Status
Available
Description
"A provocative and hauntingly powerful debut novel that will keep you turning pages into the early hours, The Bookseller follows a woman in the 1960s who wrestles to reconcile her daily life as a single bookstore owner with the alternate reality she suddenly begins to dream about each night, in which she is a happily-married wife and mother"--
User reviews
LibraryThing member jmchshannon
The Bookseller is one of those novels that begs readers to predict the ending long in advance. More than that however is the ease with which readers will be able to do so. Every switch between Katharyn’s world and Kitty’s forces readers to add the new pieces to the puzzle. This is not normally
Is she Kitty Miller or is she Katharyn Andersson? This question is the crux of the story. Unforutnately, by the time the novel ends, most readers will not care what the true answer is. In fact, most readers will have already deduced the answer. There are simply too many hints and clues for readers to be able to ignore. In turn, this renders the big reveal anticlimactic and is subsequently disappointing for its sheer ordinariness. Given the slow and methodical build-up to it, one will expect something much more dramatic than what occurs. Following that final reveal, the story ends rather quickly, as if all of Kitty’s troubles resolve themselves. That being said, while generally rapid denouements in stories are disappointing, readers will enjoy the speed with which The Bookseller comes to a close because it provides relief to readers who have held out only to confirm their guesses.
The success of a book like The Bookseller hinges on the reader’s ability to care about and therefore become vested in the main character. With Kitty, readers will find this difficult. For one, there is a general lack of development in Kitty that prevents her from having that depth that will touch the heart of a reader. She explains her past automatically, almost robotically. While this allows readers to get a good feel for her experiences, it tells them nothing about her dreams and desires. One could argue that the story is Kitty’s self-discovery of what makes her happy, but that is not development per se. In Kitty, it is more a dawning awareness of desires that are already there. Her dreams just allow them to come to the forefront so she can recognize them for what they are. Then there is the problem with Kitty herself. She is not the brightest when it comes to understanding her surroundings or reading people’s not-so-subtle body language. The unveiling of certain facts shock her so completely and yet are so obvious to readers, all one can do is laugh and lament her lack of self-awareness.
What The Bookseller lacks in its characters and general mystery, it more than makes up for in its historical details. Ms. Swanson has a penchant for description, and her descriptions of Katharyn’s and Kitty’s lives are sharply in focus. She captures the essence of the early 1960s with her effective use of slang and accurate décor styles and brings back to life an era when one could and did ride public transportation everywhere. This also means she captures the misogyny of the era, as seen by the difficulties Kitty faces as a single businesswoman. From needing a male to cosign a business loan to listening to the demeaning talk that women cannot be successful in business, modern readers will wrestle with some of the language and ideology at work during this era. They will struggle not because it is difficult to understand but rather because it is so far removed from modern-day society. In this one regard, The Bookseller truly rises to the occasion by providing a crystal-clear glimpse into the Camelot/Kennedy years.
In general, The Bookseller is a disappointing story. The premise is intriguing, but the pacing of the story is too plodding. Almost all of the action occurs inside Kitty’s head, and Kitty is not one to take exciting chances or think daring thoughts. She is a good girl, in spite of her unusual-for-the-time-period career and lifestyle choices; good girls just do not make for the most captivating reading. For its historical elements, The Bookseller provides a fun glimpse into a bygone era. For everything else, this is a story which most readers would do better to skip and save themselves some time.
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a bad thing in certain genres; however, in this quiet story, the constant mental gymnastics required to figure out the mystery behind the dreams is anything but good. One can never sink into the story and block out everything else. Most people read to forget about the real world for a while. The constant self-awareness on the part of the reader prevents that from ever happening.Is she Kitty Miller or is she Katharyn Andersson? This question is the crux of the story. Unforutnately, by the time the novel ends, most readers will not care what the true answer is. In fact, most readers will have already deduced the answer. There are simply too many hints and clues for readers to be able to ignore. In turn, this renders the big reveal anticlimactic and is subsequently disappointing for its sheer ordinariness. Given the slow and methodical build-up to it, one will expect something much more dramatic than what occurs. Following that final reveal, the story ends rather quickly, as if all of Kitty’s troubles resolve themselves. That being said, while generally rapid denouements in stories are disappointing, readers will enjoy the speed with which The Bookseller comes to a close because it provides relief to readers who have held out only to confirm their guesses.
The success of a book like The Bookseller hinges on the reader’s ability to care about and therefore become vested in the main character. With Kitty, readers will find this difficult. For one, there is a general lack of development in Kitty that prevents her from having that depth that will touch the heart of a reader. She explains her past automatically, almost robotically. While this allows readers to get a good feel for her experiences, it tells them nothing about her dreams and desires. One could argue that the story is Kitty’s self-discovery of what makes her happy, but that is not development per se. In Kitty, it is more a dawning awareness of desires that are already there. Her dreams just allow them to come to the forefront so she can recognize them for what they are. Then there is the problem with Kitty herself. She is not the brightest when it comes to understanding her surroundings or reading people’s not-so-subtle body language. The unveiling of certain facts shock her so completely and yet are so obvious to readers, all one can do is laugh and lament her lack of self-awareness.
What The Bookseller lacks in its characters and general mystery, it more than makes up for in its historical details. Ms. Swanson has a penchant for description, and her descriptions of Katharyn’s and Kitty’s lives are sharply in focus. She captures the essence of the early 1960s with her effective use of slang and accurate décor styles and brings back to life an era when one could and did ride public transportation everywhere. This also means she captures the misogyny of the era, as seen by the difficulties Kitty faces as a single businesswoman. From needing a male to cosign a business loan to listening to the demeaning talk that women cannot be successful in business, modern readers will wrestle with some of the language and ideology at work during this era. They will struggle not because it is difficult to understand but rather because it is so far removed from modern-day society. In this one regard, The Bookseller truly rises to the occasion by providing a crystal-clear glimpse into the Camelot/Kennedy years.
In general, The Bookseller is a disappointing story. The premise is intriguing, but the pacing of the story is too plodding. Almost all of the action occurs inside Kitty’s head, and Kitty is not one to take exciting chances or think daring thoughts. She is a good girl, in spite of her unusual-for-the-time-period career and lifestyle choices; good girls just do not make for the most captivating reading. For its historical elements, The Bookseller provides a fun glimpse into a bygone era. For everything else, this is a story which most readers would do better to skip and save themselves some time.
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LibraryThing member JennysBookBag.com
This is a good debut novel and I enjoyed it, but I just didn't love it. I listened to the audiobook and I think the narrator did a good job. I didn't particularly like the main character, mainly because I thought she was pathetic.
