The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry : by the bestselling author of Tomorrow & Tomorrow & Tomorrow

The established YA author slips seamlessly over to adult fiction with a beautifully compassionate story about a cantankerous bookstore owner, an abandoned toddler and the joy of reading that never dissolves into sentimentality or mawkishness.

A.J. Fikry, the grumpy owner of Island Books, is going through a hard time: his bookshop is failing, he has lost his beloved wife, and his prized possession - a rare first edition book has been stolen. Over time, he has given up on people, and even the books in his store, instead of offering solace, are yet another reminder of a world that is changing too rapidly.

But one day A.J. finds two-year-old Maya sitting on the bookshop floor, with a note attached to her asking the owner to look after her. His life - and Maya's - is changed forever.

Gabrielle Zevin's enchanting novel is a love letter to the world of books - an irresistible affirmation of why we read, and why we love.

MEDIA REVIEWS

Zevin has done something old-fashioned and fairly rare these days. She has written an entertaining novel, modest in its scope, engaging and funny without being cloying or sentimental. On top of all that, it is marvelously optimistic about the future of books and bookstores and the people who love both - Washington Post

Packed with the love of a life lived around books - Metro

This wonderful, funny, uplifting homage to bookshops is an absolute treat. I've bought it for everyone I know - Huffington Post