Sara and Amy bonded over books, in spite of the long distances between them. And so, one day, Sara decides to visit Amy. She travels all the way from Sweden to the tiny town of Broken Wheel, Iowa, only to discover that Amy has passed away in the meantime. Sara is all but stranded, unsure what to do or where to go. Fortunately, Amy was beloved in Broken Wheel and her friends and fellow townspeople had been anxiously awaiting Sara's arrival just as much as Amy had. The townspeople of Broken Wheel readily embrace Sara, befriending her, making her feel welcome, and even insisting she stay in Amy's home. And Sara, after her initial discomfort with the attention, decides to give something back - a book store. But not just any book store, one that will honor Amy's memory, one that might just offer the people of Broken Wheel exactly what they've needed for so long.
It's no surprise that Katarina Bivald herself was a bookseller. And while it can be assumed that authors in general are book lovers, The Readers of Broken Wheel proves Bivald is one of the most enthusiastic of those!
From Sara's arrival through to the trial that will determine her fate in Broken Wheel (because, if you couldn't tell, she's working without a visa), Bivald tells a tale that's charming and sweet and absolutely packed with some of the most brilliantly built characters in fiction. They reminded me a bit of Chocolat, if I'm honest: quirky, scarred, broken, opinionated, secretive, nosy... Sara gets to know each and every one of them, teasing out the details of their most intimate secrets through simple friendship and observation. And, book lover that she is, she is determined to find the perfect book for each and every one of their needs!
The Readers of Broken Wheel is the kind of book any and every reader can appreciate. It's one that will tug at your heartstrings and make you smile. It'll also make you wish you could spend a day or two in Broken Wheel yourself!
Rating: 4/5
2 comments:
I'm glad this book worked for you. I wanted to love it, but I found it just too slow to hold my interest. The characters weren't developed as much as I would have liked either. I am going to be reading Happy People Read and Drink Coffee this month in hopes that it will work a bit better for me.
I really liked this book.
It was a sweet read for me.
Thanks for your great review.
Elizabeth
Silver's Reviews
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