The story is about Kittie/Katherine who lives in parallel worlds. In
There's confusion about which life is real and which is imaginary. You'll have to read it and decide for yourself which one is which. This is an interesting story concept, but I would have preferred a stronger main character. It wasn't just Kittie/Katherine that needed more character development; it was her husband Lars and the housekeeper too.
I'd still recommend this book to people who love debut fiction and discovering new authors.
The story is about Kittie/Katherine who lives in parallel worlds. In
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one world, she's single and working at a bookstore with her best friend. In the other world, she's married to Lars and they have a set of 6-year-old triplets, 2 boys and one girl. One of the boys has autism. Both worlds take place in the early 1960's, but the married world is occurring a few months into the future. There's confusion about which life is real and which is imaginary. You'll have to read it and decide for yourself which one is which. This is an interesting story concept, but I would have preferred a stronger main character. It wasn't just Kittie/Katherine that needed more character development; it was her husband Lars and the housekeeper too.
I'd still recommend this book to people who love debut fiction and discovering new authors.
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LibraryThing member UnderMyAppleTree
Kitty Miller co-owns a bookshop with her best friend, Frieda. This would be nothing out of the ordinary today, but the setting is Denver, 1962, and women were rarely in charge of running a business, much less being the owners. They defied conventional standards by being single women, having a
Kitty thought she was happy until she began having unusually vivid dreams of another life…
In the dreams it is 1963 and she is called Katharyn, not Kitty. She is married to a wonderful man, has a beautiful home, and lovely children. Her dreams are a pleasant diversion into a life she never imagined she would have. Before long she begins to wonder: which life is real and which one does she want to live.
Chapters alternate between the two worlds, with Kitty discovering more and more about Katharyn’s life and comparing it to the differences in her own reality. The author sets up a few mysteries for Kitty to solve and at the same time hooks the reader (well, it hooked me anyway).
I enjoyed the story a lot, even though halfway through the book I could guess where it was heading. It was a little fluffy at times, but also compelling and entertaining in an un-put-down-able way. And while I suspected what was happening, I wanted to learn the details… and stayed up an hour too late to find out.
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career, and making their own decisions.Kitty thought she was happy until she began having unusually vivid dreams of another life…
In the dreams it is 1963 and she is called Katharyn, not Kitty. She is married to a wonderful man, has a beautiful home, and lovely children. Her dreams are a pleasant diversion into a life she never imagined she would have. Before long she begins to wonder: which life is real and which one does she want to live.
Chapters alternate between the two worlds, with Kitty discovering more and more about Katharyn’s life and comparing it to the differences in her own reality. The author sets up a few mysteries for Kitty to solve and at the same time hooks the reader (well, it hooked me anyway).
I enjoyed the story a lot, even though halfway through the book I could guess where it was heading. It was a little fluffy at times, but also compelling and entertaining in an un-put-down-able way. And while I suspected what was happening, I wanted to learn the details… and stayed up an hour too late to find out.
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LibraryThing member Mrsmommybooknerd
People often wonder about what would have happened if they made a different choice or took a different path...well The Bookseller is a take on that premise. This book took on a sort of mystical turn where the dreams of the past started to take over the present. It is unusual story line and one that
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was like none other I have read. It is set in the 60's which I found very interesting and compelling. I also adore the cover. This is a very different novel and one that the more I think about it, I really think is special. You know why...because I cannot stop thinking about it! 4 stars!!! Show Less
LibraryThing member bookchickdi
Kitty wakes up and she's not in her bedroom. She is in an unfamiliar room, but the last thing she remembers is painting her bedroom with help from her best friend and co-owner of their bookstore. What has happened?
So begins Cynthia Swanson's compelling novel, The Bookseller. A handsome man comes
But Kitty is not married and does not have children, and why is this man calling her Katharyn, her given name, instead of Kitty, the name everyone calls her?
Kitty awakens from the realistic dream and it's still 1962 and she has to get to work at the bookstore, where Frieda will be waiting for her. Slowly we find out more about Kitty: she used to be a 5th grade teacher, she is very close to her loving parents, she was jilted by her long-time boyfriend and hasn't been dating much lately.
Things at the bookstore haven't been going so well since the bus line that ran right in front of the store changed routes, and Frieda wants to consider moving the shop to a better location in a shopping center.
But the dreams continue, where it appears that Kitty leads a completely different life. We find out more about her family, including the fact that her young son has autism. I found this fact very intriguing as I don't know how much was known about autism in 1962.
In her dream life, Kitty and Frieda no longer own the store together, and they don't see each other anymore. She has trouble dealing with her son, while her loving husband seems more capable in this area.
Some things are the same in her dream life and her real life. She has the same cat, and in her dream home, her photos are on the wall are the same ones in her real life.
As her dream life goes on, it appears that something traumatic has happened. Her husband is concerned about her and he references things that have happened that neither the reader nor Kitty seem to be aware of.
In her real life, Kitty begins to lose days. She doesn't know what has happened in the days prior, and things begin to confuse her. Fans of Liane Moriarty's What Alice Forgot will enjoy this page-turner of a novel, one that I finished in two sittings.
Swanson weaves a riveting story, one that will keep the reader guessing as to what exactly is going on in Kitty's life to cause these dreams. Her descriptions of Kitty's surroundings are particularly well done, and that is no surprise considering the author is also a mid-century designer.
I liked the characters, especially the relationships between Kitty and her parents and Kitty and Frieda. I found it interesting that the father knew how to better deal with the autistic son than the boy's mother, given that back in 1962 generally fathers were less involved with their children's daily lives than their mothers.
The resolution of the story surprised me a bit, and I'm not sure exactly how I feel about it, but the journey Swanson took us on to get there was a thought-provoking, emotional and compelling one.
So begins Cynthia Swanson's compelling novel, The Bookseller. A handsome man comes
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into the unfamiliar room, claiming to be her husband, and reminding her that she has two young children who need her, one of whom is running a fever.But Kitty is not married and does not have children, and why is this man calling her Katharyn, her given name, instead of Kitty, the name everyone calls her?
Kitty awakens from the realistic dream and it's still 1962 and she has to get to work at the bookstore, where Frieda will be waiting for her. Slowly we find out more about Kitty: she used to be a 5th grade teacher, she is very close to her loving parents, she was jilted by her long-time boyfriend and hasn't been dating much lately.
Things at the bookstore haven't been going so well since the bus line that ran right in front of the store changed routes, and Frieda wants to consider moving the shop to a better location in a shopping center.
But the dreams continue, where it appears that Kitty leads a completely different life. We find out more about her family, including the fact that her young son has autism. I found this fact very intriguing as I don't know how much was known about autism in 1962.
In her dream life, Kitty and Frieda no longer own the store together, and they don't see each other anymore. She has trouble dealing with her son, while her loving husband seems more capable in this area.
Some things are the same in her dream life and her real life. She has the same cat, and in her dream home, her photos are on the wall are the same ones in her real life.
