Someone who loves books will love this book - its about books and more books and only books
revolves around a wealthy Frenchwoman and a n avid book seller who decide to set up the idyllic bookshop which will only sell good novels. Now what is a good novel and who is going to decide what is what? A committee of eight members all anonymous, all known only to the two above named members of the bookshop and all going under a pseudonym to add to the mystery. Each member gives his recommendations (six hundred if you please! my mind was boggling at this stage) and these should be ratified and agreed on by all. Sounds good upto now and the bookshop is set up in a beautiful setting which allows people not to just buy but to browse and read for hours if they wish (10 pm closing time - I wish I had one like that!).
revolves around a wealthy Frenchwoman and a n avid book seller who decide to set up the idyllic bookshop which will only sell good novels. Now what is a good novel and who is going to decide what is what? A committee of eight members all anonymous, all known only to the two above named members of the bookshop and all going under a pseudonym to add to the mystery. Each member gives his recommendations (six hundred if you please! my mind was boggling at this stage) and these should be ratified and agreed on by all. Sounds good upto now and the bookshop is set up in a beautiful setting which allows people not to just buy but to browse and read for hours if they wish (10 pm closing time - I wish I had one like that!).
Enter a book mafia - small insidious incidents at the beginning. Little prickles of disgruntlement by people on choices. Who is to say Dan Brown is not good or Harry Potter for example. Why the highbrow tone? Authors themselves get into the attack as they are sidelined and what about the all important book publishers who publish the said authors. From small incidents big ones and then murder, several attempted murders, character assassination by the score and finally opening of of rival bookstores mocking the word "good" and by the way on the same street. All with one aim of ruining the reputation of the book store and pushing it to close down.
This was an intriguing book - very philosophical at times, mystery, lots of fantasy and almost a puzzle but nice. I thought the author was male but only later learnt its a she! thats just btw information.
On a non book note, I am leaving tomorrow for Mannar to my orphanage which has 11 girls right now. Taking with me Christmas pressies plus new clothes and new shoes for all the girls. It is just a short trip but I needed to get everything out early.