The concept reminded me of some of my favorite "bookish" books (I know that sounds a bit funny) like "The Cat Who Saved Books", "Almond", "Days at the Morisaki Bookshop", "Before the Coffee Gets Cold" (this one is about time travelling), and "Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop". These are the types of stories I gravitate toward, and I thought this one would be right up my alley.
But I was wrong.
So, the plot. The novel follows a trans young adult (he is almost in his 30´s I believe) living in New York City with his queer friends. For various reasons, he decides to temporarily return to his hometown in Illinois and help her mom pack up everything in their house so she can move to a smaller condo. While there, he visits the local bookstore where he once worked as a teenager. Through a strange twist of fate (or maybe the bookstore’s magic), he encounters his teenage self—pre-transition. The two versions of him get to interact, understand one another better and help each other navigate self-acceptance, life choices and personal growth.
On paper, this sounds like a heartwarming, thoughtful story that touches on important issues. It promises great queer representation and positive messages about being true to oneself, and it has the potential to be a deeply moving narrative. But unfortunately, it didn’t quite hit the mark.
Let’s start with the pacing. The rhythm of the book is all over the place. Some scenes rush by while others drag on for far too long. There are entire chapters that feel unnecessary, contributing little to the overall story and could easily be skipped without any impact on the plot. This inconsistent pacing made the reading experience feel disjointed.
Another issue is the characterization. The protagonist, while well-meaning, is unidimensional and annoying. He constantly repeats the same thoughts about himself throughout the book. For example, whenever his mother is mentioned, he says something like, “I didn’t know my mom was working on this project, but I haven’t called her in months” or “I didn’t know my mom was planning to move, but I barely call her once a year.” This kind of repetition happens in almost every chapter, which makes it feel less like a fully realized character and more like a character stuck in a loop.
When it comes to the other characters, the mother is the only one who feels well developed and like a real person. Everyone else is merely a token, filling a specific role in a particular scene before fading into the background to be forgotten. I wish we got to see more of them.
The overall structure of the story felt more like an unpolished draft than a finished product. It seemed as though the book was rushed to publication, perhaps in an attempt to capitalize on the current cultural conversation around queer identity, which, although probably well-intentioned, gave the book a sense of being hurried and incomplete.
Ultimately, I had high hopes for this story, but the execution fell short. The concept is intriguing and the representation of queer identities is commendable, but the storytelling doesn’t do justice to the potential of the idea. If you’re looking for a meaningful, heartwarming tale about self-discovery, there are better options out there.
Sadly, I can’t wholeheartedly recommend this one. Great premise, but poor execution.