As her dream life goes on, it appears that something traumatic has happened. Her husband is concerned about her and he references things that have happened that neither the reader nor Kitty seem to be aware of.
In her real life, Kitty begins to lose days. She doesn't know what has happened in the days prior, and things begin to confuse her. Fans of Liane Moriarty's What Alice Forgot will enjoy this page-turner of a novel, one that I finished in two sittings.
Swanson weaves a riveting story, one that will keep the reader guessing as to what exactly is going on in Kitty's life to cause these dreams. Her descriptions of Kitty's surroundings are particularly well done, and that is no surprise considering the author is also a mid-century designer.
I liked the characters, especially the relationships between Kitty and her parents and Kitty and Frieda. I found it interesting that the father knew how to better deal with the autistic son than the boy's mother, given that back in 1962 generally fathers were less involved with their children's daily lives than their mothers.
The resolution of the story surprised me a bit, and I'm not sure exactly how I feel about it, but the journey Swanson took us on to get there was a thought-provoking, emotional and compelling one.
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LibraryThing member rmckeown
I frequently judge books by the cover and sometimes simply by the title. How could I possibly ignore Cynthia Swanson’s novel, The Bookseller. I rely on the “Rule of 50” to protect me. Kitty Miller, the main character does run a book store with her long-time friend, Frieda. But the story takes
The book jacket reveals Cynthia Swanson is a writer and a designer of mid-century style. She has published a number of short stories, one of which garnered a Pushcart Prize nomination. She lives in Denver with her husband and three children. The Bookseller is her first novel.
Kitty Miller is a single, 30-something woman who shares the running of Sisters Bookshop on Pearl Street in Denver. The city had recently diverted a streetcar route which had passed in front of Sisters. Now, without the foot traffic, business has fallen off, and Frieda and Kitty are trying to decide what to do. Frieda wants to move to a strip mall in a busy shopping district, but Kitty wants to keep going in the hope things will turn around soon.
Years before, Kitty placed a personal ad in a Denver newspaper, but all the responses seem to be duds – except for one: Lars Andersson. He impressed Kitty as a quiet, sensitive, kind man, with a number of interests shared with Kitty. They agree to meet for coffee in a couple of days. She is excited and gussies herself up for the date. However, Lars never appears. Kitty is really disappointed, and she gives up the quest for a husband and devotes her energies to the shop.
Then the dreams begin. Swanson writes, “This is not my bedroom. // Where am I? Gasping and pulling unfamiliar bedcovers up to my chin, I strain to collect my senses. But no explanation for my whereabouts comes to mind. // The last thing I remember, it was Wednesday evening and I was painting my bedroom a bright, saturated yellow. Frieda, who had offered to help, was appraising my color choice. ‘Too much sunniness for a bedroom,’ she pronounced, in that Miss Know-It-All tone of hers. ‘How will you ever sleep in on gloomy days with a room like this?’” (1). However, Kitty cannot recall anything further of that day. She assumes she is still asleep, Swanson again, “This dream bedroom is quite a bit larger and swankier than my actual bedroom. The walls are sage green, nothing like the deep yellow I chose for home. The furniture is a matched set, sleek and modern. The bedspread is neatly folded at the foot of the bed; soft, coordinating linens encase my body. It’s delightful, in a too-put together sort of way” (2).
As the novel progresses, Kitty swings back and forth between her life as Kitty, friend of Frieda and co-proprietor of Sisters. She begins to fear sleeping. Kathryn, as she is called by a bewildering number of people who know her, but she has no clue who any of these people are. She learns she is married to Lars Andersson, they have three children, triplets, and they live an idyllic life in a ritzy suburb of Denver.
As the dream world deepens, Kitty becomes more and more concerned. Some characters from her life at the bookstore are in the dream, and some are not. Aslan, her beloved cat, occupies both realms.
An interesting and gripping tale of a woman trying to deal with two different worlds and vastly different sets of problems, Cynthia Swanson’s debut novel, The Bookseller, certainly merits 5 stars.
--Jim, 5/14/15
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twists and turns which stimulate the imagination. While, I did figure out what was going on in the novel pretty early on, I kept reading, because the story was that gripping.The book jacket reveals Cynthia Swanson is a writer and a designer of mid-century style. She has published a number of short stories, one of which garnered a Pushcart Prize nomination. She lives in Denver with her husband and three children. The Bookseller is her first novel.
Kitty Miller is a single, 30-something woman who shares the running of Sisters Bookshop on Pearl Street in Denver. The city had recently diverted a streetcar route which had passed in front of Sisters. Now, without the foot traffic, business has fallen off, and Frieda and Kitty are trying to decide what to do. Frieda wants to move to a strip mall in a busy shopping district, but Kitty wants to keep going in the hope things will turn around soon.
Years before, Kitty placed a personal ad in a Denver newspaper, but all the responses seem to be duds – except for one: Lars Andersson. He impressed Kitty as a quiet, sensitive, kind man, with a number of interests shared with Kitty. They agree to meet for coffee in a couple of days. She is excited and gussies herself up for the date. However, Lars never appears. Kitty is really disappointed, and she gives up the quest for a husband and devotes her energies to the shop.
Then the dreams begin. Swanson writes, “This is not my bedroom. // Where am I? Gasping and pulling unfamiliar bedcovers up to my chin, I strain to collect my senses. But no explanation for my whereabouts comes to mind. // The last thing I remember, it was Wednesday evening and I was painting my bedroom a bright, saturated yellow. Frieda, who had offered to help, was appraising my color choice. ‘Too much sunniness for a bedroom,’ she pronounced, in that Miss Know-It-All tone of hers. ‘How will you ever sleep in on gloomy days with a room like this?’” (1). However, Kitty cannot recall anything further of that day. She assumes she is still asleep, Swanson again, “This dream bedroom is quite a bit larger and swankier than my actual bedroom. The walls are sage green, nothing like the deep yellow I chose for home. The furniture is a matched set, sleek and modern. The bedspread is neatly folded at the foot of the bed; soft, coordinating linens encase my body. It’s delightful, in a too-put together sort of way” (2).
As the novel progresses, Kitty swings back and forth between her life as Kitty, friend of Frieda and co-proprietor of Sisters. She begins to fear sleeping. Kathryn, as she is called by a bewildering number of people who know her, but she has no clue who any of these people are. She learns she is married to Lars Andersson, they have three children, triplets, and they live an idyllic life in a ritzy suburb of Denver.
As the dream world deepens, Kitty becomes more and more concerned. Some characters from her life at the bookstore are in the dream, and some are not. Aslan, her beloved cat, occupies both realms.
An interesting and gripping tale of a woman trying to deal with two different worlds and vastly different sets of problems, Cynthia Swanson’s debut novel, The Bookseller, certainly merits 5 stars.
