The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

 

Summary (from the publisher): The irascible A. J. Fikry, owner of Island Books - the only bookstore on Alice Island - has already lost his wife. Now his most prized possession, a rare book, has been stolen from right under his nose in the most embarrassing of circumstances. The store itself, it seems, will be next to go.

One night upon closing, he discovers a toddler in his children’s section with a note from her mother pinned to her Elmo doll: I want Maya to grow up in a place with books and among people who care about such kinds of things. I love her very much, but I can no longer take care of her. A search for Maya’s mother, A. J.’s rare book, and good childcare advice ensues, but it doesn’t take long for the locals to notice the transformation of both bookstore and owner, something of particular interest to the lovely yet eccentric Knightley Press sales rep, Amelia Loman, who makes the arduous journey to Alice Island thrice each year to pitch her books to the cranky owner.

Review: Bookstore owner A.J. Fikry is a cantankerous sort but with good reason. His wife has died, his bookstore is struggling financially, and now his most prized possession, a rare book he hoped to sell to support himself, has been stolen. But then one night, he discovers a toddler in his bookstore who has been abandoned by her mother. A.J. is slowly changed by the little girl, a change that is also visible in his store and his clientele and is noticed by sales rep Amelia Loman, who visits the store each year to sell books. 

This was an absolutely charming story. I loved all of the references to books and reading, as most readers will also appreciate. A.J.'s diatribe about all the many types of books he loathes was particularly memorable. But more than that, it was a heartwarming story about second chances and second chapters. Just when A.J. believes his life is at its lowest and most dismal, new people come into his life that give it meaning and purpose and brighten all of his days. 

In other ways, this was a very dark tale. The side story about Maya's birth mother was incredibly tragic and it's a sad reality that A.J.'s joy in Maya is only gained at the loss of her mother. Likewise, the twisted tale of A.J.'s sister-in-law and her husband was a dark and unhappy one. But Zevin does an excellent job of weaving together the dark realities of every life with the joys that pepper it as well. A story of readers for readers. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. 

Stars: 4