Review [English ver.]: The London Bookshop Affair

   by: Nabila Rhapsodios 

PRODUCT INFO

Title: The London Bookshop Affair 

Author(s): Louise Fein

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks

Language: English

Year Published: 2024

Page(s) Number: 416

PROLOGUE

Louise Fein

The novel is set during World War II and the Cold War. Jeannie, a girl who lives in London in 1942 during World War II, leads the narrative. Meanwhile, during the Cold War, Celia takes the central front. 

After World War II ended, Jeannie escaped her harsh situation by becoming an intelligent agent in a clandestine organization. The organization works on behalf of England's government. She is sent to France, where she later changes her name to Anya Moreau. As Anya, she diligently carries out her duty but is unprepared for the heavy price she must pay. 

The world is on the brink of nuclear war in 1963. Like the rest of the world, Celia hopes the nuclear war will not come to fruition. She thinks she can't stand idly behind the book counter, greeting customers or dusting the book shelves any longer. So, Celia joins an organization that promises her voice will be heard by the world, that nuclear weapons are a horrible weapon. Celia is also a big dreamer. She dreams of a much more illustrious career than her current job as a bookseller. Her two grand dreams quickly catch up with secrets after secrets that Celia had no idea of beforehand. Secrets that turn her ordinary life upside down. 

Strength(s):

a. My, what a lovely cover and catchy title. These are the first kicks that piqued my interest in knowing what this book is all about, months ago, at the bookstore

b. The author's writing is consistently strong; she does not fumble once. She effortlessly captures the essence of Londoners living in the 1940s & 1960s, which gripped me. What a life of ordinary girls in London becomes more dangerous because mystery, espionage, and romance seized them up, which fascinated me. The multiple perspectives offer additional information and a comprehensive look at progress, and the mystery and intrigue lead to an intriguing conclusion

c. The author's historical research on World War II and the Cold War is superb. She doesn't involve political undertones too much, which I preferred because if the author honestly does lean in that direction, the mystery will be obscured, and the whole arc will be less exciting. The author's competent research has resulted in strong fictional characters inspired by real-life rebels and spies during those wars, presenting a compelling story centered around two ambitious and astute young women

Weak Point:

While this book is well-researched, the plot clues dropped in the first 3/4 of the book were meant for me to keep guessing. These clues did not keep me guessing in advance, which was an unfortunate move. Where this book is advancing was too predictable. I'd love to have made the clues leap with the character as the story unfolded, rather than a lot being poured out at the story's beginning.

As a closing statement, I give this book 8.4 out of 10. The London Bookshop Affair is perfect for fans of historical fiction, multi-POV narratives, and spy thrillers. This novel is my first Louise Fein novel, and I already have her other novel lying in wait for me to read, so let me pray this unread novel will be hard to put down, too. 

-END-

*Disclaimer: Courtesy of  Google Images.  The material published on this website is intended solely for general information and reference purposes and is not legal advice or other professional advice.