--Jim, 5/14/15
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LibraryThing member ethel55
The road not taken is often a popular vehicle for storytelling and when Kitty Miller begins having dreams about her life as Katharyn, a married woman with hubby and kids, I was hooked. Kitty, along with her oldest friend Frieda, are career women, who have opened their own bookstore in Denver,
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Colorado. Katharyn stems out of a short period of time, when Kitty wanted to re-invent herself after a long time love affair ended. Katharyn posted a lonely hearts type ad, and Lars became her soul mate match. I admit, one of the reasons I ranked this so highly is because how quickly I wanted to keep reading, to see how these two worlds would eventually collide. Fans of Mad Men will like the period descriptions, although there I felt there were a couple anachronisms that will be heartily argued in a book group setting. Swanson does a fantastic job at creating these characters and following the story to the twist at the end. Show Less
LibraryThing member wagner.sarah35
A truly enjoyable read about a 1960s woman caught between two alternative realities - one in which she is a struggling bookstore co-owner with her lifelong best friend and another in which she is a housewife coping with an autistic son. As her worlds start to overlap, she must face up to the losses
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each world contains and determine which reality is truly real. I enjoyed Kitty's (or Katharyn's) journey through her life and found the ending surprisingly satisfying. Show Less
LibraryThing member jbarr5
The Bookseller by Cynthia Swansen
1960's Denver and Kitty Miller runs a bookstore. She has dreams at night that make her think her choices should've been different.
She was to meet Lauris and they talked on the phone but he never showed up and died of a heart attack.
Book starts out with Katherine and
She is able to travel between the two lives and she strives to help others with books and reading.
Katherine tries to figure out what year she goes back in time and forward, the intervals etc as she quizzes the children.
She recalls her life with her best girlfriend and they own the book store. She is in a marriage with Lauris and 3 kids but her parents have died. She goes back and forth into her old life and can't put the pieces together.
She gets down to the exact minute her whole life changed and she talks to Freida about it all. We find out all the missing pieces of what happened as the book goes on..
Confusing at times til you realize what's going on.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
1960's Denver and Kitty Miller runs a bookstore. She has dreams at night that make her think her choices should've been different.
She was to meet Lauris and they talked on the phone but he never showed up and died of a heart attack.
Book starts out with Katherine and
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she's awoken from her husband to take care of the sick child Missy.She is able to travel between the two lives and she strives to help others with books and reading.
Katherine tries to figure out what year she goes back in time and forward, the intervals etc as she quizzes the children.
She recalls her life with her best girlfriend and they own the book store. She is in a marriage with Lauris and 3 kids but her parents have died. She goes back and forth into her old life and can't put the pieces together.
She gets down to the exact minute her whole life changed and she talks to Freida about it all. We find out all the missing pieces of what happened as the book goes on..
Confusing at times til you realize what's going on.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
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LibraryThing member BrendaKlaassen
This was a new author for me. Because it had some very good pre-published reviews, I decided to give it a try. The story ended different then I thought it would. It was a unique different and very believable. I enjoyed the characters and the switching between daydream and real life. This book was
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enjoyable. Show Less
LibraryThing member jmchshannon
The Bookseller is one of those novels that begs readers to predict the ending long in advance. More than that however is the ease with which readers will be able to do so. Every switch between Katharyn’s world and Kitty’s forces readers to add the new pieces to the puzzle. This is not normally
Is she Kitty Miller or is she Katharyn Andersson? This question is the crux of the story. Unforutnately, by the time the novel ends, most readers will not care what the true answer is. In fact, most readers will have already deduced the answer. There are simply too many hints and clues for readers to be able to ignore. In turn, this renders the big reveal anticlimactic and is subsequently disappointing for its sheer ordinariness. Given the slow and methodical build-up to it, one will expect something much more dramatic than what occurs. Following that final reveal, the story ends rather quickly, as if all of Kitty’s troubles resolve themselves. That being said, while generally rapid denouements in stories are disappointing, readers will enjoy the speed with which The Bookseller comes to a close because it provides relief to readers who have held out only to confirm their guesses.
The success of a book like The Bookseller hinges on the reader’s ability to care about and therefore become vested in the main character. With Kitty, readers will find this difficult. For one, there is a general lack of development in Kitty that prevents her from having that depth that will touch the heart of a reader. She explains her past automatically, almost robotically. While this allows readers to get a good feel for her experiences, it tells them nothing about her dreams and desires. One could argue that the story is Kitty’s self-discovery of what makes her happy, but that is not development per se. In Kitty, it is more a dawning awareness of desires that are already there. Her dreams just allow them to come to the forefront so she can recognize them for what they are. Then there is the problem with Kitty herself. She is not the brightest when it comes to understanding her surroundings or reading people’s not-so-subtle body language. The unveiling of certain facts shock her so completely and yet are so obvious to readers, all one can do is laugh and lament her lack of self-awareness.
What The Bookseller lacks in its characters and general mystery, it more than makes up for in its historical details. Ms. Swanson has a penchant for description, and her descriptions of Katharyn’s and Kitty’s lives are sharply in focus. She captures the essence of the early 1960s with her effective use of slang and accurate décor styles and brings back to life an era when one could and did ride public transportation everywhere. This also means she captures the misogyny of the era, as seen by the difficulties Kitty faces as a single businesswoman. From needing a male to cosign a business loan to listening to the demeaning talk that women cannot be successful in business, modern readers will wrestle with some of the language and ideology at work during this era. They will struggle not because it is difficult to understand but rather because it is so far removed from modern-day society. In this one regard, The Bookseller truly rises to the occasion by providing a crystal-clear glimpse into the Camelot/Kennedy years.
In general, The Bookseller is a disappointing story. The premise is intriguing, but the pacing of the story is too plodding. Almost all of the action occurs inside Kitty’s head, and Kitty is not one to take exciting chances or think daring thoughts. She is a good girl, in spite of her unusual-for-the-time-period career and lifestyle choices; good girls just do not make for the most captivating reading. For its historical elements, The Bookseller provides a fun glimpse into a bygone era. For everything else, this is a story which most readers would do better to skip and save themselves some time.
Show More
a bad thing in certain genres; however, in this quiet story, the constant mental gymnastics required to figure out the mystery behind the dreams is anything but good. One can never sink into the story and block out everything else. Most people read to forget about the real world for a while. The constant self-awareness on the part of the reader prevents that from ever happening.Is she Kitty Miller or is she Katharyn Andersson? This question is the crux of the story. Unforutnately, by the time the novel ends, most readers will not care what the true answer is. In fact, most readers will have already deduced the answer. There are simply too many hints and clues for readers to be able to ignore. In turn, this renders the big reveal anticlimactic and is subsequently disappointing for its sheer ordinariness. Given the slow and methodical build-up to it, one will expect something much more dramatic than what occurs. Following that final reveal, the story ends rather quickly, as if all of Kitty’s troubles resolve themselves. That being said, while generally rapid denouements in stories are disappointing, readers will enjoy the speed with which The Bookseller comes to a close because it provides relief to readers who have held out only to confirm their guesses.
