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亘丕卅毓丞 丕賱賰鬲亘
欧宝娱乐 Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Historical Fiction (2015)廿賳賴丕 賯氐丞 賲爻鬲賮夭丞 賱賱賯丕乇卅 賵賲匕賴賱丞 亘賯賵丞 鬲匕賰賾乇賳丕 亘乇賵丕賷丞 芦丕賱兀亘賵丕亘 丕賱賲賳夭賱賯丞禄 賮乇賵丕賷丞 芦亘丕卅毓丞 丕賱賰鬲亘禄 賱賱乇賵丕卅賷丞 爻賷賳孬賷丕 爻賵丕賳爻賳 鬲鬲鬲亘賻賾毓購 丨賷丕丞 丕賲乇兀丞 賮賷 爻鬲賷賳賷丕鬲 丕賱賯乇賳 丕賱毓卮乇賷賳 毓賱賷賴丕 丕賱鬲賵賮賷賯 亘賷賳 賵丕賯毓賴丕 賵毓丕賱賲 兀丨賱丕賲賴丕 丕賱亘丿賷賱 賵丕賱賲丨賷賾乇.
賱丕 卮賷亍 丿丕卅賲 賰賲丕 賷亘丿賵...
丿賳賮乇貙 1962: 賰賷鬲賷 賲賷賱乇 丕賲乇兀丞 鬲賵丕賮賯鬲 賲毓 丨賷丕鬲賴丕 丕賱賮乇丿賷丞 睾賷乇 丕賱鬲賯賱賷丿賷丞. 賲賵賱毓丞 亘賲禺夭賳 丕賱賰鬲亘 丕賱匕賷 鬲丿賷乇賴 賲毓 氐丿賷賯鬲賴丕 丕賱賲賮囟賱丞貙 賮乇賷丿丕貙 賵鬲鬲賲鬲毓 亘爻賷胤乇丞 賰丕賲賱丞 毓賱賶 廿丿丕乇鬲賴 賷賵賲丕賸 亘毓丿 賷賵賲貙 丨賷孬 賷購賲賰賳賴丕 兀賳 鬲兀鬲賷 賵鬲匕賴亘 賰賲丕 鬲乇賷丿貙 丿賵賳 丕賱乇噩賵毓 廿賱賶 兀丨丿.. 廿賱丕 兀賳 丕賱兀賲賵乇 賲毓 丕賱胤亘賷亘 賰賷賮賳 賱賲 鬲賰賳 賰賲丕 賰丕賳鬲 賰賷鬲賷 鬲兀賲賱.
孬賲 鬲亘丿兀 丕賱兀丨賱丕賲...
丿賳賮乇貙 1963: 賰丕孬乇賷賳 兀賳丿乇爻賵賳 賲鬲夭賵噩丞 賲賳 賱丕乇爻貙 丨亘賾 丨賷丕鬲賴丕. 賱丿賷賴賲丕 毓丕卅賱丞 噩賲賷賱丞貙 賵賲賳夭賱 兀賳賷賯貙 賵兀氐丿賯丕亍 噩賷丿賷賳. 賰丕賳鬲 賰賷鬲賷 賲賷賱乇 鬲毓鬲賯丿 兀賳 賴匕丕 賰賱 賲丕 鬲乇賷丿貙 賵賱賰賳 匕賱賰 賲賵噩賵丿 賮毓賱丕賸 賮賯胤 賮賷 兀丨賱丕賲賴丕 毓賳丿賲丕 鬲賳丕賲.
賵丕賯鬲賳丕毓丕賸 賲賳賴丕 亘兀賳 賴匕賴 丕賱兀丨賱丕賲 賴賷 亘亘爻丕胤丞 賳鬲賷噩丞 賱禺賷丕賱賴丕 丕賱賲賮乇胤貙 賰丕賳鬲 賰賷鬲賷 鬲鬲賲鬲毓 亘亘胤賵賱丕鬲賴丕 丕賱賱賷賱賷丞 賮賷 賴匕丕 丕賱毓丕賱賲 丕賱亘丿賷賱. 賵賱賰賳 賲毓 賰賱 夭賷丕乇丞 廿賱賷賴 鬲氐亘丨 丨賷丕丞 賰丕孬乇賷賳 丕賱丨賯賷賯賷丞 兀氐毓亘. 賮賴賱 賷購賲賰賳賴丕 丕禺鬲賷丕乇 丕賱丨賷丕丞 丕賱鬲賷 鬲乇賷丿賴丕責 廿匕丕 賰丕賳 丕賱兀賲乇 賰匕賱賰貙 賲丕 賴賷 鬲賰賱賮丞 亘賯丕亍賴丕 賰賷鬲賷貙 兀賵 兀賳 鬲氐亘丨 賰丕孬乇賷賳責
賲毓 鬲丿丕禺賱 毓丕賱賲賷賴丕 丕賱賱匕丕賳 兀氐亘丨丕 囟亘丕亘賷賷賳貙 賰丕賳 毓賱賶 賰賷鬲賷 兀賳 鬲購賲賷夭 亘賷賳 丕賱丨賯賷賯賷 賵丕賱賲鬲禺賷賻賾賱貙 賮廿賱賶 兀賷 賲丿賶 爻鬲賳噩丨 賮賷 丕賱賮氐賱 亘賷賳 毓丕賱賲 丕賱賵丕賯毓 賵毓丕賱賲 丕賱丨購賱賲責 賵賰兀賳 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 鬲購爻丕亍賱賳丕 賰賯乇丕亍 兀賷囟丕賸 賰賷賮 毓賱賷賳丕 兀賳 賳毓乇賮 兀賷賳 鬲賯毓 鬲賱賰 丕賱丨丿賵丿 賮賷 丨賷丕鬲賳丕 丕賱禺丕氐丞責
賱丕 卮賷亍 丿丕卅賲 賰賲丕 賷亘丿賵...
丿賳賮乇貙 1962: 賰賷鬲賷 賲賷賱乇 丕賲乇兀丞 鬲賵丕賮賯鬲 賲毓 丨賷丕鬲賴丕 丕賱賮乇丿賷丞 睾賷乇 丕賱鬲賯賱賷丿賷丞. 賲賵賱毓丞 亘賲禺夭賳 丕賱賰鬲亘 丕賱匕賷 鬲丿賷乇賴 賲毓 氐丿賷賯鬲賴丕 丕賱賲賮囟賱丞貙 賮乇賷丿丕貙 賵鬲鬲賲鬲毓 亘爻賷胤乇丞 賰丕賲賱丞 毓賱賶 廿丿丕乇鬲賴 賷賵賲丕賸 亘毓丿 賷賵賲貙 丨賷孬 賷購賲賰賳賴丕 兀賳 鬲兀鬲賷 賵鬲匕賴亘 賰賲丕 鬲乇賷丿貙 丿賵賳 丕賱乇噩賵毓 廿賱賶 兀丨丿.. 廿賱丕 兀賳 丕賱兀賲賵乇 賲毓 丕賱胤亘賷亘 賰賷賮賳 賱賲 鬲賰賳 賰賲丕 賰丕賳鬲 賰賷鬲賷 鬲兀賲賱.
孬賲 鬲亘丿兀 丕賱兀丨賱丕賲...
丿賳賮乇貙 1963: 賰丕孬乇賷賳 兀賳丿乇爻賵賳 賲鬲夭賵噩丞 賲賳 賱丕乇爻貙 丨亘賾 丨賷丕鬲賴丕. 賱丿賷賴賲丕 毓丕卅賱丞 噩賲賷賱丞貙 賵賲賳夭賱 兀賳賷賯貙 賵兀氐丿賯丕亍 噩賷丿賷賳. 賰丕賳鬲 賰賷鬲賷 賲賷賱乇 鬲毓鬲賯丿 兀賳 賴匕丕 賰賱 賲丕 鬲乇賷丿貙 賵賱賰賳 匕賱賰 賲賵噩賵丿 賮毓賱丕賸 賮賯胤 賮賷 兀丨賱丕賲賴丕 毓賳丿賲丕 鬲賳丕賲.
賵丕賯鬲賳丕毓丕賸 賲賳賴丕 亘兀賳 賴匕賴 丕賱兀丨賱丕賲 賴賷 亘亘爻丕胤丞 賳鬲賷噩丞 賱禺賷丕賱賴丕 丕賱賲賮乇胤貙 賰丕賳鬲 賰賷鬲賷 鬲鬲賲鬲毓 亘亘胤賵賱丕鬲賴丕 丕賱賱賷賱賷丞 賮賷 賴匕丕 丕賱毓丕賱賲 丕賱亘丿賷賱. 賵賱賰賳 賲毓 賰賱 夭賷丕乇丞 廿賱賷賴 鬲氐亘丨 丨賷丕丞 賰丕孬乇賷賳 丕賱丨賯賷賯賷丞 兀氐毓亘. 賮賴賱 賷購賲賰賳賴丕 丕禺鬲賷丕乇 丕賱丨賷丕丞 丕賱鬲賷 鬲乇賷丿賴丕責 廿匕丕 賰丕賳 丕賱兀賲乇 賰匕賱賰貙 賲丕 賴賷 鬲賰賱賮丞 亘賯丕亍賴丕 賰賷鬲賷貙 兀賵 兀賳 鬲氐亘丨 賰丕孬乇賷賳責
賲毓 鬲丿丕禺賱 毓丕賱賲賷賴丕 丕賱賱匕丕賳 兀氐亘丨丕 囟亘丕亘賷賷賳貙 賰丕賳 毓賱賶 賰賷鬲賷 兀賳 鬲購賲賷夭 亘賷賳 丕賱丨賯賷賯賷 賵丕賱賲鬲禺賷賻賾賱貙 賮廿賱賶 兀賷 賲丿賶 爻鬲賳噩丨 賮賷 丕賱賮氐賱 亘賷賳 毓丕賱賲 丕賱賵丕賯毓 賵毓丕賱賲 丕賱丨購賱賲責 賵賰兀賳 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 鬲購爻丕亍賱賳丕 賰賯乇丕亍 兀賷囟丕賸 賰賷賮 毓賱賷賳丕 兀賳 賳毓乇賮 兀賷賳 鬲賯毓 鬲賱賰 丕賱丨丿賵丿 賮賷 丨賷丕鬲賳丕 丕賱禺丕氐丞責
351 pages, Paperback
First published March 3, 2015
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38619 people want to read
About the author
Cynthia Swanson
4听books766听followersCynthia Swanson writes psychological suspense, often using historical settings. Cynthia鈥檚 debut novel, The Bookseller, was a New York Times bestseller, an Indie Next selection, the winner of the 2016 WILLA Literary Award for Historical Fiction, and is slated to be a motion picture produced by Julia Roberts. The Bookseller was nominated for the 欧宝娱乐 Choice Award and the Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association Reading the West Award, and was a finalist for the High Plains Book Award. The Bookseller is translated into 18 languages. Cynthia鈥檚 second novel, The Glass Forest, was a USA Today bestseller, has been noted in Forbes as being one of 鈥淔ive Novels With a Remarkably Strong Sense of Place鈥� and is translated into 7 languages. Her third novel, Anyone But Her, was named 2024 Best Mystery/Thriller by the Indie Author Project. Cynthia is the editor of the Colorado Book Award winning anthology Denver Noir, which features dark, morally ambiguous stories set in and around Denver, written by 14 notable literary and mystery authors. Cynthia lives with her family in Denver. Find her online at , Facebook (Cynthia Swanson, Author), and Instagram (cynswanauthor).
