The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry

by Gabrielle Zevin

An irresistible novel about second chances and finding room for all the books—and all the love—that transforms our lives 

A.J. Fikry’s life is not at all what he expected it to be. His wife has died, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. Slowly but surely, he is isolating himself from all the people of Alice Island—from Chief Lambiase, the well-intentioned police officer who’s always felt kindly toward him; from Ismay, his sister-in-law, who is hell-bent on saving A.J. from his dreary self; from Amelia, the lovely and idealistic (if eccentric) Knightley Press sales rep who persists in taking the ferry to Alice Island, refusing to be deterred by A.J.’s bad attitude. Even the books in his store have stopped holding pleasure for him. These days, he can only see them as a sign of a world that is changing too rapidly.

Then a mysterious package appears at the bookstore. It’s a small package, though large in weight—an unexpected arrival that gives A.J. the opportunity to make his life over, the ability to see everything anew. It doesn’t take long for the locals to notice the change overcoming A.J., for the determined sales rep Amelia to see her curmudgeonly client in a new light, for the wisdom of all those books to become again the lifeblood of A.J.’s world. Or for everything to twist again into a version of his life that he didn’t see coming. As surprising as it is moving, The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry is an unforgettable tale of transformation and second chances, an irresistible affirmation of why we read, and why we love.

• ISBN10: 0143191276
• ISBN13: 9780143191278
• Publish Date: 2 December 2014 (first published 10 February 2014)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: CA
• Imprint: Penguin Canada
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 272
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/isbn/9780143191278

Reviews

[mrs_mander_reads]

Very much enjoyed this book. The characters were sweet and believable. It’s definitely a feel-good novel.

[luddite]

Heart-warming. Possibly because I picked it up at the right time, when I appreciate the value of a 'shared sensibility', and I'm rediscovering my book-nerd ways.

[Terri M. LeBlanc]

Beach read alert!

or

I’m sick and don’t have much in the way of focus alert!

I borrowed The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin from my sister-in-law on Labor Day weekend. It’s a book I’ve heard quite a bit about and certainly wanted to give it a shot because it was about a bookstore and a man who loves books. I can admire that.

I will admit that I read this book while I was suffering from a cold. It doesn’t have much in the way of deep revelations about life. It’s a lighter adult fiction read. The characters are fairly two-dimensional and predictable, but I did enjoy “A.J. Fikry.” Perhaps the cold medicine took over my brain, but by the end of the story I wanted to vacation on Alice Island and spend hours in Island Books. It sounded like my kind of place.

Sometimes, I guess, one needs a lighter read. For those times there are books like The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry that fill that space. You can find comfort in the corners of that familiar bookshop in your mind and forget that you are stuffed up and feeling like crap.

Don’t read “A.J. Fikry” if you are looking for something revolutionary and life changing. Read it if you are looking for something light, familiar and comfortable. It certainly fits that bill. And I’ll see you on Alice Island soon. Meet me for lunch at Pequod’s.


This review was originally posted on Second Run Reviews

[chrssym]

I liked it, but I didn't love it. Didn't really connect to characters, and there were too many I wanted to know more about.

[Kait ✨]

This book is one of those ones that I loved so much, that it becomes difficult to explain. Honestly, I feel that reading this book without knowing a whole lot about it was part of its charm… so, I’m not going to tell you a whole lot about it. The essential premise is revolves around A.J. Fikry, the owner of a bookstore on a small New England island (and he’s middle-aged, not “old”). Garth Stein wrote that “The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry reminds us of what saves us all from a life of loneliness and isolation: our sense of empathy; our ability to love and be loved; our willingness to care and be cared for.” That’s basically the fundamental themes of this book, and Zevin explores them so beautifully. A.J. Fikry is a character who I immediately hated, then began to root for… and by the end of the story, I was brokenhearted to see him suffer. This book is definitely character-driven, and if you love the exploration of people and what makes them tick, you will love this book.

Continue reading my review on my blog, Bookish Comforts.

[elvinagb]

“No Man is an Island; Every Book is a World”
So reads the motto on the sign of Island Books. Owner A. J. Fikry, a recent widower, is the owner of Island Books on Alice Island. Slow sales, few friends and grief are taking a toll on A. J.’s enjoyment of life and love of books. After the theft of one of his prized possessions and a mysterious appearance of a small but important gift, A. J.’s life begins to change but not in a way that he would ever have expected.
Each chapter begins with a reference to a short story and becomes a sort of love letter to his daughter, Maya. We see how books, reading them and writing them can change your life and transform what you expect the future has in store for you.
This is a must read.