The success of a book like The Bookseller hinges on the reader’s ability to care about and therefore become vested in the main character. With Kitty, readers will find this difficult. For one, there is a general lack of development in Kitty that prevents her from having that depth that will touch the heart of a reader. She explains her past automatically, almost robotically. While this allows readers to get a good feel for her experiences, it tells them nothing about her dreams and desires. One could argue that the story is Kitty’s self-discovery of what makes her happy, but that is not development per se. In Kitty, it is more a dawning awareness of desires that are already there. Her dreams just allow them to come to the forefront so she can recognize them for what they are. Then there is the problem with Kitty herself. She is not the brightest when it comes to understanding her surroundings or reading people’s not-so-subtle body language. The unveiling of certain facts shock her so completely and yet are so obvious to readers, all one can do is laugh and lament her lack of self-awareness.
What The Bookseller lacks in its characters and general mystery, it more than makes up for in its historical details. Ms. Swanson has a penchant for description, and her descriptions of Katharyn’s and Kitty’s lives are sharply in focus. She captures the essence of the early 1960s with her effective use of slang and accurate décor styles and brings back to life an era when one could and did ride public transportation everywhere. This also means she captures the misogyny of the era, as seen by the difficulties Kitty faces as a single businesswoman. From needing a male to cosign a business loan to listening to the demeaning talk that women cannot be successful in business, modern readers will wrestle with some of the language and ideology at work during this era. They will struggle not because it is difficult to understand but rather because it is so far removed from modern-day society. In this one regard, The Bookseller truly rises to the occasion by providing a crystal-clear glimpse into the Camelot/Kennedy years.
In general, The Bookseller is a disappointing story. The premise is intriguing, but the pacing of the story is too plodding. Almost all of the action occurs inside Kitty’s head, and Kitty is not one to take exciting chances or think daring thoughts. She is a good girl, in spite of her unusual-for-the-time-period career and lifestyle choices; good girls just do not make for the most captivating reading. For its historical elements, The Bookseller provides a fun glimpse into a bygone era. For everything else, this is a story which most readers would do better to skip and save themselves some time.
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LibraryThing member voracious
Kitty keeps having the most interesting and realistic dreams where she finds herself married to someone she almost dated with three kids in a suburban life in Denver. In reality, Kitty is single in her 30's and co-owner of a floundering bookstore. With no boyfriend or children in her near future,
I enjoyed the parallel universe theme of this novel but found it to be generally boring. Both of Kitty's lives are relatively boring and as such, neither appeared preferable to me. I also thought that the details and mindset of the characters were too modern for the 1960's time period. Nonetheless, it was generally enjoyable, as it makes the reader wonder how their life might have been different if other choices were made along the way.
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her alternate dream world may be better than her real life. However, as the dreams become more frequent, Kitty starts to lose time and perspective about which life is the primary one and which one she prefers.I enjoyed the parallel universe theme of this novel but found it to be generally boring. Both of Kitty's lives are relatively boring and as such, neither appeared preferable to me. I also thought that the details and mindset of the characters were too modern for the 1960's time period. Nonetheless, it was generally enjoyable, as it makes the reader wonder how their life might have been different if other choices were made along the way.
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LibraryThing member SamSattler
The Bookseller is a psychological novel in which the reader spends as much time inside the head and dreams of its main character as it does outside her thoughts. Sometimes, in fact, it is difficult to tell which is the real world and which is the dream world - and that is as true for Kitty, "the
Kitty and her best friend Frieda are concerned that the little bookstore they own together may not be long for this world. Once a thriving place that could depend on walk-in customers served by the city's public transportation system, the bookstore is becoming more and more isolated every day because walk-in traffic has all but disappeared along with the city buses that used to service the neighborhood streets. Worse, new malls are springing up on the outskirts of the city to service suburban customers who no longer even need to come into town to do their shopping.
Perhaps that is why Kitty lives an entirely different life in her dreams, one in which she is known as Katherine, a name more suitable for the young mother of three children that she is in her dream world. These dreams, though, are no ordinary dreams. They are so real, so detailed, and so happy that Kitty looks forward to visiting Katherine's world more and more - especially to spend time with Katherine's completely devoted husband, Lars. Things are definitely better in Katherine's world than in Kitty's - at least for a while.
But are things ever that simple? At the realization that neither of her worlds is perfect, Kitty finds it more and more difficult to live in either of them. If she could only blend the two, she thinks, picking and choosing what she likes best from each, her life would be perfect - but Kitty knows that is impossible. Then she begins to wonder which of her worlds is the real one, and more importantly, which one she will choose to inhabit.
For the most part, The Bookseller is a well-written and intriguing novel, one in which the author slowly provides clues and revelations that will keep the reader guessing right along with its main character. The problem is that all of that tension ends when Kitty very suddenly figures everything out, and more unbelievably, immediately accepts what she has learned about herself. The abruptness of the plot resolution left me feeling that The Bookseller may have been edited with a bit too much zeal. That said, The Bookseller does offer an intriguing psychological puzzle that readers will enjoy trying to solve as they turn its pages. In the end, it is not a particularly difficult problem to solve, but novel offers a fun ride along the way.
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bookseller" for whom the book is titled, as it is for the reader. Fans of the unreliable narrator device are definitely going to enjoy this one.Kitty and her best friend Frieda are concerned that the little bookstore they own together may not be long for this world. Once a thriving place that could depend on walk-in customers served by the city's public transportation system, the bookstore is becoming more and more isolated every day because walk-in traffic has all but disappeared along with the city buses that used to service the neighborhood streets. Worse, new malls are springing up on the outskirts of the city to service suburban customers who no longer even need to come into town to do their shopping.
Perhaps that is why Kitty lives an entirely different life in her dreams, one in which she is known as Katherine, a name more suitable for the young mother of three children that she is in her dream world. These dreams, though, are no ordinary dreams. They are so real, so detailed, and so happy that Kitty looks forward to visiting Katherine's world more and more - especially to spend time with Katherine's completely devoted husband, Lars. Things are definitely better in Katherine's world than in Kitty's - at least for a while.
But are things ever that simple? At the realization that neither of her worlds is perfect, Kitty finds it more and more difficult to live in either of them. If she could only blend the two, she thinks, picking and choosing what she likes best from each, her life would be perfect - but Kitty knows that is impossible. Then she begins to wonder which of her worlds is the real one, and more importantly, which one she will choose to inhabit.