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December 31, 2022
賴賳丕賰 孬賱丕孬 鬲賮爻賷乇丕鬲 賱賰賱 賯氐丞:鬲賮爻賷乇賰 賵 鬲賮爻賷乇賴賲 賵 丕賱丨賯賷賯丞
賵 丕賱賮乇賯 亘賷賳 賲丕 鬲乇賷丿賴 賱賳賮爻賰 賵亘賷賳 賲丕 賷鬲賵賯毓賴 丕賱丕禺乇賷賳 賲賳賰 賵 賲丕 賷賮乇囟賴 毓賱賷賰 丕賱賵丕賯毓 丕賱賲鬲賴丕賱賰..賴賵 爻亘亘 卮賯丕亍賳丕 噩賲賷毓丕 賵 賲毓賳丕 賰丕孬乇賷賳 亘丕卅毓丞 丕賱賰鬲亘 丕賱丨丕卅乇丞 亘賲賰鬲亘鬲賴丕 丕賱氐睾賷乇丞 賮賷 丕賲乇賷賰丕 丕賱爻鬲賷賳丕鬲
鬲爻賵丿 丕賱丕賷丕賲 氐賮丨丕鬲 賰鬲丕亘 丨賷丕鬲賰 賵 鬲鬲賵丕賱賶 氐賮丨丕鬲 賲禺賷亘丞 賱賱丌賲丕賱 賵賱丕 鬲乇囟賷賰..賮賴賱 鬲鬲賵丕亍賲 賲毓 賵丕賯毓賰 賵 鬲爻鬲爻賱賲 賱賱禺匕賱丕賳. .丕賲 爻賷亘丨孬 賱賰 禺賷丕賱賰 毓賳 賲賴乇亘 賵 賷卮睾賱 毓賯賱賰 毓賳 丕亘鬲賰丕乇 丨賱 賱賱賳噩丕丞 賵 丕賱丕禺鬲賷丕乇 丕賱氐丕卅亘 責
賰鬲丕亘 丨賷丕鬲賷 賷丕 毓賷賳 #
賳賷乇丞 "賲賳匕 氐亘丕賰 賵 賳丨賳 賳乇丕賰 丕賲丕 賲毓 丕賱賰鬲亘 丕賵 丕賱丕胤賮丕賱 賱匕賱賰 賱丕亘丿 丕賳 鬲賲鬲賱賰賷 賲賰鬲亘丞 賵 鬲丿賷乇賷賳 丨囟丕賳丞"鬲賱賰 賰丕賳鬲 賰賱賲丕鬲 丕賴賱賷 賵 丕賯丕乇亘賷 賱賷 丿丕卅賲丕
賲丕卮賵賮鬲 夭賷賴 賰鬲丕亘 #
丕"丕賳鬲 賲賳 丨亘亘鬲賷賳賷 賮賷 丕賱賯乇丕亍丞 亘丕賱毓乇亘賷丞 賵 賮賴賲鬲賷賳賷 噩丿賵賶 丕賱丕丿亘 賷噩亘 丕賳 鬲毓賲賱賷 亘賲噩丕賱 丕賱賳卮乇 賵 丕賱賳賯丿責
丕"鬲乇噩賲鬲賰 賱賱丕睾丕賳賷 賵 丕賱賯氐氐 丕爻賱賵亘賴丕 賮乇賷丿貨 丕賰賷丿 賷噩亘 丕賳 鬲毓賲賱賷 亘丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞"責
乇兀賷 氐丿賷賯鬲丕賷 丕賱賲賯乇亘鬲賷賳 賵 丕丨丿賴賲丕 毓賲賱鬲 亘丕賱賳卮乇 賮賷 丕賱禺丕乇噩 賵 丕賱丕禺乇賶 毓賲賱鬲 亘丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞..賷丕 賱賱毓噩亘
丕賱賮乇丨 賮賷賴 爻胤乇賷賳 #
丕"賲賰丕賳賰 丕賱氐賮丨丞 丕賱丕丿亘賷丞 賵 亘丕賱鬲兀賰賷丿 爻賷氐丿乇 賱賰 丕賰鬲乇 賲賳 賰鬲丕亘" 亘毓囟 丕爻丕鬲匕鬲賷 亘丕賱賰賱賷丞
丕"賳丨賳 賱丕 賳賮賴賲 賱賲丕匕丕 賱賲 鬲氐丿乇 賱賰 乇賵丕賷丕鬲 丨鬲賶 丕賱丕賳"責 : 廿亘賳賷 賵 賲毓馗賲 兀氐丿賯丕卅賷 亘賲賵賯毓賳丕 丕賱丨亘賷亘 賴匕丕
賵 賱賰賳 賮賱賳鬲乇賰 賳賷乇丞 賵 睾賷乇賴丕 賲賲賳 鬲賲夭賯賴賳 丕賱鬲賵賯毓丕鬲 貨賵 賳毓賵丿 賱賰丕孬乇賷賳 丕賵 賰賷鬲賷 丕賱賲賲夭賯丞 亘賷賳 丨賷丕鬲賷賳 賵 亘賷鬲賷賳 貨賮鬲丕乇丞 鬲氐丨賵 賱鬲噩丿 賳賮爻賴丕 丕賱丌賳爻丞 賰賷鬲賷 丕賱氐賴亘丕亍 丕賱賲賲鬲賱卅丞 丕賱賱胤賷賮丞 丕賱鬲賷 賯乇乇鬲 亘噩乇兀丞 丕賳 鬲丨賯賯 丨賱賲賴丕 賮賷 爻賳 30賵 鬲鬲乇賰 丕賱鬲丿乇賷爻 賵 鬲卮丕乇賰 氐丿賷賯丞 丕賱毓賲乇 :賮乇賷丿丕 賮賷 賲賰鬲亘丞 賲爻鬲賯賱丞 氐睾賷乇丞 賳丕噩丨丞 賵 賱賰賳 鬲兀鬲賷 丕賱爻賳賵丕鬲 亘鬲胤賵乇 毓氐乇賷 賷賵丿賶 亘賲爻鬲賯亘賱 賲賰鬲亘鬲賴賲丕...賮賴賱 賷鬲禺匕丕 丕賱賯乇丕乇 丕賱氐丕卅亘 丕賲 丕賱爻賴賱責
賵 鬲丕乇丞 丕禺乇賶 鬲氐丨賵 賱鬲噩丿 賳賮爻賴丕 賰丕孬乇賷賳 乇亘丞 亘賷鬲 毓氐乇賷 賮禺賲 賵 賴賷 丕賱夭賵噩丞 賵 丕賱兀賲 賱兀胤賮丕賱 賱丕 鬲毓乇賮 毓賳賴賲 卮賷卅丕.. 賵 賱丿賷賴丕 夭賵噩 丕賱兀丨賱丕賲 賲賳 胤乇丕夭 禺夭毓亘賱賷 禺乇丕賮賷
賲賴賳丿爻 賳丕噩丨 孬乇賷 毓氐丕賲賷.. 氐亘賵乇 丨賳賵賳 賲鬲賮賴賲 賲爻鬲賯賷賲 賲乇丨 賲爻丕賳丿 賲丨亘 賲鬲賮丕賳賷.. 賯賵賶 丕賱亘賳賷丞 賵爻賷賲 貨賷丨囟乇 丕賱丕賮胤丕乇 賵 賷丨賲賲 丕賱丕胤賮丕賱 賵 賷賳賷賲賴賲 亘賯氐氐 賲卮賵賯丞 賵 賷賵賯馗賴賲 噩賲賷毓丕 賮賷 丕賱氐亘丕丨!!!賵 賮賵賯 賰賱 賴匕丕 賷丐噩乇 賱夭賵噩鬲賴 賲乇亘賷丞 賵 毓丕賲賱丞 賱賱賳馗丕賮丞
賵 鬲馗賱 亘胤賱鬲賳丕 鬲氐丨賵 賱鬲噩丿 賳賮爻賴丕 賮賷 丕丨丿賶 賴丕鬲賷賳 丕賱丨賷丕鬲賷賳 ..賱賳鬲亘賷賳 賲毓賴丕 丕賳 賲賳 爻賳賳 丕賱丨賷丕丞 : 丕賱賲氐丕卅亘 賵 丕賱賰賵丕乇孬 賵 丕賱乇賷丕丨 丕賱鬲賷 鬲兀鬲賷 亘賲丕 賱丕 賳卮鬲賴賶
賵 丕賳 賱丨馗丞 賵丕丨丿丞 賯丿 賳氐賱賴丕 賲亘賰乇賷賳 丕賵 賲鬲丕禺乇賷賳 賯丿 鬲賯賱亘 丨賷丕鬲賳丕
.. 賵 丕賱氐乇丕毓 亘賷賳 丕賱賮乇丿賷丞 賵 丕賱丕賷孬丕乇 賵 丕賱鬲賳丕夭賱 賴賵 賯丿乇 丕賱亘卮乇 丕噩賲毓賷賳
鬲鬲亘賷賳 賰丕鬲賷 賲亘賰乇丕 丕賳賴
賱丕 賵噩賵丿 賱卮賷亍 丕爻賲賴 丨賷丕丞 賲孬丕賱賷丞
賱賷爻鬲 丕賱丨賷丕丞 賰丕賲賱丞 賴賳丕 賵 賱丕 賴賳丕賰
賵 丕賳 丕賴賲 賲丕 賮賷 丕賱丨賷丕丞 丕賱鬲禺賱氐 賲賳 丕賱丕賱賴丕亍 丕賱賷賵賲賷 賵 鬲賵賯毓丕鬲 賲賳 丨賵賱賳丕 貨 賱賳氐賱 丕賱賶 賯丿乇丕鬲賳丕 丕賱賲禺賮賷丞 禺賱賮 乇賰丕賲 丕賱鬲賮丕氐賷賱 丕賱賲乇賴賯丞 ..賱兀賳 賮賷 丕爻鬲賰卮丕賮 賲賵丕賴亘賳丕 賵 賯丿乇丕鬲賳丕 丕賱丨賱 賱賲丕 丕毓鬲賯丿賳丕賴 賲爻鬲丨賷賱
丕匕賳 賲丕 賴賷 賲卮賰賱丞 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 責
賰孬乇丞 賳賵賲 丕賱亘胤賱丞 賷丐丿賶 丨鬲賲丕 賱賳賵賲 丕賱賯丕乇賷亍 -
賳鬲賵賯毓 賲賳 乇賵丕賷丞 鬲丿賵乇 賳氐賮 丕丨丿丕孬賴丕 賮賷 賲賰鬲亘丞 -
丕賳 鬲賲鬲賱賷亍 亘爻賷乇丞 丕賱賰鬲亘 兀賰賷丿 ..賵 賱賰賳 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賰丕賳 賲賳 丕賱賲賲賰賳 丕賳 鬲丿賵乇 丨賵賱 亘丕卅毓丞 丨賱賵賶 兀賵 丨賯丕卅亘
賮賯丿 丕賰鬲賮鬲 爻賵丕賳爻賵賳 亘匕賰乇 亘毓囟 丕賱丕氐丿丕乇丕鬲 丕賱丕賲乇賷賰賷丞 賮賷 賲胤賱毓 丕賱爻鬲賷賳丕鬲 賵 氐毓賵丿 賳噩賲 丕賱禺賷丕賱 丕賱毓賱賲賷 賵 乇丕賷 亘乇丕丿亘賵乇賷 ..賵 乇賰夭鬲 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 丕賰孬乇 毓賱賶 丕賱鬲胤賵乇 丕賱孬賯丕賮賷 丕賱丕噩鬲賲丕毓賷 丕賱匕賷 睾賷乇 賵噩賴 丕賲乇賷賰丕 賱賱丕亘丿..
