We read to know we’re not alone. We read because we are alone. We read and we are not alone. We are not alone.
Great references to well-known and classic books
by Gabrielle Zevin
I bought The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry when it first came out, and I can’t believe I waited until now to read it. It is a sentimental story for readers and those who build relationships based on book discussions. The people who frequent the Island Book Store, located on a fictional island near Boston, are a mixture of locals and tourists. They appreciate the quirkiness of the owner, Mr. Fikry. A. J. Fikry is a frustrated academic who conveys a snobbiness about his selection of books. His detached and aloof attitude is tolerated by his customers and publishers’ representatives, such as Amelia Loman, especially since many realize A.J. is a recent widower.
A.J. softens his veneer as he strikes up a friendship with a small-town cop. He encounters Officer Lambiase when a rare book is stolen from the bookstore, and then a two-year-old girl, Maya, is abandoned in the bookstore. It turns out that Lambiase was also the officer who responded when A.J.’s wife died in a car accident. The combined influence of Lambiase and Ismay, his wife’s sister, touch upon emotions that A.J. didn’t realize he had. Maya’s innocence and energy, combined with a sometimes precocious disposition, touch A.J.’s heart so significantly that he decides to adopt her. A.J. enjoys numerous book discussions with Maya and eventually Lambiase. His ability to expand his reading horizons as he communicates with two people who become significant in his life leads him back to Amelia and romantic pursuit.
Many of the comments about books and characters are a bit trite and predictable, but endearing nevertheless. A.J. Fikry’s story was the best light reading I did all summer.