For the most part, The Bookseller is a well-written and intriguing novel, one in which the author slowly provides clues and revelations that will keep the reader guessing right along with its main character. The problem is that all of that tension ends when Kitty very suddenly figures everything out, and more unbelievably, immediately accepts what she has learned about herself. The abruptness of the plot resolution left me feeling that The Bookseller may have been edited with a bit too much zeal. That said, The Bookseller does offer an intriguing psychological puzzle that readers will enjoy trying to solve as they turn its pages. In the end, it is not a particularly difficult problem to solve, but novel offers a fun ride along the way.
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LibraryThing member Maydacat
Nearly everyone has had the experience of just wanting to go to bed to forget the stresses of the day. To avoid a reality that is less than pleasant, all you have to do is fall asleep. But what if your dreams become better than your real life? And what if, after a while, you aren’t sure what is
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real and what isn’t? This the life that Kitty lives – a single bookseller by day, and a married mom when she sleeps. And if she could choose, which life would it be? A compelling story with well thought-out characters in an unusual plot. In this interesting tale, the author cleverly illustrates that dreams are not always perfect, and eventually, the truth must be confronted, no matter how painful. Show Less
LibraryThing member mckait
This is my fourth try at writing this review. I don't want to give anything away. So, I will tell you this. Kitty had a very pleasant life. She had a good friend with whom she had a nice little, not quite thriving bookshop. I always like a good story about friends, and about strong women. This is
I really enjoyed the story of Kitty and Frieda in The Bookseller by Cynthia Swanson. I enjoyed the journey to the ending. There were twists and surprises but I would call it a light read. One that I would recommend.
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both, sort of. One of these women was very strong. One was a bit more fragile. The story about what happens to one of them takes precedence here, and once I began to read, I couldn't put it down.I really enjoyed the story of Kitty and Frieda in The Bookseller by Cynthia Swanson. I enjoyed the journey to the ending. There were twists and surprises but I would call it a light read. One that I would recommend.
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LibraryThing member weeta
a thoughtful and quick "what if I had this alternate life I often wonder about" story, starring: books! 1960s! streetcars! haunting dreams that are maybe real but hey who really knows! BFF! Aslan the cat! librarians! autism! and, ghosts!
LibraryThing member karieh
I really enjoyed "The Bookseller". I am a huge fan of books that manipulate time/present alternate realities. In "The Bookseller", a woman named Katharyn/Kitty finds herself dreaming of an alternate version of her life.
During the day she works with her best friend in their bookshop, goes home to
Her lives are similar enough that there is a great deal of intersection. She lives in the same town, at about the same time (the two versions are about 6 months apart). But in each - there are differences. She's made different choices, different life-changing events have or have not happened - and she finds herself struggling to keep a hold of what is real - what her true life looks like and what she really wants.
I usually make notes and mark quotes as I read a book. But this one was so engrossing and I was so eager to find out what happened next that I read it in two days with nary a note.
This is not only a book that gives Katharyn the chance to see "what if" - it also gets to the heart of how life changes us. How the events that occur, or don't occur, in our lives shape us and guide our choices. "The Bookseller" also takes a look at the person we are at our core. Who we truly are, regardless of circumstance, and how we deal with what lives we have.
This was a great book and a very enjoyable read.
During the day she works with her best friend in their bookshop, goes home to
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her cat, and is very close to her parents. She enjoys the freedom of a single life. At night, once she is asleep, she finds herself as a married woman named Katharyn. She is married to a handsome, kind man named Lars, she lives in a custom home, has children and doesn't work outside the home. There is much of this dream life that she loves - Lars seems wonderful and their life together seems picture perfect. But the more dreams she has, the more she experiences of this alternate world, the more she learns that nothing is perfect. No life is perfect.Her lives are similar enough that there is a great deal of intersection. She lives in the same town, at about the same time (the two versions are about 6 months apart). But in each - there are differences. She's made different choices, different life-changing events have or have not happened - and she finds herself struggling to keep a hold of what is real - what her true life looks like and what she really wants.
I usually make notes and mark quotes as I read a book. But this one was so engrossing and I was so eager to find out what happened next that I read it in two days with nary a note.
This is not only a book that gives Katharyn the chance to see "what if" - it also gets to the heart of how life changes us. How the events that occur, or don't occur, in our lives shape us and guide our choices. "The Bookseller" also takes a look at the person we are at our core. Who we truly are, regardless of circumstance, and how we deal with what lives we have.
This was a great book and a very enjoyable read.
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LibraryThing member SonjaYoerg
A woman develops the ability--or perhaps the curse--to view a version of her life in a dream, and reacts to the wonder and disappointments of a reality she cannot remember choosing or knowing. Swanson shows real skill in this debut, deftly portraying the character's struggle to understand what is
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happening to her and what the two lives she lives and dreams say about who she has been and who she dares to become. Marvelous! Show Less
LibraryThing member JudithDCollins
Cynthia Swanson’s debut, THE BOOKSELLER is a stunning, dreamlike, intriguing story of two worlds. One troubled woman in search of a different life. Caught between two mysterious worlds; confusing fact and fiction. This remarkable novel will transport you to another place. It is almost,
Katharyn (Kitty) operates Sisters, a Denver bookstore she owns with her best friend, Frieda. She is single, loves her apartment and her lifestyle. They have been friends for years and worked so hard to get the business loan and finally have their dream business.
For some odd reason, when Kitty/ Katharyn, sleeps she is dreaming of a different life. She is married to a man named Lars, a successful architect. She is a housewife with children. He is talking to her in bed. He seems kind, good-looking, and thoughtful. Her mom would be proud, she landed this one with beautiful children, possibly twins? However, she cannot imagine living this life and caring for other people. She likes being independent. Who are these children? Why is anyone depending on her?
Set in the early sixties, everyone got married when they graduated from high school or during college. It was all about marriage before the ripe old age of 30. Here we have the main protagonist, Kitty/ Katharyn, a 38-year-old single woman who runs a failing bookstore with her life-long best friend and lives alone with her cat. Who is the housekeeper? Why is she here? Then she recalls her mom and dad are on a trip. A plane? She misses her mom and needs to talk with her. The other world.
However, when did the bookstore start to fail? Everyone loved quaint bookstores? What is this about malls and the internet? As she drifts off to sleep, her world spins out of control. Which life is real; is she married to Lars and do they have children? What happened to her old boyfriend, Kevin from years ago? Why is she home and not at the bookstore? What happened to her best friend? Are they estranged? From fantasy to reality, she almost seems to float between the two worlds.
There is also a little boy named Greg, and she works with him creating stories of baseball as a children’s book. As the lines are blurred between single life and married life, she slowly begins to backtrack to piece together her life and when everything happened. As the dreams become more real, she recalls things in her life. There was a chance meeting. Does she need to choose which life she really wants?