賲毓 馗賴賵乇 丕賱賲賵賱丕鬲 丕賱鬲噩丕乇賷丞 賵 賲丕 鬲丨賲賱賴 賲賳 丕爻賱賵亘 賱丕賴孬 賱賱丨賷丕丞 丕孬乇 亘丕賱爻賱亘 毓賱賶 丕賱賲賱賰賷丕鬲 丕賱鬲噩丕乇賷丞 丕賱賲爻鬲賯賱丞 賵 賴賵 賲丕 賳毓乇賮賴 噩賲賷毓丕 賲賳 賮賷賱賲
You've got mail
. .賵 賴賵 賲丕 丨丿孬 賮賷 毓丕賱賲賳丕 丕賱毓乇亘賷 賮賷 賲胤賱毓 丕賱鬲爻毓賷賳丕鬲
賴賱 賰賳丕 爻賳毓賷卮 賳賮爻 丕賱賯氐氐 賱賵 毓乇賮賳丕 賳賴丕賷鬲賴丕 爻賱賮丕責
爻丐丕賱 禺胤賷乇 噩丿丕 賵 賲乇毓亘 賱賳爻丕亍 丕賱丕乇囟 兀噩賲毓賷賳
賵 丕賱賮乇賯 亘賷賳 賲丕 鬲乇賷丿賴 賱賳賮爻賰 賵亘賷賳 賲丕 賷鬲賵賯毓賴 丕賱丕禺乇賷賳 賲賳賰 賵 賲丕 賷賮乇囟賴 毓賱賷賰 丕賱賵丕賯毓 丕賱賲鬲賴丕賱賰..賴賵 爻亘亘 卮賯丕亍賳丕 噩賲賷毓丕 賵 賲毓賳丕 賰丕孬乇賷賳 亘丕卅毓丞 丕賱賰鬲亘 丕賱丨丕卅乇丞 亘賲賰鬲亘鬲賴丕 丕賱氐睾賷乇丞 賮賷 丕賲乇賷賰丕 丕賱爻鬲賷賳丕鬲
鬲爻賵丿 丕賱丕賷丕賲 氐賮丨丕鬲 賰鬲丕亘 丨賷丕鬲賰 賵 鬲鬲賵丕賱賶 氐賮丨丕鬲 賲禺賷亘丞 賱賱丌賲丕賱 賵賱丕 鬲乇囟賷賰..賮賴賱 鬲鬲賵丕亍賲 賲毓 賵丕賯毓賰 賵 鬲爻鬲爻賱賲 賱賱禺匕賱丕賳. .丕賲 爻賷亘丨孬 賱賰 禺賷丕賱賰 毓賳 賲賴乇亘 賵 賷卮睾賱 毓賯賱賰 毓賳 丕亘鬲賰丕乇 丨賱 賱賱賳噩丕丞 賵 丕賱丕禺鬲賷丕乇 丕賱氐丕卅亘 責
賰鬲丕亘 丨賷丕鬲賷 賷丕 毓賷賳 #
賳賷乇丞 "賲賳匕 氐亘丕賰 賵 賳丨賳 賳乇丕賰 丕賲丕 賲毓 丕賱賰鬲亘 丕賵 丕賱丕胤賮丕賱 賱匕賱賰 賱丕亘丿 丕賳 鬲賲鬲賱賰賷 賲賰鬲亘丞 賵 鬲丿賷乇賷賳 丨囟丕賳丞"鬲賱賰 賰丕賳鬲 賰賱賲丕鬲 丕賴賱賷 賵 丕賯丕乇亘賷 賱賷 丿丕卅賲丕
賲丕卮賵賮鬲 夭賷賴 賰鬲丕亘 #
丕"丕賳鬲 賲賳 丨亘亘鬲賷賳賷 賮賷 丕賱賯乇丕亍丞 亘丕賱毓乇亘賷丞 賵 賮賴賲鬲賷賳賷 噩丿賵賶 丕賱丕丿亘 賷噩亘 丕賳 鬲毓賲賱賷 亘賲噩丕賱 丕賱賳卮乇 賵 丕賱賳賯丿責
丕"鬲乇噩賲鬲賰 賱賱丕睾丕賳賷 賵 丕賱賯氐氐 丕爻賱賵亘賴丕 賮乇賷丿貨 丕賰賷丿 賷噩亘 丕賳 鬲毓賲賱賷 亘丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞"責
乇兀賷 氐丿賷賯鬲丕賷 丕賱賲賯乇亘鬲賷賳 賵 丕丨丿賴賲丕 毓賲賱鬲 亘丕賱賳卮乇 賮賷 丕賱禺丕乇噩 賵 丕賱丕禺乇賶 毓賲賱鬲 亘丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞..賷丕 賱賱毓噩亘
丕賱賮乇丨 賮賷賴 爻胤乇賷賳 #
丕"賲賰丕賳賰 丕賱氐賮丨丞 丕賱丕丿亘賷丞 賵 亘丕賱鬲兀賰賷丿 爻賷氐丿乇 賱賰 丕賰鬲乇 賲賳 賰鬲丕亘" 亘毓囟 丕爻丕鬲匕鬲賷 亘丕賱賰賱賷丞
丕"賳丨賳 賱丕 賳賮賴賲 賱賲丕匕丕 賱賲 鬲氐丿乇 賱賰 乇賵丕賷丕鬲 丨鬲賶 丕賱丕賳"責 : 廿亘賳賷 賵 賲毓馗賲 兀氐丿賯丕卅賷 亘賲賵賯毓賳丕 丕賱丨亘賷亘 賴匕丕
賵 賱賰賳 賮賱賳鬲乇賰 賳賷乇丞 賵 睾賷乇賴丕 賲賲賳 鬲賲夭賯賴賳 丕賱鬲賵賯毓丕鬲 貨賵 賳毓賵丿 賱賰丕孬乇賷賳 丕賵 賰賷鬲賷 丕賱賲賲夭賯丞 亘賷賳 丨賷丕鬲賷賳 賵 亘賷鬲賷賳 貨賮鬲丕乇丞 鬲氐丨賵 賱鬲噩丿 賳賮爻賴丕 丕賱丌賳爻丞 賰賷鬲賷 丕賱氐賴亘丕亍 丕賱賲賲鬲賱卅丞 丕賱賱胤賷賮丞 丕賱鬲賷 賯乇乇鬲 亘噩乇兀丞 丕賳 鬲丨賯賯 丨賱賲賴丕 賮賷 爻賳 30賵 鬲鬲乇賰 丕賱鬲丿乇賷爻 賵 鬲卮丕乇賰 氐丿賷賯丞 丕賱毓賲乇 :賮乇賷丿丕 賮賷 賲賰鬲亘丞 賲爻鬲賯賱丞 氐睾賷乇丞 賳丕噩丨丞 賵 賱賰賳 鬲兀鬲賷 丕賱爻賳賵丕鬲 亘鬲胤賵乇 毓氐乇賷 賷賵丿賶 亘賲爻鬲賯亘賱 賲賰鬲亘鬲賴賲丕...賮賴賱 賷鬲禺匕丕 丕賱賯乇丕乇 丕賱氐丕卅亘 丕賲 丕賱爻賴賱責
賵 鬲丕乇丞 丕禺乇賶 鬲氐丨賵 賱鬲噩丿 賳賮爻賴丕 賰丕孬乇賷賳 乇亘丞 亘賷鬲 毓氐乇賷 賮禺賲 賵 賴賷 丕賱夭賵噩丞 賵 丕賱兀賲 賱兀胤賮丕賱 賱丕 鬲毓乇賮 毓賳賴賲 卮賷卅丕.. 賵 賱丿賷賴丕 夭賵噩 丕賱兀丨賱丕賲 賲賳 胤乇丕夭 禺夭毓亘賱賷 禺乇丕賮賷
賲賴賳丿爻 賳丕噩丨 孬乇賷 毓氐丕賲賷.. 氐亘賵乇 丨賳賵賳 賲鬲賮賴賲 賲爻鬲賯賷賲 賲乇丨 賲爻丕賳丿 賲丨亘 賲鬲賮丕賳賷.. 賯賵賶 丕賱亘賳賷丞 賵爻賷賲 貨賷丨囟乇 丕賱丕賮胤丕乇 賵 賷丨賲賲 丕賱丕胤賮丕賱 賵 賷賳賷賲賴賲 亘賯氐氐 賲卮賵賯丞 賵 賷賵賯馗賴賲 噩賲賷毓丕 賮賷 丕賱氐亘丕丨!!!賵 賮賵賯 賰賱 賴匕丕 賷丐噩乇 賱夭賵噩鬲賴 賲乇亘賷丞 賵 毓丕賲賱丞 賱賱賳馗丕賮丞
賵 鬲馗賱 亘胤賱鬲賳丕 鬲氐丨賵 賱鬲噩丿 賳賮爻賴丕 賮賷 丕丨丿賶 賴丕鬲賷賳 丕賱丨賷丕鬲賷賳 ..賱賳鬲亘賷賳 賲毓賴丕 丕賳 賲賳 爻賳賳 丕賱丨賷丕丞 : 丕賱賲氐丕卅亘 賵 丕賱賰賵丕乇孬 賵 丕賱乇賷丕丨 丕賱鬲賷 鬲兀鬲賷 亘賲丕 賱丕 賳卮鬲賴賶
賵 丕賳 賱丨馗丞 賵丕丨丿丞 賯丿 賳氐賱賴丕 賲亘賰乇賷賳 丕賵 賲鬲丕禺乇賷賳 賯丿 鬲賯賱亘 丨賷丕鬲賳丕
.. 賵 丕賱氐乇丕毓 亘賷賳 丕賱賮乇丿賷丞 賵 丕賱丕賷孬丕乇 賵 丕賱鬲賳丕夭賱 賴賵 賯丿乇 丕賱亘卮乇 丕噩賲毓賷賳
鬲鬲亘賷賳 賰丕鬲賷 賲亘賰乇丕 丕賳賴
賱丕 賵噩賵丿 賱卮賷亍 丕爻賲賴 丨賷丕丞 賲孬丕賱賷丞
賱賷爻鬲 丕賱丨賷丕丞 賰丕賲賱丞 賴賳丕 賵 賱丕 賴賳丕賰
賵 丕賳 丕賴賲 賲丕 賮賷 丕賱丨賷丕丞 丕賱鬲禺賱氐 賲賳 丕賱丕賱賴丕亍 丕賱賷賵賲賷 賵 鬲賵賯毓丕鬲 賲賳 丨賵賱賳丕 貨 賱賳氐賱 丕賱賶 賯丿乇丕鬲賳丕 丕賱賲禺賮賷丞 禺賱賮 乇賰丕賲 丕賱鬲賮丕氐賷賱 丕賱賲乇賴賯丞 ..賱兀賳 賮賷 丕爻鬲賰卮丕賮 賲賵丕賴亘賳丕 賵 賯丿乇丕鬲賳丕 丕賱丨賱 賱賲丕 丕毓鬲賯丿賳丕賴 賲爻鬲丨賷賱
丕匕賳 賲丕 賴賷 賲卮賰賱丞 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 責
賰孬乇丞 賳賵賲 丕賱亘胤賱丞 賷丐丿賶 丨鬲賲丕 賱賳賵賲 丕賱賯丕乇賷亍 -
賳鬲賵賯毓 賲賳 乇賵丕賷丞 鬲丿賵乇 賳氐賮 丕丨丿丕孬賴丕 賮賷 賲賰鬲亘丞 -
丕賳 鬲賲鬲賱賷亍 亘爻賷乇丞 丕賱賰鬲亘 兀賰賷丿 ..賵 賱賰賳 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賰丕賳 賲賳 丕賱賲賲賰賳 丕賳 鬲丿賵乇 丨賵賱 亘丕卅毓丞 丨賱賵賶 兀賵 丨賯丕卅亘
賮賯丿 丕賰鬲賮鬲 爻賵丕賳爻賵賳 亘匕賰乇 亘毓囟 丕賱丕氐丿丕乇丕鬲 丕賱丕賲乇賷賰賷丞 賮賷 賲胤賱毓 丕賱爻鬲賷賳丕鬲 賵 氐毓賵丿 賳噩賲 丕賱禺賷丕賱 丕賱毓賱賲賷 賵 乇丕賷 亘乇丕丿亘賵乇賷 ..賵 乇賰夭鬲 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 丕賰孬乇 毓賱賶 丕賱鬲胤賵乇 丕賱孬賯丕賮賷 丕賱丕噩鬲賲丕毓賷 丕賱匕賷 睾賷乇 賵噩賴 丕賲乇賷賰丕 賱賱丕亘丿..
賲毓 馗賴賵乇 丕賱賲賵賱丕鬲 丕賱鬲噩丕乇賷丞 賵 賲丕 鬲丨賲賱賴 賲賳 丕爻賱賵亘 賱丕賴孬 賱賱丨賷丕丞 丕孬乇 亘丕賱爻賱亘 毓賱賶 丕賱賲賱賰賷丕鬲 丕賱鬲噩丕乇賷丞 丕賱賲爻鬲賯賱丞 賵 賴賵 賲丕 賳毓乇賮賴 噩賲賷毓丕 賲賳 賮賷賱賲
You've got mail
. .賵 賴賵 賲丕 丨丿孬 賮賷 毓丕賱賲賳丕 丕賱毓乇亘賷 賮賷 賲胤賱毓 丕賱鬲爻毓賷賳丕鬲
賴賱 賰賳丕 爻賳毓賷卮 賳賮爻 丕賱賯氐氐 賱賵 毓乇賮賳丕 賳賴丕賷鬲賴丕 爻賱賮丕責
爻丐丕賱 禺胤賷乇 噩丿丕 賵 賲乇毓亘 賱賳爻丕亍 丕賱丕乇囟 兀噩賲毓賷賳
August 5, 2016
Not really sure what to make of this book. It left me scratching my head and digging for answers as to what I read.
I'm confident I understand the direction Swanson was going, for me, it failed in execution. Needless to say my reading journey was severely stunted.
Swanson undoubtedly stepped out of the box. She demonstrated her originality while clearly setting herself apart. I have mixed feelings regarding Kitty/Katharyn, she has good intentions yet she contradicts these intentions in many ways.
This has to be the most boring book I have ever read. I kept with it hoping the excitement would unleash but it was a futile exercise. I stifled my yawns and made it through to the end feeling as if I could have used my valuable time otherwise. I wasn't a fan of the way autism was approached, yes the narrative is set in the 1960's contributing to the ignorance (fingers crossed) but it still made me very uncomfortable. I'm also not a huge fan of 'what if?' which of course is the premise of this book. The narrative was leaning towards 'tell' as opposed to 'show' and it made for one grueling ride. The ending was predictable adding to my frustration.
After reading this book, spending time with Kitty/Katharyn it's official I love my life even more than I did prior to cracking this book open. This book is proof one should participate in life than be a spectator.
I'm confident I understand the direction Swanson was going, for me, it failed in execution. Needless to say my reading journey was severely stunted.
Swanson undoubtedly stepped out of the box. She demonstrated her originality while clearly setting herself apart. I have mixed feelings regarding Kitty/Katharyn, she has good intentions yet she contradicts these intentions in many ways.
This has to be the most boring book I have ever read. I kept with it hoping the excitement would unleash but it was a futile exercise. I stifled my yawns and made it through to the end feeling as if I could have used my valuable time otherwise. I wasn't a fan of the way autism was approached, yes the narrative is set in the 1960's contributing to the ignorance (fingers crossed) but it still made me very uncomfortable. I'm also not a huge fan of 'what if?' which of course is the premise of this book. The narrative was leaning towards 'tell' as opposed to 'show' and it made for one grueling ride. The ending was predictable adding to my frustration.
After reading this book, spending time with Kitty/Katharyn it's official I love my life even more than I did prior to cracking this book open. This book is proof one should participate in life than be a spectator.
October 11, 2014
Kitty Miller and Frieda Green own and run a bookstore in Denver, Colorado. It is the 1960s, and their idyllic world includes books and all things bookish.
But at night, Kitty lives in an alternate world created in her dreams: she is Katharyn Andersson, married to Lars, with triplets: Mitch, Missy, and Michael. And Michael is autistic.
When Kitty first begins visiting her dream world, her life is almost perfect. But as she spends more time there, she realizes the challenges of this world.
And then, at some point, she must question which world is real? And which world is a dream?
A captivating tale that took me back to what life was like for me in the 1960s where I could totally relate to both Kitty and Katharyn and what choices were involved for each version of the young woman she was.
