A historical fiction book about books? Yes, please!
Rating: 4.5/5
Bloomsbury Books is an old-fashioned new and rare book store that has persisted and resisted change for a hundred years, run by men and guided by the general manager's unbreakable fifty-one rules. But in 1950, the world is changing, especially the world of books and publishing, and at Bloomsbury Books, the girls in the shop have plans:
Vivien Lowry: Single since her aristocratic fiance was killed in action during World War II, the brilliant and stylish Vivien has a long list of grievances - most of them well justified and the biggest of which is Alec McDonough, the Head of Fiction.
Grace Perkins: Married with two sons, she's been working to support the family following her husband's breakdown in the aftermath of the war. Torn between duty to her family and dreams of her own.
Evie Stone: In the first class of female students from Cambridge permitted to earn a degree, Evie was denied an academic position in favor of her less accomplished male rival. Now she's working at Bloomsbury Books while she plans to remake her own future.
As they interact with various literary figures of the time - Daphne Du Maurier, Ellen Doubleday, Sonia Blair (widow of George Orwell), Samuel Beckett, Peggy Guggenheim, and others - these three women with their complex web of relationships, goals and dreams are all working to plot out a future that is richer and more rewarding than anything society will allow.
Release Date: May 17, 2022
I received an ARC of Bloomsbury Girls through Austenprose PR for a book tour. Thank you so much for this opportunity!
A historical fiction book about books? Yes, please!
Oh, this was such a cozy and quaint read. For a historical fiction, this was a vibrant and spirited read featuring women that decide to push back the norms set for them.
...this was a vibrant and spirited read featuring women that decide to push back the norms set for them.
Set a few years after the war, London is becoming more alive than ever. And Bloomsbury Books has managed to survive in London for over a hundred years well through the war as well. Run by men and has a strict set of 51 rules. But with society recovering from the war, three women who work at the shop have plans of their own despite being ruled over by men.
While maybe not as eventful as some might expect, this book is filled with heartfelt stories for each of our main characters, including a little romance. I simply loved following and getting to know each of them. I’m all for seeing women push back against the status quo!
...this book is filled with heartfelt stories for each of our main characters, including a little romance.
And what makes it all even better? We’re surrounded by books as we read this beautiful book. I adored the setting of Bloomsbury Books. The book store was beautifully described and the atmosphere was delightful and inspiring. Not only is it set in a book store, but we see a persistent theme of our main characters pushing back against the men in the store to include more female authors, besides just those that are “too popular to ignore.”
This gave me strong vibes of another favorite historical fiction of mine, Mrs. Everything by Jennifer Weiner. Mostly in regards to the way we follow our main characters and see the experiences they face both past and present.
This gave me strong vibes of another favorite historical fiction of mine, Mrs. Everything...
As I mentioned, this might not be considered eventful to some, but I found this to be a very enjoyable and captivating read. I think this would be a perfect read for those who enjoy historical fiction, women who push back on societal norms, and books about books!