Ms. Hen reviews The Bookshop

 

The Bookshop

Penelope Fitzgerald

HarperCollins

1978

Ms. Hen picked this book up at a Little Free Library near where she lives. She had read other books by this author, and she remembers enjoying them. She also liked the title, because she thinks it is intriguing.

This novel is about a woman who opens a bookshop in a town that doesn't want one. Hardborough is a seaside town in England, with not a lot happening; the town needs other businesses, but it does not need a bookshop. Florence struggles to keep her shop afloat. She hires a ten-year old girl as an assistant, and prominently displays the novel LOLITA, which she understand is a new classic. This novel takes place in 1959.

Ms. Gamart, one of the richest people in town, wants to buy the property that Florence bought for the bookshop, called The Old House, because she thinks it would be a wonderful arts centre. Florence does not want to sell her property and close the bookshop, even though business is flailing, and the building is haunted.

In this novel, the characters and situations are described in a very particular way. Everyone is strange, and the author portrays them that way. A small town is always full of quirky people, most of whom are somewhat provincial. The citizens don't want a bookshop because they don't want to read to enlighten themselves and broaden their horizons. An arts centre would most likely not be well received either, but the novel doesn't get that far.

The protagonist encounters a hen, "Florence put her hands lightly on the slumbering mass of feathers. The old fowl sunk into a soft tawny heap, scarcely opening her slit-like eyes. Her whole energy was absorbed in producing warmth. The basket itself throbbed with a slow and purposeful rhythm." The hen is broody, and is about to lay eggs. Florence lays a figurative egg with her bookshop, so she relates to the hen.

Ms. Hen enjoyed this novel. She read it very quickly, mostly on Thanksgiving Day. She is thankful that she has the whole weekend off for Thanksgiving including Friday, and she left work early on Wednesday. She is thankful that she has enough books to read, a job, and food to eat. Ms. Hen is thankful that she found this book, even though it is very sad. But sometimes life can be sad.