Author: Mary Gibson
Publication Information: Head of Zeus. 2020. 448 pages.
ISBN: 1788542649 / 978-1788542647
Book Source: I received this book through NetGalley
free of cost in exchange for an honest review.
Opening Sentence: "Oi, Noss Goss!"
Favorite Quote: "Words are cheap ... It's what people do that matters. If he's
cruel to you, then no matter what he says, he don't love
you."
How disappointing the a book with a bookshop name as the title has
very little to do with the shop or with books! Bermondsey is an area
in Southeast London. Bermondsey has been home to factories producing
tin boxes as featured in this book. Based on certain historical
websites, there was once a Bermondsey Bookshop. Since the 1970s, much of
the area has been designated a conservation area.
Although this story was not really about the bookshop, I did
appreciate the introduction and enjoyed learning about the bookshop
through some research. The Bermondsey Bookshop, established by
Ethel Gutman, was in business from 1921 until 1930. Its purpose was
to bring books to an audience - the working class of Bermondsey -
who had no other access to books or the arts. The shop offered books
for sale and also to borrow for a subscription fee. Individuals were
encouraged to come and at read as long as they wanted in the
shop for no fee at all. The shop also hosted programs, lectures, and
its own newsletter.
I wish the shop had been more than just the background of the story.
Nevertheless, now on to the story of this book...
Kate Goss grows up on the wrong side of the tracks in Bermondsey. What
she knows is that her mother died of a fall when she was little, her
father is off seeking his fortune, and she is left in the care of her
aunt. Kate is somewhat the Cinderella of the house - she lives in a
garret, can do nothing right, and is mistreated by her aunt and her
two cousins. By the time she is seventeen,
"life had taught her the precious lesson of how to hide and
disappear and stay out of people's way."
Her only dream is that one day her father will return and whisk her
away to a different life.
Kate has a job at the tin factory and a place to stay at her aunt's
house. An incident results in her aunt throwing her out. Desperation
and the need for money to survive brings Kate to the bookshop as a
cleaner. Here, she meets new friends and an old crush from the
neighborhood. There is talk of meetings and worker rights and a new
community for Kate. This community, although interesting, is not
exactly what the book is about either.
A chance meeting at the bookshop leads Kate right back to her past.
She discovers that nothing is as it seems an that dreams can sometimes
turn into nightmares. Throughout it all, Kate learns to use her voice
not only for herself but also to help others. "She'd learned the folly of pinning her hopes on someone else to
giver her a better life, but she'd also learned her own power." That voice is the strength of the book even when the story
takes a decidedly melodramatic turn. Read the book to find out where
the drama in this book leads. The end of the romance I saw coming; the
end of the drama I did not.
Please share your thoughts and leave a comment. I would love to "talk" to you.
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