"The Bookseller: A Novel" was impossible to put down, and I didn't want it to end. Which version of reality would we finally have to accept? And what did these dream worlds tell us about the young woman and the choices she had to make? 5.0 stars.
But at night, Kitty lives in an alternate world created in her dreams: she is Katharyn Andersson, married to Lars, with triplets: Mitch, Missy, and Michael. And Michael is autistic.
When Kitty first begins visiting her dream world, her life is almost perfect. But as she spends more time there, she realizes the challenges of this world.
And then, at some point, she must question which world is real? And which world is a dream?
A captivating tale that took me back to what life was like for me in the 1960s where I could totally relate to both Kitty and Katharyn and what choices were involved for each version of the young woman she was.
"The Bookseller: A Novel" was impossible to put down, and I didn't want it to end. Which version of reality would we finally have to accept? And what did these dream worlds tell us about the young woman and the choices she had to make? 5.0 stars.
May 16, 2016
What's going on in publishing these days? Is the same designer responsible for all these covers?
If so, good job, designer. You won again.
These covers always pull me in because of course they do. Why wouldn't they?
None of these books have lived up to their covers, sadly.
Don't get me wrong. I liked this one. It's a solid story with good writing and an interesting premise.
Unfortunately, I got a little tired of it. Also, it made me feel sad but not in the way I like to feel sad. It made me feel heavy-sad, sort of sloggish, sort of burdened, though I think that was because the tale pinged on things in my own life that I'd rather not think about. That's on me, not the book.
Synopsis: Kitty lives in Denver, Colorado, in the early 鈥�60鈥檚. She starts the book as an artsy, single woman who owns a bookstore with her best friend. is newly released upon the world. At night, she dreams she has a totally different life in which she is a wife and mother and wears Jackie Kennedy-style clothing. Her two lives, the bookish life and the dream life, as well as her separate personas, could not be more different but the one thing that remains true in each is the love for and from her parents.
So it鈥檚 funny how many of the things referenced aren鈥檛 there anymore, such as Rocky Mountain News. Vogue theater. MayD&F! 鈥淢onkey鈥� Wards! Stapleton Airport. Those are all long gone but I remember many of them. But! is alive and well and even sports a little mystery bookstore. But, see, to me, all the name-throwing-outting made me feel as if this were written specifically for Denverites and those who have a more-than-passing knowledge of the city. A sort of love letter, which is nice because those are usually written about Paris and NYC and not our little state capital, but it was also a bit offputting because why does anyone need such specifics in a story if they don't live here? I live here (well, 30 minutes from the area in question) and even I was all, "Ok, ok. Get on with it. I don't care where you are."
In addition, I was a little thrown out of the story by the over-exuberant commentary on racism. For instance, the kid next door talks about Willie Mays and how the color of his skin shouldn鈥檛 matter, it鈥檚 his skills as a baseball player that are important. Yes, that's true and it's great that this kid thinks that but the conversation didn't feel like it came about naturally. It felt shoehorned in to make a point and, thus, I was thrown right out of the flow. Later, at a dream party, Katherine mulls over how uncomfortable she is with the "colored help" and then thinks to herself that she was raised to go out of her way to treat people of color the same as she treats white people and that her dad worked with black people and her mom took care of babies of all colors, etc. so this whole only non-whites work for whites thing made her question society. While, yes, that's pretty much exactly what it sounds like when white women rationalize why they're not racist, does everyone have long, expository, internal thought-stories about how they feel on racism when they鈥檙e at a party? Because I don't. I have to talk about my racism out loud as soon as I realize I've said or done something horrible which, of course, makes it all worse and then I go and feel like a stupid asshole for days afterward. This happens way too often and it certainly is always loud and embarrassing but it is never stuck to the confines of my internal musings. But maybe other people have social enlightenment at parties? I don't know.
Regardless, that, too, threw me back out of the story.
So I had some quibbles. Overall, though, the topics of this story () are interesting and handled in a fashion that, as everything unfolds and the reader realizes what has happened, creates a sense sympathy for the main character in both her forms.
It's a sad story but definitely worth the read.
May 7, 2024
鈥淚 think suddenly about what it means to grow old. It means that all those that you loved as a youth become nothing but photographs on a wall, words in a story, memories in a heart.鈥�
兀賵賱 賲丕 賱賮鬲 賳馗乇賷 丨賵賱 鬲賱賰 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賴賵 丕賱毓賳賵丕賳
賮鬲賵賯毓鬲 丕賳賳賷 爻賵賮 丕賯乇兀 乇賵丕賷丞 毓賳 丕賱賲賰鬲亘丕鬲 賵丕賱賰鬲亘 賲丕 賷卮亘丞 Bookshop
孬賲 賯乇兀鬲 賲乇丕噩毓丞 丕爻鬲丕匕丞 賳賷乇丞 丕賱噩賲賷賱丞 賱丕噩丿 賰賱丕賲 賲禺鬲賱賮 毓賲丕 鬲賵賯毓鬲賴
賱兀賯乇乇 兀禺賷乇丕 丕賳 丕亘丿兀 賮賷 賯乇丕卅鬲賴丕
賮賷 賳氐賮賴丕 丕賱丕賵賱 賰丕賳鬲 丕賱賮賰乇丞 丕賱兀爻丕爻賷丞 丕賱鬲賷 禺胤乇鬲 毓賱賷 亘丕賱賷 賴賵 賯氐丞 Sliding Doors
鬲賱賰 丕賱賯氐賴 丕賱鬲賷 鬲鬲賲丨賵乇 丨賵賱 孬丕賳賷丞 賵丕丨丿丞 賵丕賳 丕賱賮乇賯 賮賷 丨賷丕丞 賰丕賲賱賴 賰丕賳 亘爻亘亘 鬲賱賰 丕賱孬丕賳賷丞
賵賱賰賳 賰丕賳鬲 丕賱賲賮丕噩兀丞 丕賳 丕賱賯氐丞 賱丕 鬲卮亘丞 卮賷卅丕 丕毓乇賮賴 丕亘丿丕
賴賷 賯氐丞 "賰丕孬賷" 丕賵 "賰丕孬乇賷賳" 毓賱賷 丨爻亘 丕賱丨賷丕丞 丕賱鬲賷 鬲毓賷卮賴丕
賮賭"賰丕孬賷" 賴賷 亘丕卅毓丞 丕賱賰鬲亘 鬲賲鬲賱賰 賲賰鬲亘丞 氐睾賷乇賴 賮賷 兀丨丿 丕賱丕丨賷丕亍 丕賱賲賷鬲丞 丕賰賱賷賳賷賰賷丕
鬲毓丕賳賷 賲賳 賲卮丕賰賱 賮賷 丕賱毓賲賱 賵丿賷賵賳 賰孬賷乇丞 賵丕乇亘丕丨 卮亘賴 賲賳毓丿賲丞
丕賲丕 毓賳 "賰丕孬乇賷賳" 賮賴賷 夭賵噩丞 "賱丕乇爻" 丕賱夭賵噩 丕賱賲孬丕賱賷 鬲賲丕賲丕 賵丕賱丕亘賳丕亍 丕賱孬賱丕孬丞 丕賱鬲賵丕卅賲
賳賳鬲賯賱 亘賷賳 丕賱毓丕賱賲賷賳 毓賳丿 匕賴丕亘賴丕 賱賱賳賵賲 賮賷 賰賱 賲乇賴 丕賵 賴匕丕 賲丕 賳鬲賵賯毓丞 亘丿賷賴賷丕 賮賷 丕賱亘丿丕賷丞 毓賳 胤乇賷賯 賵氐賮賴丕 賱馗賴賵乇賴丕 賮賷 賰賱 丨賷丕丞 賲賳 丕賱丕孬賳鬲賷賳
賮賱賰賱 賲賳 賷鬲賵賯毓 賯乇丕亍丞 乇賵丕賷丞 毓賳 丕賱賰鬲亘 賵丕賱賲賰鬲亘丕鬲 丕賵 賲丕 賷卮亘丞 You've got mail
丕賯賵賱 賱賴賲 Good Luck next time
賮鬲賱賰 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 毓賳 卮卅 賲禺鬲賱賮 鬲賲丕賲丕 鬲賲丕賲丕 鬲賲丕賲丕 睾賷乇 匕賰乇 賰鬲丕亘 賴賳丕 丕賵 賴賳丕賰 賱丕 賷賲鬲 亘氐賱丞 賱賱兀丨丿丕孬
賵賱賰賳 賮賷 丕賱賳賴丕賷丞 丕丨亘亘鬲賴丕 賵丕丨亘亘鬲 丨賷丕鬲賴丕 賲毓 夭賵噩賴丕 賵丕亘賳丕卅賴丕 賵丕丨亘亘鬲 丕賱賳賴丕賷丞 噩丿丕 丕賷囟丕
September 28, 2014
Cynthia Swanson鈥檚 THE BOOKSELLER is ostensibly a story of two realities, one in which protagonist Kitty is a 38-year-old single woman who runs a failing bookstore with her life-long best friend and lives alone with her cat, and another in which Kitty (now called Katharyn) is married with three children, living the typical 1960鈥檚 suburban family life. Kitty-the-bookseller is convinced that her experiences as married Katharyn are dreams, a fantasy place she visits as she drifts off to sleep. As the dreams continue, Kitty begins to explore her world in the fall of 1962 in order to unravel the things she sees in Katharyn鈥檚 world in the spring of 1963. And she comes to the conclusion that if just one phone conversation she had eight years earlier had lasted a few minutes longer, she would be Katharyn, married to Lars, with three kids and a station wagon. If she had the choice, which would she choose, bookstore and best friend, or husband and children?
This aspect of the novel is indeed intriguing, although I was quickly reminded of such films as 鈥淪liding Doors鈥� (1998) and 鈥淭he Family Man鈥� (2000), both of which involve characters who have visions of a different reality, a reality that might have happened had they made different choices. But ultimately THE BOOKSELLER isn鈥檛 really about alternate realities, or dream-states, or quantum leaps into different worlds. These fantasy elements are just plot devices for a story that really centers on the psychological struggles of a woman whose life hasn鈥檛 turned out as she hoped it would. Swanson tangles up her plot with questions about both women 鈥� is Kitty disappointed and depressed because she hasn鈥檛 met 鈥淢r. Right,鈥� or is Katharyn stagnating in her supposed suburban bliss? But it becomes clear fairly quickly that Kitty/Katharyn really has no choice.
I totally enjoyed reading this book (I gobbled it up amazingly quickly), but I found myself loving Kitty-the-bookseller, with her cat and her adoring parents and her best friend Frieda and their little bookshop on a corner left behind when the streetcars stopped running in Denver. And while I鈥檓 sure I was supposed to want Kitty to be Katharyn, with her gorgeous husband and cute little triplets, I never did. Somehow, Katharyn鈥檚 husband never seemed like a real person 鈥� maybe he was too patient, too understanding, or his eyes were too blue. And their life 鈥� which is full of cocktail parties, fancy clothes, a loyal maid, and two cars 鈥� just seemed so much the 1960鈥檚 clich茅 that it annoyed me. Even as details begin to emerge revealing that the clich茅 isn鈥檛 as perfect as it at first seems, it just never felt real to me. What would a real person do if his wife suddenly told him that she had made him up, created him and their children from her imagination? Lars is very understanding, very patient, and his eyes sparkle in all their blueness . . . but I never quite believed in him.
In the end, THE BOOKSELLER frustrated me, because what worked best in the novel was Kitty鈥檚 life with her cat, her best friend, her wonderful parents, and the struggling bookstore. What didn鈥檛 work as well was Katharyn鈥檚 fantasy romance, the kids, and the station wagon. If the choice was mine 鈥� and of course, it isn鈥檛 鈥� I would have chosen Kitty鈥檚 life. As it is, there really isn鈥檛 any choice, and once Kitty/Katharyn realizes this she begins to understand what her dreams really mean. 鈥淭here is no such thing as a perfect life,鈥� Swanson writes, and that鈥檚 certainly true. And there is a suggestion at the end of this novel that Kitty/Katharyn will eventually find a way to merge both of her lives into one that might be satisfying, if not perfect. Even so, I felt a bit empty as I reached the final page, as if something wonderful had been truly lost. Maybe that was Swanson鈥檚 ultimate point. This is a well-written and engaging novel. I just didn鈥檛 respond to it as I expected to.
[Please note: I was provided a copy of this novel for review; the opinions expressed here are my own.]
This aspect of the novel is indeed intriguing, although I was quickly reminded of such films as 鈥淪liding Doors鈥� (1998) and 鈥淭he Family Man鈥� (2000), both of which involve characters who have visions of a different reality, a reality that might have happened had they made different choices. But ultimately THE BOOKSELLER isn鈥檛 really about alternate realities, or dream-states, or quantum leaps into different worlds. These fantasy elements are just plot devices for a story that really centers on the psychological struggles of a woman whose life hasn鈥檛 turned out as she hoped it would. Swanson tangles up her plot with questions about both women 鈥� is Kitty disappointed and depressed because she hasn鈥檛 met 鈥淢r. Right,鈥� or is Katharyn stagnating in her supposed suburban bliss? But it becomes clear fairly quickly that Kitty/Katharyn really has no choice.
