July 2018 Book, The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry
A.J. Fikry's life is not at all what he expected it to be. He's not quite 40 and his wife has died; his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history; and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. Slowly but surely, he is isolating himself from all the people of Alice Island. Even the books in his store have stopped holding pleasure for him. These days, he can only see them as a sign of a world that is changing too rapidly. But, this is a tale of transformation and second chances, so unexpected developments arise that make this book an irresistible affirmation of why we read, and why we love. Zevin has her characters grow and prosper, in a narrative that is sometimes sentimental, sometimes funny, sometimes true to life and always entertaining.