There is so much to this complex, yet alluring tale so do not want to give away any clues or spoilers. I really found myself drawn to the story. The audiobook narrated by Kathe Mazur, intensified the mood, transcending you to another place, as her soft voice put you inside the mind of the narrator, her confusion, the setting, and the emotions. Her delivery enhanced the overall experience, leaving you in a dream like mesmerizing state of mind (like the novel).
If you are familiar with the sixties you will enjoy the books, music, clothing, and the scenes played out. Cannot put my finger on the book; however, for some reason I am strongly reminded a little of Ellen Meister’s The Other Life and Kristin Bair O'Keeffe’s The Art of Floating.
Cynthia Swanson did an excellent job of holding your attention, with easy flow narrative, keeping you glued to the pages as you slowly solve the mystery of Kitty/ Katharyn, in this provocative and hauntingly powerful debut novel of love, grief, tragedy, coping, fate, and life choices. Look forward to reading more from this author.
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spellbinding. Katharyn (Kitty) operates Sisters, a Denver bookstore she owns with her best friend, Frieda. She is single, loves her apartment and her lifestyle. They have been friends for years and worked so hard to get the business loan and finally have their dream business.
For some odd reason, when Kitty/ Katharyn, sleeps she is dreaming of a different life. She is married to a man named Lars, a successful architect. She is a housewife with children. He is talking to her in bed. He seems kind, good-looking, and thoughtful. Her mom would be proud, she landed this one with beautiful children, possibly twins? However, she cannot imagine living this life and caring for other people. She likes being independent. Who are these children? Why is anyone depending on her?
Set in the early sixties, everyone got married when they graduated from high school or during college. It was all about marriage before the ripe old age of 30. Here we have the main protagonist, Kitty/ Katharyn, a 38-year-old single woman who runs a failing bookstore with her life-long best friend and lives alone with her cat. Who is the housekeeper? Why is she here? Then she recalls her mom and dad are on a trip. A plane? She misses her mom and needs to talk with her. The other world.
However, when did the bookstore start to fail? Everyone loved quaint bookstores? What is this about malls and the internet? As she drifts off to sleep, her world spins out of control. Which life is real; is she married to Lars and do they have children? What happened to her old boyfriend, Kevin from years ago? Why is she home and not at the bookstore? What happened to her best friend? Are they estranged? From fantasy to reality, she almost seems to float between the two worlds.
There is also a little boy named Greg, and she works with him creating stories of baseball as a children’s book. As the lines are blurred between single life and married life, she slowly begins to backtrack to piece together her life and when everything happened. As the dreams become more real, she recalls things in her life. There was a chance meeting. Does she need to choose which life she really wants?
There is so much to this complex, yet alluring tale so do not want to give away any clues or spoilers. I really found myself drawn to the story. The audiobook narrated by Kathe Mazur, intensified the mood, transcending you to another place, as her soft voice put you inside the mind of the narrator, her confusion, the setting, and the emotions. Her delivery enhanced the overall experience, leaving you in a dream like mesmerizing state of mind (like the novel).
If you are familiar with the sixties you will enjoy the books, music, clothing, and the scenes played out. Cannot put my finger on the book; however, for some reason I am strongly reminded a little of Ellen Meister’s The Other Life and Kristin Bair O'Keeffe’s The Art of Floating.
Cynthia Swanson did an excellent job of holding your attention, with easy flow narrative, keeping you glued to the pages as you slowly solve the mystery of Kitty/ Katharyn, in this provocative and hauntingly powerful debut novel of love, grief, tragedy, coping, fate, and life choices. Look forward to reading more from this author.
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LibraryThing member SquirrelHead
The Bookseller by Cynthia Swanson started out capturing my attention. If it’s a story about time travel or an alternate time experience, I am in.
This is a quote from Amazon: “A provocative and hauntingly powerful debut novel reminiscent of Sliding Doors, The Bookseller follows a woman in the
There are two time lines but the time differences are minor, 1962 and 1963. It’s not like the Outlander series where the main character goes back in time 100 or more years. The main characters, Kitty and Frieda, are in both time lines but it appears Kitty is the only one “traveling.” The book is set in Denver although there isn’t much description about Denver. For the lack of description the venue could be Anytown, USA. . Kitty drifts between the two years and has a slightly different life in each.
In 1962 Kitty is a single woman, running a failing bookstore with her best friend Frieda. They enjoy the time they spend together and are trying to think of ways to keep it going. Being single she enjoys a life where she isn’t tied to a schedule and comes and goes as she wishes.
When Kitty goes to sleep she “awakens” in 1963 in a home she is unfamiliar with a loving husband and three children. Her husband Lars clearly loves her dearly, showing affection and stroking her cheek as she wakes up. He calls her Katharyn instead of Kitty. She seems to instinctively know what to do when her daughter has a fever, fetching aspirin and cold towels and playing mother as if she does it every day. Kitty is childless in her “real” life so is amazed that she knows where things are located in this house and what she needs to do with her sick daughter. Then she wakes up and is single again.
There isn’t a husband named Lars. Later in the book Kitty looks for the address of the home she lives in with Lars and finds a vacant lot. Homes are built up around the lot in this neighborhood but the one she shares with Lars isn’t there.
Kitty’s parents play a good sized role in both timelines. In 1962 they are on vacation in Hawaii, her mother sending postcards several times a week. Kitty reads these cards all the time and misses her parents. In 1963 Katharyn’s parents are very involved in the lives of their grandchildren.
This book kept my interest and I read it in a pretty good time because I was invested. Which world is the real world? Or do both exist in different time lines and Kitty or Katharyn will have to choose which life she wants? Near the end of the book I felt it fizzled out. It wasn’t a satisfactory ending for me but then I asked myself, how would I want it to end.
SPOILER - My theory on what was at work here:
I don’t know what the author intended but my thoughts are that Kitty/Katharyn had a nervous breakdown. The life she chose, or the real world, was the one where she was married to Lars. In that reality her parents had died. In the 1962 world, her world without a husband and children, her parents were still alive and strong influences in her daily life. My theory is she couldn’t deal with their deaths and had a breakdown, reliving or conjuring their existence in her mind.
But, as I said that is my theory and I have no idea what the author intended. Would I read more of Cynthia Swanson’s work? Absolutely. I enjoyed 95% of The Bookseller and since it did keep my interest I would certainly read more by this author.