I totally enjoyed reading this book (I gobbled it up amazingly quickly), but I found myself loving Kitty-the-bookseller, with her cat and her adoring parents and her best friend Frieda and their little bookshop on a corner left behind when the streetcars stopped running in Denver. And while I鈥檓 sure I was supposed to want Kitty to be Katharyn, with her gorgeous husband and cute little triplets, I never did. Somehow, Katharyn鈥檚 husband never seemed like a real person 鈥� maybe he was too patient, too understanding, or his eyes were too blue. And their life 鈥� which is full of cocktail parties, fancy clothes, a loyal maid, and two cars 鈥� just seemed so much the 1960鈥檚 clich茅 that it annoyed me. Even as details begin to emerge revealing that the clich茅 isn鈥檛 as perfect as it at first seems, it just never felt real to me. What would a real person do if his wife suddenly told him that she had made him up, created him and their children from her imagination? Lars is very understanding, very patient, and his eyes sparkle in all their blueness . . . but I never quite believed in him.
In the end, THE BOOKSELLER frustrated me, because what worked best in the novel was Kitty鈥檚 life with her cat, her best friend, her wonderful parents, and the struggling bookstore. What didn鈥檛 work as well was Katharyn鈥檚 fantasy romance, the kids, and the station wagon. If the choice was mine 鈥� and of course, it isn鈥檛 鈥� I would have chosen Kitty鈥檚 life. As it is, there really isn鈥檛 any choice, and once Kitty/Katharyn realizes this she begins to understand what her dreams really mean. 鈥淭here is no such thing as a perfect life,鈥� Swanson writes, and that鈥檚 certainly true. And there is a suggestion at the end of this novel that Kitty/Katharyn will eventually find a way to merge both of her lives into one that might be satisfying, if not perfect. Even so, I felt a bit empty as I reached the final page, as if something wonderful had been truly lost. Maybe that was Swanson鈥檚 ultimate point. This is a well-written and engaging novel. I just didn鈥檛 respond to it as I expected to.
[Please note: I was provided a copy of this novel for review; the opinions expressed here are my own.]
March 12, 2015
I expected to love this story. It takes place in the sixties and follows an independent woman who owns a book shop. She begins living in a parallel world in her dreams at night. When awake, she's the bookshop owner with her best friend. She has a cat and loves her parents and is helping the neighbor boy learn to read.
When she's asleep she's the mother of triplets with this blue-eyed husband who takes her to cocktail parties.
There's a situation with one of the kids that I didn't know what to make of. Am I supposed to feel sorry for the mother? Am I supposed to learn more about aggressive autistic kids? Or am I supposed to believe that sixties' crappola about how if you're not there to raise your kids, they come out wrong in the head? Nevertheless, I gained nothing from this story line and did not enjoy it. If I was Katharyn, the mother and wife, I'd darn well make an alternate reality for myself just to get away.
Actually, I gained nothing from this book. I feel mean saying that, but it's the truth. Parallel lives...would be interesting as heck if both lives weren't so dull. If I'm going to read about someone life--or lives--in this case, please make them more interesting and exciting than my own.
Kitty--she goes to work, talks to her friend, talks to her parents, goes home and sleeps, and of course frets about this dream life.
Katharyn--she does the motherhood/wifey thing, attends a cocktail party or two, shops, fights with her kid.
What is supposed to appeal to me about either life? Kitty's life was dull and predictable, but Katharyn's life was not only dull--but intolerable. Would send me to the looney bin.
And in between these boring lives, the book is filled with boring descriptions and histories. I don't care about Kitty's Freida's high school days. I don't care how the living room looks, from the windows to the carpet to the architecture. I don't care about the neighborhood or all the different people who live here or there.
Long review short: this is the most boring book I've picked up in a while. It's a boring, over descriptive narrative following two extremely boring lives. And the ending really disappointed me. (A point in the book's favor: I did find the ending unpredictable. It seems most readers were predicting it all along. For me, however, I was surprised.) It's not the life I would have chosen...but then again, we don't get to choose our lives. We merely make tiny choices that lead to a big result and we have little control over things.
When she's asleep she's the mother of triplets with this blue-eyed husband who takes her to cocktail parties.
There's a situation with one of the kids that I didn't know what to make of. Am I supposed to feel sorry for the mother? Am I supposed to learn more about aggressive autistic kids? Or am I supposed to believe that sixties' crappola about how if you're not there to raise your kids, they come out wrong in the head? Nevertheless, I gained nothing from this story line and did not enjoy it. If I was Katharyn, the mother and wife, I'd darn well make an alternate reality for myself just to get away.
Actually, I gained nothing from this book. I feel mean saying that, but it's the truth. Parallel lives...would be interesting as heck if both lives weren't so dull. If I'm going to read about someone life--or lives--in this case, please make them more interesting and exciting than my own.
Kitty--she goes to work, talks to her friend, talks to her parents, goes home and sleeps, and of course frets about this dream life.
Katharyn--she does the motherhood/wifey thing, attends a cocktail party or two, shops, fights with her kid.
What is supposed to appeal to me about either life? Kitty's life was dull and predictable, but Katharyn's life was not only dull--but intolerable. Would send me to the looney bin.
And in between these boring lives, the book is filled with boring descriptions and histories. I don't care about Kitty's Freida's high school days. I don't care how the living room looks, from the windows to the carpet to the architecture. I don't care about the neighborhood or all the different people who live here or there.
Long review short: this is the most boring book I've picked up in a while. It's a boring, over descriptive narrative following two extremely boring lives. And the ending really disappointed me. (A point in the book's favor: I did find the ending unpredictable. It seems most readers were predicting it all along. For me, however, I was surprised.) It's not the life I would have chosen...but then again, we don't get to choose our lives. We merely make tiny choices that lead to a big result and we have little control over things.
March 18, 2023
賰賷鬲賷 賵賰丕孬乇賷賷賳 卮禺氐賷丞 賵丕丨丿丞 鬲毓賷卮賴丕 丕賲乇兀丞 賲賳賯爻賲丞 亘賷賳 丕賱賵丕賯毓 賵丕賱丨賱賲 賱丕 鬲賰丕丿 鬲賮乇賯 亘賷賳賴賲丕.听
鬲丨丕賵賱 丕賱賰丕鬲亘丞 鬲鬲亘毓 丨賷丕丞 丕賲乇兀丞 鬲毓賷卮 賮賷 爻鬲賷賳賷丕鬲 丕賱賯乇賳 丕賱毓卮乇賷賳 賮賷 賲丿賷賳丞 丿賳賮乇 丕賱兀賲乇賷賰賷丞貙 賲睾乇賲丞 亘賯乇丕亍丞 丕賱賰鬲亘 賵亘賷毓賴丕貙 賲賳 禺賱丕賱 賲賰鬲亘丞 氐睾賷乇丞 鬲賲賱賰賴丕 賲毓 氐丿賷賯鬲賴丕 賮乇賷丿丕 丕賱鬲賷 鬲賰丕丿 鬲賰賵賳 丕禺鬲賴丕.听
賱丕卮卅 丨賯賷賯賷 賵丿丕卅賲 賰賲丕 賷亘丿賵 賮賷 丨賷丕丞 賴匕賴 丕賱賲乇兀丞 賮賳鬲賷噩丞 賱禺賷丕賱賴丕 丕賱賲賮乇胤貙 賱丕 鬲鬲賲賰賳 賲賳 丕賱鬲賵賮賷賯 亘賷賳 賵丕賯毓賴丕 賵毓丕賱賲 兀丨賱丕賲賴丕 丕賱亘丿賷賱 .
丨賷賳 鬲禺賱丿 賰賷鬲賷 廿賱賶 賮乇丕卮賴丕 鬲亘丿亍 亘胤賵賱丕鬲賴丕 丕賱丨賱賲賷賾丞 賮賷 鬲禺賷賾賱 丨賷丕鬲賴丕 丕賱賲爻鬲賯亘賱賷丞 賲毓 丨亘賷亘賴丕貙 賵毓丕卅賱鬲賴丕 丕賱噩賲賷賱丞 賵賲賳夭賱賴丕 丕賱丕賳賷賯貙 賵丕賱丕氐丿賯丕亍 丕賱噩賷丿賷賷賳貙 賵丕胤賮丕賱賴丕 丕賱賲賲賷賾夭賷賳.听
賵丨賷賳 鬲禺賱丿 賰丕孬乇賷賳 丕賱鬲賷 鬲賮鬲賯丿 丨賷丕鬲賴丕 丕賱爻丕亘賯丞 廿賱賶 丕賱賳賵賲 鬲毓賵丿 廿賱賶 賲賳夭賱 賵丕賱丿賷賴丕 丕賱賱匕丕賳 鬲丨亘賴賲丕 賵賵賯賮丕 廿賱賶 噩丕賳亘賴丕 賮賷 丨賷丕鬲賴丕 賵丕禺鬲胤賮賴賲丕 丕賱賲賵鬲 賮賷 丨丕丿孬 胤丕卅乇丞貙 賰賲丕 鬲毓賵丿 廿賱賶 賮乇賷丿丕 氐丿賷賯丞 丕賱胤賮賵賱丞 賵乇賮賷賯丞 丕賱丨賷丕丞 賵卮乇賷賰丞 丕賱毓賲賱 賮賷 賲賰鬲亘鬲賴賲丕 賱亘賷毓 丕賱賰鬲亘. 賵丕賱匕賷賳 丕賮鬲乇賯鬲丕 賮賷 丕丨丿 賲賳毓胤賮丕鬲 丕賱丨賷丕丞 丕賱鬲賶 賱丕鬲乇丨賲 丕丨丿.听
丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賲爻鬲賮夭丞 賱匕賴賳 丕賱賯丕乇卅 丕賱匕賷 賷鬲賵賴貙 兀賷 丕賱丨賷丕鬲賷賳 賴賵 丕賱賵丕賯毓賷賾貙 賵賲毓 賲賳 賲賺賳 丕賱卮禺氐賷鬲賷賳 爻賵賮 賷鬲毓丕胤賮 (賰賷鬲賷 丕賵 賰丕孬乇賷賳) 貙 賵丕賱賶 兀賷賾 賲丿賷 爻賷賳噩丨 賮賷 丕賱賮氐賱 亘賷賳 毓丕賱賲 丕賱賵丕賯毓 锟斤拷毓丕賱賲 丕賱丨賱賲.听
兀睾賱亘賳丕 賮賷 丕賱賵丕賯毓 賷毓賷卮 賴匕賴 丕賱兀丨賱丕賲貙 賵丕賰孬乇賳丕 鬲爻賷胤乇 毓賱賷丞 兀丨賱丕賲 丕賱賷賯馗丞貙 賵賰兀賳 丕賱賰丕鬲亘丞 鬲賯賵賱 廿賳 丕賱丨賷丕丞 氐毓亘丞 賵賱丕賷賲賰賳 賱賳丕 丕賱廿爻鬲賲乇丕乇 賮賷 丕賱爻賷胤乇丞 毓賱賶 賵丕賯毓賳丕 賷賵賲丕賸 亘毓丿 賷賵賲貙 賮毓丕賱賲 丕賱兀丨賱丕賲 賴賵 亘賵丕亘丞 禺乇賵噩 賳鬲賳賮爻 賲賳賴丕貙 賮賷 毓賵丕賱賲 兀丨賱丕賲賳丕 丕賱鬲賶 賳乇睾亘 兀賳 鬲賰賵賳 賵丕賯毓丕賸貙 賵賱賵賱丕賴丕 賱賰丕賳 賵丕賯毓賳丕 賯丕鬲賱丕賸 賱丕賷賲賰賳 鬲丨賲賱 丕賱毓賷卮 賮賷賴貙 廿匕 毓賱賷賳丕 兀賳 賳鬲毓賱賲 賰賷賮 賳囟毓 丨丿丿賵丿丕賸 亘賷賳 毓丕賱賲賳丕 丕賱禺丕氐貙 賵毓丕賱賲賳丕 丕賱匕賷 賳毓賷卮 賮賷賴 .
鬲丨丕賵賱 丕賱賰丕鬲亘丞 鬲鬲亘毓 丨賷丕丞 丕賲乇兀丞 鬲毓賷卮 賮賷 爻鬲賷賳賷丕鬲 丕賱賯乇賳 丕賱毓卮乇賷賳 賮賷 賲丿賷賳丞 丿賳賮乇 丕賱兀賲乇賷賰賷丞貙 賲睾乇賲丞 亘賯乇丕亍丞 丕賱賰鬲亘 賵亘賷毓賴丕貙 賲賳 禺賱丕賱 賲賰鬲亘丞 氐睾賷乇丞 鬲賲賱賰賴丕 賲毓 氐丿賷賯鬲賴丕 賮乇賷丿丕 丕賱鬲賷 鬲賰丕丿 鬲賰賵賳 丕禺鬲賴丕.听
賱丕卮卅 丨賯賷賯賷 賵丿丕卅賲 賰賲丕 賷亘丿賵 賮賷 丨賷丕丞 賴匕賴 丕賱賲乇兀丞 賮賳鬲賷噩丞 賱禺賷丕賱賴丕 丕賱賲賮乇胤貙 賱丕 鬲鬲賲賰賳 賲賳 丕賱鬲賵賮賷賯 亘賷賳 賵丕賯毓賴丕 賵毓丕賱賲 兀丨賱丕賲賴丕 丕賱亘丿賷賱 .
