Review: The Little Bookshop in Paris by Nina George

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I actually enjoyed this book, even after I realized it wasn't going to be what I thought it would be about. I thought it was going to be more about the main character, Jean Perdu, and his bookshop on a boat where he "prescribed" books for whatever is ailing his clients. While there is some of this in the novel, that is not it's plot.

The book is about Jean's journey of healing from heartbreak and grief, all while taking a physical journey down the river on his boat. I was, admittedly, disappointed about this because that isn't what I was expecting. However, I also didn't know much about the book going into it, so I really didn't know what to anticipate from the story.

I'm not really sure how to describe this book other than elegant and thoughtful. It spoke to me on a personal level. Some things that were brought up made me examine my life a little bit and how I was living it. The impact was small, but it did have an impact. This book is definitely not one to speed read. I had to read this one in chunks. I would have to read some, then have to stop and think about what I had just read before reading more because I had those thought provoking moments. It did have some meaningful quotes in it about reading, and what reading can mean or do for people, which I loved.

The story is very descriptive...of everything. This is a 2 sided coin for me. The descriptions were the part that I found elegant. At the same time, I usually don't like this. I didn't mind it too much in this book, except towards the last fourth of the book, The last fourth dragged and it got to the point that I kept wishing it would end already. I kept thinking, "what possibly is taking so long for this to finish?" There were things that could have been left out and it likely would have been a better story.

It is also not action packed. In fact, there is none. The story kind of meanders along through Jean's journey. The most exciting part in when men storm into the bar where people are secretly tango dancing and the men are angry because they consider it lewd. Even that scene is short, though.

The Little Paris Bookshop is not going to be for everyone. I normally would not like books like this. I did because it had an impact on me and made me think. If you don't like overly descriptive writing, want action, or expect this book to be more about the "prescribing" of books on the boat, you probably don't want to read this. If those things don't apply to you and you want to read a story about a person's healing journey after 20 years of being closed off to others, and enjoy some wisdom about reading, then this is the book for you.

I gave it a 4 out of 5 stars. If the last part of the book hadn't dragged, I probably would have given it a 5.

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*I received The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.