Book Review: The Bookseller

I saved The Bookseller by Cynthia Swanson onto my Goodreads to-read list a while ago, and the last time I stopped into the library I decided to pick it up. I didn't know anything about it other than what was on the inside cover, so I wasn't 100% sure what to expect. However, once I got into it I really enjoyed the novel and quickly read through the whole thing. This is definitely a book I would recommend if you are looking for a book to read! 

The Bookseller starts off slowly, the characters are nice and wholesome, and the reader is  introduced to an idyllic setting in Denver. Kitty, the main character, is a single woman who runs a bookshop with her best friend Frieda. In 1960's Denver they are both considered spinsters, but they thoroughly enjoy their lives. However, as the story continues it quickly builds suspense and drama. Kitty soon begins having dreams that she is not single, but married to a man named Lars and they live with their children in a big house in the suburbs. As the dreams continue, and Kitty learns more about her dream world, the suspense grows for the reader. Why is she having these dreams, where is she when she goes to the dream world, and what happened to her family and friends in that world are all questions that become extremely important for Kitty to answer and for the reader to understand. 

As the drama of the novel unfolds, I appreciated that it kept it's idyllic setting and tone. The drama of her life, including money problems, finding out what happened to her in this dream world, and helping her dream life self navigate the complex world she has entered, fit well with the setting. The ending took an unexpected and exciting turn, but it kept true to the peaceful setting we were introduced to at the beginning of the story. 

The one issue I had with the book was the twist her relationship with her best friend Frieda took. The drama that unfolded between them due to the dreams seemed a bit cliche and boring. I felt like their relationship didn't have as solid a foundation as Swanson set up at first and ended up being very shallow. For two women who were happy with their single lives, jealousy peaked and damaged the relationship extremely quickly. 

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by a book that I picked up on a whim. I enjoyed The Bookseller a lot and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a light read. I gave this book 5/5 stars on Goodreads. 

What have you been reading recently?

P.S. the tea of the day is citrus green tea ^_^