丨賷賳 鬲禺賱丿 賰賷鬲賷 廿賱賶 賮乇丕卮賴丕 鬲亘丿亍 亘胤賵賱丕鬲賴丕 丕賱丨賱賲賷賾丞 賮賷 鬲禺賷賾賱 丨賷丕鬲賴丕 丕賱賲爻鬲賯亘賱賷丞 賲毓 丨亘賷亘賴丕貙 賵毓丕卅賱鬲賴丕 丕賱噩賲賷賱丞 賵賲賳夭賱賴丕 丕賱丕賳賷賯貙 賵丕賱丕氐丿賯丕亍 丕賱噩賷丿賷賷賳貙 賵丕胤賮丕賱賴丕 丕賱賲賲賷賾夭賷賳.听
賵丨賷賳 鬲禺賱丿 賰丕孬乇賷賳 丕賱鬲賷 鬲賮鬲賯丿 丨賷丕鬲賴丕 丕賱爻丕亘賯丞 廿賱賶 丕賱賳賵賲 鬲毓賵丿 廿賱賶 賲賳夭賱 賵丕賱丿賷賴丕 丕賱賱匕丕賳 鬲丨亘賴賲丕 賵賵賯賮丕 廿賱賶 噩丕賳亘賴丕 賮賷 丨賷丕鬲賴丕 賵丕禺鬲胤賮賴賲丕 丕賱賲賵鬲 賮賷 丨丕丿孬 胤丕卅乇丞貙 賰賲丕 鬲毓賵丿 廿賱賶 賮乇賷丿丕 氐丿賷賯丞 丕賱胤賮賵賱丞 賵乇賮賷賯丞 丕賱丨賷丕丞 賵卮乇賷賰丞 丕賱毓賲賱 賮賷 賲賰鬲亘鬲賴賲丕 賱亘賷毓 丕賱賰鬲亘. 賵丕賱匕賷賳 丕賮鬲乇賯鬲丕 賮賷 丕丨丿 賲賳毓胤賮丕鬲 丕賱丨賷丕丞 丕賱鬲賶 賱丕鬲乇丨賲 丕丨丿.听
丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賲爻鬲賮夭丞 賱匕賴賳 丕賱賯丕乇卅 丕賱匕賷 賷鬲賵賴貙 兀賷 丕賱丨賷丕鬲賷賳 賴賵 丕賱賵丕賯毓賷賾貙 賵賲毓 賲賳 賲賺賳 丕賱卮禺氐賷鬲賷賳 爻賵賮 賷鬲毓丕胤賮 (賰賷鬲賷 丕賵 賰丕孬乇賷賳) 貙 賵丕賱賶 兀賷賾 賲丿賷 爻賷賳噩丨 賮賷 丕賱賮氐賱 亘賷賳 毓丕賱賲 丕賱賵丕賯毓 锟斤拷毓丕賱賲 丕賱丨賱賲.听
兀睾賱亘賳丕 賮賷 丕賱賵丕賯毓 賷毓賷卮 賴匕賴 丕賱兀丨賱丕賲貙 賵丕賰孬乇賳丕 鬲爻賷胤乇 毓賱賷丞 兀丨賱丕賲 丕賱賷賯馗丞貙 賵賰兀賳 丕賱賰丕鬲亘丞 鬲賯賵賱 廿賳 丕賱丨賷丕丞 氐毓亘丞 賵賱丕賷賲賰賳 賱賳丕 丕賱廿爻鬲賲乇丕乇 賮賷 丕賱爻賷胤乇丞 毓賱賶 賵丕賯毓賳丕 賷賵賲丕賸 亘毓丿 賷賵賲貙 賮毓丕賱賲 丕賱兀丨賱丕賲 賴賵 亘賵丕亘丞 禺乇賵噩 賳鬲賳賮爻 賲賳賴丕貙 賮賷 毓賵丕賱賲 兀丨賱丕賲賳丕 丕賱鬲賶 賳乇睾亘 兀賳 鬲賰賵賳 賵丕賯毓丕賸貙 賵賱賵賱丕賴丕 賱賰丕賳 賵丕賯毓賳丕 賯丕鬲賱丕賸 賱丕賷賲賰賳 鬲丨賲賱 丕賱毓賷卮 賮賷賴貙 廿匕 毓賱賷賳丕 兀賳 賳鬲毓賱賲 賰賷賮 賳囟毓 丨丿丿賵丿丕賸 亘賷賳 毓丕賱賲賳丕 丕賱禺丕氐貙 賵毓丕賱賲賳丕 丕賱匕賷 賳毓賷卮 賮賷賴 .
March 21, 2021
賷丕 丕賱賱賷 亘鬲爻丕賱 毓賳 丕賱丨賷丕丞 禺丿賴丕 賰丿賴 夭賷 賲丕 賴賷丕
賮賷賴丕 丕亘鬲爻丕賲賴 賵賮賷賴丕 丕賴 賮賷賴丕 賯爻賷賴 賵 丨賳賷賴
賷丕賲丕 丕賱丨賷丕賴 賮賷賴丕 丕賱賱賶 亘賷卮賰賷賴丕
賵 丕賱賱賶 亘賷乇囟賷賴丕 賵 丕賱賱賷 賷賯丕爻賷賴丕...
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乇賵丕賷丕鬲 丕賱丕賲鬲丨丕賳丕鬲 丕賱噩賲賷賱丞 鬲丕賳賷 賵 鬲丕賱鬲...
亘鬲丨賰賷 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 毓賳 賰賷鬲賷.. 卮丕亘丞 賮賷 丕賱孬賱丕孬賷賳丕鬲 賮丕鬲丨丞 賲賰鬲亘丞 賰鬲亘 氐睾賷乇丞 賲毓 氐丿賷賯丞 毓賲乇賴丕 賮乇賷丿丞 賵 毓丕賷卮丞 賱賵丨丿賴丕 賵 毓賱丕賯鬲賴丕 亘丕亘丕賴丕 賵 賲丕賲鬲賴丕 丨賱賵丞 噩丿丕 賵 賯賵賷丞.. 丕賱賮賰乇丞 賮賷 廿賳賴丕 兀賲丕 亘鬲賳丕賲 亘鬲賱丕賯賷 賳賮爻賴丕 賮賷 丕賱丨賱賲 賰丕孬乇賷賳 " 丕賱賱賶 賴賵 丕爻賲賴丕 丕賱丨賯賷賯賷 亘爻 賲亘鬲鬲賳丕丿卮 亘賷賴 賮賷 丕賱毓丕丿賶" 賵 亘鬲賰賵賳 賲鬲噩賵夭丞 賲賳 賱丕乇爻 丕賱賲賴賳丿爻 丕賱賳丕噩丨 賮賷 亘賷鬲 噩賲賷賱 賵 賰亘賷乇 賵 毓賳丿賴丕 鬲賵兀賲 賯賲乇 賵 毓乇亘賷丞 賵 丨賷丕丞 賲孬丕賱賷丞... 鬲氐丨賷 賲賳 丕賱賳賵賲 賰賰賷鬲賷 賵 鬲賯賵賱 丿賴 丨賱賲 賱匕賷匕 毓卮丕賳 丕賳丕 毓丕賷卮丞 賱賵丨丿賷 亘爻賵 賵 鬲賰賲賱 丨賷丕鬲賴丕 賮賷 丕賱賲賰鬲亘丞 丕賱氐睾賷乇丞 賵 丿賷賵賳賴丕 賵 賲卮丕賰賱賴丕 .. 賵 亘賲噩乇丿 賲丕 亘鬲賳丕賲 鬲丕賳賷 鬲賱丕賯賷 賳賮爻賴丕 亘鬲賰賲賱 丨賷丕鬲賴丕 賰賰丕孬乇賷賳 亘賰賱 鬲賮丕氐賷賱賴丕 丕賱賰孬賷乇 丕賱賲丨爻賵爻丞 賵 賮丕賰乇丞 賰賱 丨丕噩丞 賵 亘鬲禺乇噩 賲毓 賵賱丕丿賴丕 賵 鬲丨囟乇賱賴賲 丕賱丕賰賱 賵 賴賰匕丕...
丕賱賯氐丞 賲賲鬲毓丞 噩丿丕 賵 卮丿鬲賳賷 丕賵賶 賵 丕爻賱賵亘賴丕 爻賱爻 賵 亘爻賷胤 賮禺賱氐鬲賴丕 亘爻乇毓丞...
賲丨亘鬲卮 賮賰乇丞 丕賳 丕賱丕爻賲 賲賱賵卮 兀賷 毓賱丕賯丞 鬲賯乇賷亘丕 亘丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賲賮賷卮 鬲乇賰賷夭 禺丕賱氐 毓賱賶 卮睾賱鬲賴丕 賰亘丕卅毓丞 賰鬲亘 丕賵 鬲乇卮賷丨丕鬲 賲孬賱丕 丕賵 噩賵 丕賱賲賰鬲亘丞 丿賴亘丕 爻鬲孬賳丕亍 丨丕噩丕鬲 賯賱賷賱丞 噩丿丕 ...
兀賰鬲乇 丨丕噩丞 丨亘賷鬲賴丕 賮賰乇丞 廿賳 丕賱廿賳爻丕賳 賲賴賲丕 毓賲賱 賵 乇丕丨 賵 噩賴 賲卮 賴賷賱丕賯賷 賮賰乇丞 丕賱丨賷丕丞 丕賱賰丕賲賱丞.. 胤賵賱 賲丕 賴賷 丨賷丕丞 賵 噩賳賷丕 賲賴賲丕 亘丿兀鬲 賲孬丕賱賷丞 賵 賲鬲賰丕賲賱丞 賮賴賷 賲卮 賰丿丕... 賰賱 賲丕 亘鬲賯乇亘 賰賱 賲丕 亘鬲賰鬲卮賮 廿賳賴丕 丨賷丕丞 賱丕夭賲 鬲賯亘賱賴丕 亘賲賲賷夭丕鬲賴丕 賵 毓賷賵亘賴丕.. 丕爻鬲丨丕賱丞 鬲丕禺丿 賰賱 丨丕噩丞...
丨賷丕丞 丕爻乇賷丞 賲爻鬲賯乇丞責 夭賵噩 賲孬丕賱賶責 卮睾賱 賲爻鬲賯賱 賵 賰賵賷爻責 毓賱丕賯丞 毓馗賷賲丞 亘丕賱丕亘 賵 丕賱丕賲責 賳賮爻賷丞 賲賲鬲丕夭丞 胤賵賱 丕賱賵賯鬲責 丨賷丕丞 賴丕丿賷丞責 丨乇賷丞 賵 丕爻鬲賯賱丕賱賷丞責
賲賴賲丕 丕賱賵丕丨丿 丨丕賵賱 賲卮 賴賷毓乇賮 賷丕禺丿 賰賱 丨丕噩丞 賱丕夭賲 賷丕禺丿 丕賱丨賷丕丞 賰丿丕 夭賶 賲丕 賴賷 鉂わ笍
Ps
兀賵賱 賯乇丕亍丞 賮賷 丕賱爻賳丞 鬲鬲丨胤 賮賷 賯丕卅賲丞 賲賮囟賱丕鬲賷 鉂わ笍
賮賷賴丕 丕亘鬲爻丕賲賴 賵賮賷賴丕 丕賴 賮賷賴丕 賯爻賷賴 賵 丨賳賷賴
賷丕賲丕 丕賱丨賷丕賴 賮賷賴丕 丕賱賱賶 亘賷卮賰賷賴丕
賵 丕賱賱賶 亘賷乇囟賷賴丕 賵 丕賱賱賷 賷賯丕爻賷賴丕...
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乇賵丕賷丕鬲 丕賱丕賲鬲丨丕賳丕鬲 丕賱噩賲賷賱丞 鬲丕賳賷 賵 鬲丕賱鬲...
亘鬲丨賰賷 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 毓賳 賰賷鬲賷.. 卮丕亘丞 賮賷 丕賱孬賱丕孬賷賳丕鬲 賮丕鬲丨丞 賲賰鬲亘丞 賰鬲亘 氐睾賷乇丞 賲毓 氐丿賷賯丞 毓賲乇賴丕 賮乇賷丿丞 賵 毓丕賷卮丞 賱賵丨丿賴丕 賵 毓賱丕賯鬲賴丕 亘丕亘丕賴丕 賵 賲丕賲鬲賴丕 丨賱賵丞 噩丿丕 賵 賯賵賷丞.. 丕賱賮賰乇丞 賮賷 廿賳賴丕 兀賲丕 亘鬲賳丕賲 亘鬲賱丕賯賷 賳賮爻賴丕 賮賷 丕賱丨賱賲 賰丕孬乇賷賳 " 丕賱賱賶 賴賵 丕爻賲賴丕 丕賱丨賯賷賯賷 亘爻 賲亘鬲鬲賳丕丿卮 亘賷賴 賮賷 丕賱毓丕丿賶" 賵 亘鬲賰賵賳 賲鬲噩賵夭丞 賲賳 賱丕乇爻 丕賱賲賴賳丿爻 丕賱賳丕噩丨 賮賷 亘賷鬲 噩賲賷賱 賵 賰亘賷乇 賵 毓賳丿賴丕 鬲賵兀賲 賯賲乇 賵 毓乇亘賷丞 賵 丨賷丕丞 賲孬丕賱賷丞... 鬲氐丨賷 賲賳 丕賱賳賵賲 賰賰賷鬲賷 賵 鬲賯賵賱 丿賴 丨賱賲 賱匕賷匕 毓卮丕賳 丕賳丕 毓丕賷卮丞 賱賵丨丿賷 亘爻賵 賵 鬲賰賲賱 丨賷丕鬲賴丕 賮賷 丕賱賲賰鬲亘丞 丕賱氐睾賷乇丞 賵 丿賷賵賳賴丕 賵 賲卮丕賰賱賴丕 .. 賵 亘賲噩乇丿 賲丕 亘鬲賳丕賲 鬲丕賳賷 鬲賱丕賯賷 賳賮爻賴丕 亘鬲賰賲賱 丨賷丕鬲賴丕 賰賰丕孬乇賷賳 亘賰賱 鬲賮丕氐賷賱賴丕 丕賱賰孬賷乇 丕賱賲丨爻賵爻丞 賵 賮丕賰乇丞 賰賱 丨丕噩丞 賵 亘鬲禺乇噩 賲毓 賵賱丕丿賴丕 賵 鬲丨囟乇賱賴賲 丕賱丕賰賱 賵 賴賰匕丕...
