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The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry: A Novel Paperback – December 2, 2014

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Product Details

  • Paperback: 288 pages
  • Publisher: Algonquin Books; 1St Edition edition (December 2, 2014)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1616204516
  • ISBN-13: 978-1616204518
  • Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.6 x 8.2 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 15 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3,838 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,799 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Top Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsA tribute to the love of books
By M.Jacobsen TOP 1000 REVIEWER on March 19, 2014
Format: Hardcover
I absolutely loved this novel. A.J. Fikry is the owner of a small, independent bookstore on the small Alice Island in the Northeast. He is cynical, cranky, and depressed...and not without reason. The recent death of his beloved wife has left him a widower at the age of thirty-nine. Their shared love of books seems to have died with his wife and A.J. is left behind with only bitterness.

Enter an absolutely delightful cast of secondary characters who populate the island and A.J.'s life. You're bound to love at least one - if not all - of them.

Next we have the unexpected hope and redemption of A.J. I'm not giving any spoilers here. Yes, it's a feel-good book. But it's more than that: it's a love letter to the power books have in our lives. If you have ever felt changed by a book, this novel will speak to you....you'll "get" it. And if you loved "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" or "Major Pettigrew's Last Stand" you'll find lots to love here, as well - not because the plots are similar, but because of the similar feel to the novels that comes from a good cast of eccentric townsfolk, a small community, and a sense of closeness among the characters.

So I'll leave you with this: if you love reading books, do not miss this one. (I wouldn't be at all surprised to see it made into a movie!)
6 Comments 267 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
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4.0 out of 5 starsA Shaggy Dog Story, With Some Bite
By Pop Bop TOP 500 REVIEWER on March 21, 2014
Format: Hardcover
Lots of fiction works incorporate books or bookstores as central to their plots. Some make good use of both; I'm thinking here of works like "Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore". Most, though, use a book as a sort of MacGuffin and it could just as easily be a butter dish. Or, the action takes place in a nice atmospheric bookstore that could just as easily be an auto repair shop. "Fikry", though, is different and belongs to that small category of works that really have something to say about books and bookstores and, in this case, booksellers. And that's great.

Fikry is not just a bookseller. He filters his experiences, his thoughts, even pretty much how he lives his life by reference to his favorite books. Everything he perceives has some analogue in a book he once read, and when he isn't living his life he is thinking about or talking about books. It is no accident that the first major character we meet here is a publisher's rep who begins to play a larger and larger role in Fikry's life. And, because Fikry's opinions are strong and well-informed, the book is interesting enough even if you don't care for the plot at all.

This book has been heavily promoted as "in the spirit" of "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society". That's probably good marketing - "Guernsey..." is a well-loved book, although I thought it was a little bland and flabby. But, this book is a lot better, or at least more appealing to me, in one particular regard. A.J. Fikry is a prickly character with a lot of strong opinions and a not entirely likeable or appealing world view. This is not some grand multi-generational saga; it is more of a character sketch, focused on an unusual character. More important - on a thought provoking and sometimes difficult character.

So, no spoilers here.Read more ›
4 Comments 299 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
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3.0 out of 5 starsNice, Safe Story
By Cynthia C.C. on April 27, 2014
Format: Hardcover
There is nothing wrong with this book. I'll begin by saying that. It is decently written. It moves along at a fair pace. The characters are somewhat interesting for the most part. I have nothing particularly negative to say about the story.

I didn't, however, especially like the book. I didn't dislike it either. It was a nice story. It was a safe story. It was gentle and sweet and cozy and predictable. For many readers, those are all excellent qualities. But if you, like myself, prefer books with at least a few edges, a few uncertainties, a little darkness, a little messiness, and some deeper character development, then this isn't the book for you. It's simply a matter of preference.
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2.0 out of 5 starsMeh
By Sharon Henning on September 27, 2014
Format: Hardcover
OK. My review now has a spoiler alert! Do not read this review if you do not want to know what is going to happen in the book.

This book started out strong with good witty dialogue and fast flowing thoughts. It slumped about a third of the way through with nobody saying anything interesting. Nobody's character developed much. The introduction of these characters sounded interesting but they didn't go anywhere. Half way through the book I lost interest.

AJ is depressed, cynical, sardonic. He regrets being mean to the book rep. But there's no cogitating on his part about her, no reflection. Just fast forward five years and he takes steps to get to know her. By this time she's engaged to someone else, but-hey good luck! She breaks up with him. That was convenient. But it also makes human lives expendable. Just throw people out of the way so the protagonist, whom we're all rooting for, can have his romance.

But is it romantic? They have sex before they even know each other. Is that a throw away action as well? I thought that was supposed to be the culmination of two people's intimacy toward each other. After that I stopped caring.

Maya is supposed to be interesting but, as someone who worked in preschool for several years, she wasn't very real to me. I've never met a three year old like that.

Finally, the supporting cast had all the hackneyed traits: divorce, adultery, blah, blah, blah. I'm not saying those things don't really happen but they seemed so perfunctory.

I can tell by the reviews most people loved it. Just not me.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsA Wonderful Read.

A wonderful book about books and the importance of reading; and also booksellers. I loved it!

Published 4 hours ago by Gwendlyn M Rion
5.0 out of 5 starsLovely

Book lovers are likely to appreciate this story very much. Great central and supporting characters. I recommend it. Read it in one sitting.

Published 15 hours ago by Cathie Royer
4.0 out of 5 starsA Book for Book Lovers

This novel is a quick read, heartfelt, funny, and celebrates how books can bring us together. I loved the recommendations listed throughout it, and how the story flowed easily. Read more

Published 1 day ago by organicholas
4.0 out of 5 starsFour Stars

nice one. warm and reveals the truth of life：unpredictable and uncertain but incredibly worth to fight through whatever happens..

Published 1 day ago by QiuXiping
3.0 out of 5 starsBack to the author......

It started out great. The ending was not well thought out....it seemed more like an outlne for an unfinished book....very unsatisfying. The main characters were let out to dry.

Published 1 day ago by Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 starsGreat read

Good story, some mystery and great references to other great books. Kept me interested the entire time. Was able to read quickly.

Published 2 days ago by Cassandra
5.0 out of 5 starsA fun book with fun characters

A fun book with fun characters. A.J. changes, much to his dismay, throughout the book and becomes a lovable character. Read more

Published 2 days ago by Kelli L Preston
4.0 out of 5 starsWow

I really love how this book made me feel. Yes, it had its sad parts but overall I think it spoke to avid readers everywhere. Read more

Published 3 days ago by joann maio
5.0 out of 5 starsA Bestselling Author consumed this book in 2 days

As an author this book really touched me. It pulled on the theme of anyone that loves holding a book in there hands and reading it. Read more

Published 3 days ago by Robin Ryan, author and career coach
3.0 out of 5 starsPretty good read

Pretty good read. The story makes big leaps of time. Liked the ending. The twists came as a surprise which made me like the story. Read more

Published 3 days ago by Matizverde

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