This is a quote from Amazon: “A provocative and hauntingly powerful debut novel reminiscent of Sliding Doors, The Bookseller follows a woman in the
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1960s who must reconcile her reality with the tantalizing alternate world of her dreams.” Ok, so now I am off to request Sliding Doors.There are two time lines but the time differences are minor, 1962 and 1963. It’s not like the Outlander series where the main character goes back in time 100 or more years. The main characters, Kitty and Frieda, are in both time lines but it appears Kitty is the only one “traveling.” The book is set in Denver although there isn’t much description about Denver. For the lack of description the venue could be Anytown, USA. . Kitty drifts between the two years and has a slightly different life in each.
In 1962 Kitty is a single woman, running a failing bookstore with her best friend Frieda. They enjoy the time they spend together and are trying to think of ways to keep it going. Being single she enjoys a life where she isn’t tied to a schedule and comes and goes as she wishes.
When Kitty goes to sleep she “awakens” in 1963 in a home she is unfamiliar with a loving husband and three children. Her husband Lars clearly loves her dearly, showing affection and stroking her cheek as she wakes up. He calls her Katharyn instead of Kitty. She seems to instinctively know what to do when her daughter has a fever, fetching aspirin and cold towels and playing mother as if she does it every day. Kitty is childless in her “real” life so is amazed that she knows where things are located in this house and what she needs to do with her sick daughter. Then she wakes up and is single again.
There isn’t a husband named Lars. Later in the book Kitty looks for the address of the home she lives in with Lars and finds a vacant lot. Homes are built up around the lot in this neighborhood but the one she shares with Lars isn’t there.
Kitty’s parents play a good sized role in both timelines. In 1962 they are on vacation in Hawaii, her mother sending postcards several times a week. Kitty reads these cards all the time and misses her parents. In 1963 Katharyn’s parents are very involved in the lives of their grandchildren.
This book kept my interest and I read it in a pretty good time because I was invested. Which world is the real world? Or do both exist in different time lines and Kitty or Katharyn will have to choose which life she wants? Near the end of the book I felt it fizzled out. It wasn’t a satisfactory ending for me but then I asked myself, how would I want it to end.
SPOILER - My theory on what was at work here:
I don’t know what the author intended but my thoughts are that Kitty/Katharyn had a nervous breakdown. The life she chose, or the real world, was the one where she was married to Lars. In that reality her parents had died. In the 1962 world, her world without a husband and children, her parents were still alive and strong influences in her daily life. My theory is she couldn’t deal with their deaths and had a breakdown, reliving or conjuring their existence in her mind.
But, as I said that is my theory and I have no idea what the author intended. Would I read more of Cynthia Swanson’s work? Absolutely. I enjoyed 95% of The Bookseller and since it did keep my interest I would certainly read more by this author.
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LibraryThing member FerneMysteryReader
An amazing first novel. Absolutely amazing! I can envision this novel becoming a classic as it is a provocative and thoughtful presentation of a question that every person asks of themselves at some time during their adult life - "What if I had taken a different path on my life journey?" -or- "What
The movement between the character's worlds - one as Kitty - one as Kathryn - is seamless and the question of which is her 'real life' is not revealed until the final pages. The writing is masterful, powerful, thoughtful, and riveting. I do not recall becoming drawn into a story - and particularly by presentation of a first novel - since reading "The Orchardist" by Amanda Coplin in 2013.
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if I had made a different choice at a life-altering decision time during my life journey?"The movement between the character's worlds - one as Kitty - one as Kathryn - is seamless and the question of which is her 'real life' is not revealed until the final pages. The writing is masterful, powerful, thoughtful, and riveting. I do not recall becoming drawn into a story - and particularly by presentation of a first novel - since reading "The Orchardist" by Amanda Coplin in 2013.
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LibraryThing member LDVoorberg
The book starts off very strong on the chick-lit side before it moves into more serious topics (coping, memory, parenting, etc, to be vague and non-spoiler), though it never reaches serious literary fiction realms. But for what it is, it's not bad. I almost stopped reading after the first
The story has a gimmick which is interesting psychologically, but otherwise I'd put it on a shelf with Jodi Piccoult.
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"gratuitous" sex scene (not because it's gratuitous but because of what it made me expect from the rest of the book -- that is, very little), but it is the one and only. There's also a random mention of the number of Christian Reformed churches in the area, which is an unexpected detail (and irrelevant to the story).The story has a gimmick which is interesting psychologically, but otherwise I'd put it on a shelf with Jodi Piccoult.
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LibraryThing member CherylGrimm
At what point when one continuously dreams them self in an alternate life, filled with alternate family, does one wonder which is, indeed the reality? What if that life was better? (Which it is.) Katharyn “Kitty” is living such a duality. A co-owner of a bookstore in Denver or a dutiful wife
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and mother of two. It’s kind of an interesting plot, but just got fed up with the back & forth, the arguing, the strain. As much as I love books about bookstore owners, this one just wasn’t for me. Show Less
LibraryThing member Sheila1957
Kitty and Frieda own a book store that has fallen on hard times. They have to decide what to do. At the same time Kitty starts having dreams about an alternate life where she is married and has children. As she goes between lives she wonders what has happened to cause certain situations but she
I liked Kitty. I also liked her at Katharyn in her alternate life. She had some interesting ways to figure out the whys and whats of that life. I liked Lars in her alternate life. Frieda I was ambivalent about in both lives but I could understand what happened between Kitty/Katharyn and Frieda. Not sure if I am sympathetic enough about it. The story held my interest as I wanted to know what no one would talk to Katharyn about. The questions get answered eventually but it was a drawn out process.
I enjoyed this book and have gotten more books for the TBR list.
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does not want to ask anyone because she does not want to appear like she is crazy. I liked Kitty. I also liked her at Katharyn in her alternate life. She had some interesting ways to figure out the whys and whats of that life. I liked Lars in her alternate life. Frieda I was ambivalent about in both lives but I could understand what happened between Kitty/Katharyn and Frieda. Not sure if I am sympathetic enough about it. The story held my interest as I wanted to know what no one would talk to Katharyn about. The questions get answered eventually but it was a drawn out process.
I enjoyed this book and have gotten more books for the TBR list.
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LibraryThing member deckla
About a woman (sometimes called Kitty, sometimes Katharyn) who dreams herself back and forth between two realities: in one, she is a single woman who spends her days running a bookstore with her best friend Frieda and missing her vacationing parents; in the other, she is married to Lars, an
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architect, and has triplets, one of whom is autistic. This is one of those trauma stories, in which you only find out at the end of the book which is the reality and which the dream. Although pleasant enough to read, I do think there are some logical fallacies here. I'm not sure that at least in the one reality, she shouldn't be escorted to a place of psychological help, given her behavior. Also, I'm not sure that the trauma that instigates this disjunction is, well, traumatic enough. The book takes place in the early 1960s, and the period details are fun. Show Less
Awards
WILLA Literary Award (Winner — 2016)
High Plains Book Award (Finalist — First Book — 2016)
Lariat Adult Fiction Reading List (Selection — 2016)