丕賱賯氐丞 賲賲鬲毓丞 噩丿丕 賵 卮丿鬲賳賷 丕賵賶 賵 丕爻賱賵亘賴丕 爻賱爻 賵 亘爻賷胤 賮禺賱氐鬲賴丕 亘爻乇毓丞...
賲丨亘鬲卮 賮賰乇丞 丕賳 丕賱丕爻賲 賲賱賵卮 兀賷 毓賱丕賯丞 鬲賯乇賷亘丕 亘丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賲賮賷卮 鬲乇賰賷夭 禺丕賱氐 毓賱賶 卮睾賱鬲賴丕 賰亘丕卅毓丞 賰鬲亘 丕賵 鬲乇卮賷丨丕鬲 賲孬賱丕 丕賵 噩賵 丕賱賲賰鬲亘丞 丿賴亘丕 爻鬲孬賳丕亍 丨丕噩丕鬲 賯賱賷賱丞 噩丿丕 ...
兀賰鬲乇 丨丕噩丞 丨亘賷鬲賴丕 賮賰乇丞 廿賳 丕賱廿賳爻丕賳 賲賴賲丕 毓賲賱 賵 乇丕丨 賵 噩賴 賲卮 賴賷賱丕賯賷 賮賰乇丞 丕賱丨賷丕丞 丕賱賰丕賲賱丞.. 胤賵賱 賲丕 賴賷 丨賷丕丞 賵 噩賳賷丕 賲賴賲丕 亘丿兀鬲 賲孬丕賱賷丞 賵 賲鬲賰丕賲賱丞 賮賴賷 賲卮 賰丿丕... 賰賱 賲丕 亘鬲賯乇亘 賰賱 賲丕 亘鬲賰鬲卮賮 廿賳賴丕 丨賷丕丞 賱丕夭賲 鬲賯亘賱賴丕 亘賲賲賷夭丕鬲賴丕 賵 毓賷賵亘賴丕.. 丕爻鬲丨丕賱丞 鬲丕禺丿 賰賱 丨丕噩丞...
丨賷丕丞 丕爻乇賷丞 賲爻鬲賯乇丞責 夭賵噩 賲孬丕賱賶責 卮睾賱 賲爻鬲賯賱 賵 賰賵賷爻責 毓賱丕賯丞 毓馗賷賲丞 亘丕賱丕亘 賵 丕賱丕賲責 賳賮爻賷丞 賲賲鬲丕夭丞 胤賵賱 丕賱賵賯鬲責 丨賷丕丞 賴丕丿賷丞責 丨乇賷丞 賵 丕爻鬲賯賱丕賱賷丞責
賲賴賲丕 丕賱賵丕丨丿 丨丕賵賱 賲卮 賴賷毓乇賮 賷丕禺丿 賰賱 丨丕噩丞 賱丕夭賲 賷丕禺丿 丕賱丨賷丕丞 賰丿丕 夭賶 賲丕 賴賷 鉂わ笍
Ps
兀賵賱 賯乇丕亍丞 賮賷 丕賱爻賳丞 鬲鬲丨胤 賮賷 賯丕卅賲丞 賲賮囟賱丕鬲賷 鉂わ笍
April 1, 2015
3.5 bumped to 4 At the beginning of 鈥淭he Bookseller鈥�, I thought, 鈥済oodie, book candy! I鈥檓 in the mood鈥�. And then鈥�.鈥漇omething wicked this way comes鈥�.
The novel is told from the prospective of Kitty, aka, Katharyn. We learn that Kitty loves to dream and her imagination is impressive. As a big dreamer myself, I understood Kitty鈥檚 love of her dreamland. I鈥檝e had more than a few occasions where I was abruptly woken and I think, 鈥淲ait, I want to finish my dream.鈥� And, I鈥檝e had the occasions where I abruptly awaken from a nightmare; confused until I realize it was only a dream.
Where Cynthia Swanson shines in this novel is having the reader consider coping mechanisms and how dreams reflect our coping skills. Yet at other times, dreams are just our own entertainment system. In addition, Swanson has the reader considering stress; how little and big events add up and what mechanisms do we utilize to manage.
The novel takes place in 1962 and 1963 Denver. Swanson鈥檚 historical references are entertaining. Given that Kitty is a Bookseller, the popular books in the time period is enjoyable to be reminded.
It鈥檚 a great story about a woman鈥檚 choices and pressures, especially in the late 1950鈥檚. The novel is entertaining. I read 6 hours straight one Sunday. For me, it shifted from book candy to thought provoking.
The novel is told from the prospective of Kitty, aka, Katharyn. We learn that Kitty loves to dream and her imagination is impressive. As a big dreamer myself, I understood Kitty鈥檚 love of her dreamland. I鈥檝e had more than a few occasions where I was abruptly woken and I think, 鈥淲ait, I want to finish my dream.鈥� And, I鈥檝e had the occasions where I abruptly awaken from a nightmare; confused until I realize it was only a dream.
Where Cynthia Swanson shines in this novel is having the reader consider coping mechanisms and how dreams reflect our coping skills. Yet at other times, dreams are just our own entertainment system. In addition, Swanson has the reader considering stress; how little and big events add up and what mechanisms do we utilize to manage.
The novel takes place in 1962 and 1963 Denver. Swanson鈥檚 historical references are entertaining. Given that Kitty is a Bookseller, the popular books in the time period is enjoyable to be reminded.
It鈥檚 a great story about a woman鈥檚 choices and pressures, especially in the late 1950鈥檚. The novel is entertaining. I read 6 hours straight one Sunday. For me, it shifted from book candy to thought provoking.
April 6, 2015
Psychosis is the backbone of this novel set in the early 1960's
Psychosis is a symptom of mental illness rather than the name of a medical condition itself. Broadly speaking, it means a loss of contact with reality. The affected see or hear things, people who are not there. In The Bookseller after the loss of her parent's in a plane crash, the main character has a prolonged psychotic reaction.
After reading this book, you may have a severe psychotic reaction yourself...well perhaps not that drastic, but clearly you will want to scream you bloody head off! Save your time, money and sanity and skip this novel.
Psychosis is a symptom of mental illness rather than the name of a medical condition itself. Broadly speaking, it means a loss of contact with reality. The affected see or hear things, people who are not there. In The Bookseller after the loss of her parent's in a plane crash, the main character has a prolonged psychotic reaction.
After reading this book, you may have a severe psychotic reaction yourself...well perhaps not that drastic, but clearly you will want to scream you bloody head off! Save your time, money and sanity and skip this novel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 2, 2016
Kitty Miller is single. She owns a business with her best friend, Frieda, and she is pretty contented with her independent life and her cat. Then she falls asleep one night and finds herself in an alternate reality in which she is Katharyn, a married woman with children, a loving husband, and a much more complicated but fuller life. Dreaming of this life once is like taking a trip, but Kitty dreams of this life over and over again and the line between reality and dreaming begins to blur.
I adore authors who can take unbelievable, incomprehensible concepts and make them seem possible and real. Kitty as a character is interesting, believable and sympathetic. I began to care what happened to her and worry that she would be stuck in one of these lives when she wanted to live in the other. The plot and the tension build and when Swanson gives us the key to the puzzle, she does not cheat her reader with the manner in which she resolves this dichotomy.
I thought this novel was well-written and great fun. I could not figure out what would prove to be true until the last reveal and I liked that it wasn't a choice between one good life and one bad life, but a choice between two worlds in which something would be lost on either side. Kudos to Cynthia Swanson for a story well-told.
I adore authors who can take unbelievable, incomprehensible concepts and make them seem possible and real. Kitty as a character is interesting, believable and sympathetic. I began to care what happened to her and worry that she would be stuck in one of these lives when she wanted to live in the other. The plot and the tension build and when Swanson gives us the key to the puzzle, she does not cheat her reader with the manner in which she resolves this dichotomy.
I thought this novel was well-written and great fun. I could not figure out what would prove to be true until the last reveal and I liked that it wasn't a choice between one good life and one bad life, but a choice between two worlds in which something would be lost on either side. Kudos to Cynthia Swanson for a story well-told.
February 5, 2019
I am sorry but Ms Swanson didn't get me in at all while this was well written endearing & the characters you felt for I just couldn't keep going as I didn't know where this was going, mind you this was her first novel , I have read her other novel and enjoyed it.
Kitty was one of the saddest characters I have ever read she dreams of a happy life husband children everyone wants that don't they? but when she wakes she is still living a mundane life running Thus Girls a bookstore with her best friend Frieda. BUT IS FRIEDA IN HER DREAMS AS WELL?
All in all this was well written but unfortunately did not grab me.
Kitty was one of the saddest characters I have ever read she dreams of a happy life husband children everyone wants that don't they? but when she wakes she is still living a mundane life running Thus Girls a bookstore with her best friend Frieda. BUT IS FRIEDA IN HER DREAMS AS WELL?
All in all this was well written but unfortunately did not grab me.
October 30, 2016
Denver 1962. Single gal, Kitty, runs a bookshop with her best friend, Frieda. Marriage and a family never became part of the plan, but Kitty has a good family and friend network and the faithful love of her cat, Aslan. Cynthia Swanson plays with the "What if?" question that often haunts us, as we get older. For Kitty it happens through her dreams. Into this alternate reality, Kitty is Kathryn, married to the blue eyed Swedish -American architect that answered her dating advertisement in 1954. Kathryn is the mother of 3 children (triplets) and her life is an endless round of parties and entertaining her husbands clients. Upon awakening,Kitty becomes transfixed making her life better, but also wanting to spend time with her dream family. Think "It's a Wonderful Life" meets "Inception."
While I did read this book in one sitting, I am feeling a little ho-hum about it all. I find myself agreeing with many of the other reviews, I did like Kitty much better than Kathryn. Maybe the characters (Lars and the kids ) were just too perfect in the beginning for me to accept how everything played out in the end. I also felt a real disconnect between the Kitty and Frieda story. I failed to connect with their friendship, always feeling I was a mere observer and never immersed in the story.
While I did read this book in one sitting, I am feeling a little ho-hum about it all. I find myself agreeing with many of the other reviews, I did like Kitty much better than Kathryn. Maybe the characters (Lars and the kids ) were just too perfect in the beginning for me to accept how everything played out in the end. I also felt a real disconnect between the Kitty and Frieda story. I failed to connect with their friendship, always feeling I was a mere observer and never immersed in the story.
February 5, 2017
This book is beautiful! B e a u t i f u l! Absolutely heart wrenching, heartbreaking, and heartwarming! The biggest question in this book is "What if?" It's bittersweet, surprising and talks about different subjects such as autism, grieve, ailment, love, friendship, books and family. It's also set in the sixties which is different and interesting.
I highlighted ALL the books mentioned here! I must read them all!
I highlighted ALL the books mentioned here! I must read them all!
March 13, 2015
An interesting twist on the classic "what if" tale. One huge pet peeve: the crappy Spanish of Alma the housekeeper. Seriously, couldn't Harper get someone who actually knows Spanish to check that the author's Spanish was accurate? Btw, not only was it not accurate, it was actually ATROCIOUS.
November 17, 2022
This novel was a nice diversion. I especially liked the evocative 1960s Denver setting. I was disappointed that almost none of it takes place within Kitty's bookstore - but I enjoyed the references to "contemporary" books. The dream premise, of straddling two worlds, mostly worked and Katharyn's struggle to be a good mother to her autistic son was well done. The book's downside is basic writing and surface-level characters and relationships.
January 16, 2016
This was a read I quickly became immersed in. The gentle cadence and details of the story absorbed my attention and I couldn't put the book down this morning as my coffee grew cold. One of the aspects of the unfolding of the story was in the beginning there is a clear delineation between reality and the fantasy world that the main character dreams herself into. As the story reveals more, the lines between reality and fantasy blur, both for Kitty Miller/Katharyn Andersson and the reader. Towards the end of the book, I was questioning which life was real and which was fake. When the reason for the entire dual realities is revealed, I was shaken. This is a book where the characters are easy to love. I cried at the end scene where she meets her parents on the street. I rallied with support when Katharyn embraces her reality and reclaims the aspects of her life that she needs to. Fantastic read and I recommend!
May 16, 2019
A fascinating deep dive into the dreams of a young bookseller named Kitty. She dreams about being a happily married woman who goes by Katharyn. Her husband Lars is the love of her life and they have two adorable children -- twins? As the dreams continue, Kitty begins to compare her "real life" with her "dream life." Why do her dreams seem so real? Why are there gaps in her "real life?" I loved all the book and pop culture references and the historical setting in the early 1960's. The resolution seemed rushed although it did make sense. Will make for a lively book group discussion.
March 20, 2020
This book came right out of left field and knocked me right off my feet! It is just such a beautiful yet sad story and it left me profoundly moved by the end. It is such a gorgeous yet heartbreaking depiction of one woman鈥檚 struggle with grief and the lines between dreams and reality. The fact that books were involved is obviously a plus as well, I鈥檓 always a fan of any story that features books or bookworms, it makes me feel such a connection with the story. By the end of this book I was in tears, it鈥檚 just stunning and when I realized where it was going I was shook to my core. This is an absolute gem of a book and I will treasure it always.
August 9, 2018
I don't know about you... but I would love to own a bookshop and have these dreams..
The Bookseller was a pretty interesting book. I feel like I flew through the kindle version because it just kept reminding me of other little books. Sort of like Outlander, but not really. In this book, you will meet Katharyn and Lars. Whenever she goes to sleep, well she wakes up in this different world (sort of).
Maybe I should dive more into that? Same world but a different time zone is probably a bit easier to think about. When she is actually awake, she is a single hardworking woman who owns a bookshop and is painting her bedroom yellow. Hey don't hate on that sunshine-y color, because my bedroom at my dads house is yellow too. I wanted blue, but my dad compromised with yellow - close enough, right? Anyhoo, well when she goes to sleep.. she sort of wakes up to a husband and kids. Yup, you read that correctly.
Now Lars is a handsome fella and their kids are beyond adorable. However, she doesn't know anything about them or this new version of herself. She doesn't like her actual name and goes by Kitty in her real life.. but in this one her husband calls her Katharyn.
While reading this book, I'm so intrigued that she time travels while asleep - because sometimes dreams can seem so vivid. Yet, this is actually vivid for her. She remembers everything about it when she wakes up. I couldn't decide if this dream-like world would eventually become her real-life world.. or if she was going to get stuck in this dream forever. I just wanted to find out how it ended!!
If I could change on thing about this book.. it would definitely be how she treated Michael. He's one of her kids and autistic.. but I feel like she definitely treated him differently than her other two - which made me frown. Now I know that most people don't know how to deal with autistic people or kids but it doesn't help when everyone notices that you treat one differently than the other. Before ya get all mad at me and shit, my older brother is autistic and my parents never treated him differently. If you talk to my aunts and uncles, well yes - they did treat him differently when we would visit and it honestly annoyed all of us. He's my brother and that's all I'm going to treat him as - he's not made of glass. We annoy and nag each other just like every day siblings - of course I don't tolerate him being bullied and either would my sister.
Sorry about my little rant! Overall, it was a good and interesting book.
The Bookseller was a pretty interesting book. I feel like I flew through the kindle version because it just kept reminding me of other little books. Sort of like Outlander, but not really. In this book, you will meet Katharyn and Lars. Whenever she goes to sleep, well she wakes up in this different world (sort of).
Maybe I should dive more into that? Same world but a different time zone is probably a bit easier to think about. When she is actually awake, she is a single hardworking woman who owns a bookshop and is painting her bedroom yellow. Hey don't hate on that sunshine-y color, because my bedroom at my dads house is yellow too. I wanted blue, but my dad compromised with yellow - close enough, right? Anyhoo, well when she goes to sleep.. she sort of wakes up to a husband and kids. Yup, you read that correctly.
Now Lars is a handsome fella and their kids are beyond adorable. However, she doesn't know anything about them or this new version of herself. She doesn't like her actual name and goes by Kitty in her real life.. but in this one her husband calls her Katharyn.
While reading this book, I'm so intrigued that she time travels while asleep - because sometimes dreams can seem so vivid. Yet, this is actually vivid for her. She remembers everything about it when she wakes up. I couldn't decide if this dream-like world would eventually become her real-life world.. or if she was going to get stuck in this dream forever. I just wanted to find out how it ended!!
If I could change on thing about this book.. it would definitely be how she treated Michael. He's one of her kids and autistic.. but I feel like she definitely treated him differently than her other two - which made me frown. Now I know that most people don't know how to deal with autistic people or kids but it doesn't help when everyone notices that you treat one differently than the other. Before ya get all mad at me and shit, my older brother is autistic and my parents never treated him differently. If you talk to my aunts and uncles, well yes - they did treat him differently when we would visit and it honestly annoyed all of us. He's my brother and that's all I'm going to treat him as - he's not made of glass. We annoy and nag each other just like every day siblings - of course I don't tolerate him being bullied and either would my sister.
Sorry about my little rant! Overall, it was a good and interesting book.
February 12, 2018
This Cynthia Swanson's first novel. The plot is set in Denver in the 1960s, Miss Kitty Miller(30) is single & dreams of a new life to be Mrs. Kathryn Anderson(30) married to a rich Man.
- Kitty is a unhappy school teacher, from parents for failing their children. Her best friend, Frieda Green's advertisement job has too much pressure. They open a simple Sisters' Bookstore & must consider moving from the city to the suburbs were businesses are growing. Kitty is lonely & calls a "personnel dating ad" for Lars Anderson & decide to meet but Lars does not show?
- She dreams she is Mrs. Kathryn Anderson with Lars & triplets. But after waking, Kitty reads in the newspaper why he did not show a Lars Anderson death notice....
The plot continues flipping between the Kathryn dream & Kitty real worlds. She must consider what is gained and/or lost in either world. Later, she must step back to see if the best both worlds were ever possible?
- Kitty is a unhappy school teacher, from parents for failing their children. Her best friend, Frieda Green's advertisement job has too much pressure. They open a simple Sisters' Bookstore & must consider moving from the city to the suburbs were businesses are growing. Kitty is lonely & calls a "personnel dating ad" for Lars Anderson & decide to meet but Lars does not show?
- She dreams she is Mrs. Kathryn Anderson with Lars & triplets. But after waking, Kitty reads in the newspaper why he did not show a Lars Anderson death notice....
The plot continues flipping between the Kathryn dream & Kitty real worlds. She must consider what is gained and/or lost in either world. Later, she must step back to see if the best both worlds were ever possible?
February 5, 2017
Bittersweet. The book is about a woman named Kitty who lives another life in her dreams where she is Katharyn. It is one of those books where one decision could have lead to a different path. Or is it? This book had many layers, and presented some twists (which were blatantly obvious). It was well written and engaging, but at the same time predictable. It was a good read though.
February 13, 2019
賴賱 賷賲賰賳 丨賯丕 賱毓賯賵賱賳丕 廿賳 鬲禺賱賯 毓賵丕賱賲 兀禺乇賶 兀賰孬乇 賱胤賮丕 賲賳 毓丕賱賲賳丕 賵鬲夭噩賳丕 賮賷賴听 .. 賴賱 賷賲賰賳 兀賳 賳毓賷卮 丨賷丕丞 兀禺乇賶 亘禺賷丕賱賳丕 賱丿乇噩丞 廿賳 賳賳賮氐賱 毓賳 丕賱賵丕賯毓 丕賱賲丐賱賲 賵丕賱匕賷 賱丕 賳爻鬲胤賷毓 丕賱毓賷卮 亘賴..
乇亘賲丕.! 賴匕賴 賲丕 丨丿孬 賲毓 氐丿賷賯鬲賳丕 賰賷鬲賷 兀賵 賰丕孬乇賷賳
賮丕賱禺賷丕賱 賰賲丕 丕鬲囟丨 賲禺賱賵賯 賲噩丿 賵匕賰賷 亘卮賰賱 賲匕賴賱.!
賯丿 鬲馗賳 兀賳 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 毓賳 丕賱賰鬲亘 亘賲丕 廿賳 廿爻賲賴丕 亘丕卅毓丞 丕賱賰鬲亘 賱賰賳賴丕 賱賷爻鬲 賰匕賱賰..
廿賳賴丕 毓賳 賰賷鬲賷 丕賱賮鬲丕丞 丕賱鬲賶 丕爻鬲禺丿賲鬲 兀丨賱丕賲賴丕 賱鬲丨丕賵賱 丕賱賳噩丕丞 賲賳 賵丕賯毓賴丕.
乇賵丕賷丞 噩賷丿賴貙 賱賰賳 賱賷爻鬲 賲匕賴賱丞.
乇亘賲丕.! 賴匕賴 賲丕 丨丿孬 賲毓 氐丿賷賯鬲賳丕 賰賷鬲賷 兀賵 賰丕孬乇賷賳
賮丕賱禺賷丕賱 賰賲丕 丕鬲囟丨 賲禺賱賵賯 賲噩丿 賵匕賰賷 亘卮賰賱 賲匕賴賱.!
賯丿 鬲馗賳 兀賳 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 毓賳 丕賱賰鬲亘 亘賲丕 廿賳 廿爻賲賴丕 亘丕卅毓丞 丕賱賰鬲亘 賱賰賳賴丕 賱賷爻鬲 賰匕賱賰..
廿賳賴丕 毓賳 賰賷鬲賷 丕賱賮鬲丕丞 丕賱鬲賶 丕爻鬲禺丿賲鬲 兀丨賱丕賲賴丕 賱鬲丨丕賵賱 丕賱賳噩丕丞 賲賳 賵丕賯毓賴丕.
乇賵丕賷丞 噩賷丿賴貙 賱賰賳 賱賷爻鬲 賲匕賴賱丞.
March 10, 2016
This is an original, evocative, beautifully written novel with a compelling story. Though it bounces from her real life鈥攚here she鈥檚 Kitty鈥攊nto a dream life in which she鈥� goes by Katharyn and she has to figure out how this other life works by guessing, asking what must seem like silly questions, or sometimes remembering things suddenly鈥攜ou as the reader are never confused about whether she鈥檚 in her real life as a single women working alongside her friend at a struggling book store or a married woman with three children, one of whom has special needs. The entire book is set in 1962. The married version of herself dresses, like so many women at the time did, like Jacqueline Kennedy. The unmarried version of herself dresses comfortably and with artsy colors. Both versions are likeable and you want the best for them both.
The story is intriguing and well written. I recommend it.
The story is intriguing and well written. I recommend it.
January 10, 2016
What an interesting concept. When Kitty Miller goes to sleep she is in a different life only a few months ahead of where she is now in her life. She is married with three kids. In her real life she is single running a bookstore with her best friend Frieda. Her dreams feel very real with her and she is finding out there are parts of her dreams she likes and parts of her awake life she likes. There are also parts that are disappointing in both lives. But are they really dreams. I really enjoyed this book an highly recommend it.
February 2, 2015
I received an uncorrected proof copy of this novel from HarperCollins.
In 1962 Denver, Kitty Miller is content with her unconventional life as an unmarried woman who runs a bookshop with her best friend, Frieda. That is until she begins to dream about an alternate path her life may have taken - one in which she goes by Katharyn and is married to the love of her life and is a stay at home mother. Kitty begins to question the path her life has taken at the same time that the division between her two lives begin to blur and merge.
It's hard to discuss the conclusion of this book without giving away spoilers, but some discussion is necessary. I was concerned with how this novel could possibly conclude from its opening pages. I think the only explanation for Kitty/Katharyn's confusion of what is real life and not, for her apparent lapses in memory, is mental disturbance caused by grief. That being said, it was unbelievable that no one was more concerned about her apparent memory disturbances and periods of apparent incoherence where she would drift off into another world. I was disappointed by the way that Kitty "discovers" which world is reality; "This...is...it.' Rubbing my eyes, I look around. 'This is the real world'" (302). I thought there would be some clue that helped Kitty come rushing back her reality or some other grand realization rather than a sort of inane verbal confirmation of reality. Some serious suspension of disbelief is necessary to make the conclusion work.
Additionally, I was a little disappointed that Kitty seems to be poised between choosing an "independent" life and the more conventional path of wife and mother. The narrative seems to confirm that being a mother is a more selfless way to live, which I don't necessarily agree with. "In that other life, I am the center of my world. Of course, I love and care about other people - many other people. But at the end of the day, my thoughts and actions are mainly about managing my own life and my own emotions" (272). It seems that Katharyn's role as a mother is viewed by Kitty as a more worthwhile pursuit. Yet Kitty's tutoring of her young neighbor Greg, and developing easy to read books for children who struggle to read like Greg could be seen as more selfless and pivotal for a larger number than her work as a mother. In short, I didn't like the assessment of the worth of one lifestyle over another - I see both as worthy choices.
I found this an easy read, and was propelled easily through the narrative, curious to see what would happen with Kitty and her alternative reality Katharyn. It's interesting to me to contemplate how one's life could easily have taken a very different path. I thought her relationship with her best friend Frieda was an interesting element to the book, as was her autistic son, Michael. I appreciated that Katharyn struggled with parenting Michael - it made her seem human and realistic when she lost patience or felt at a loss with how to deal with a child, particularly since Michael would have been seen with significant stigma in the 1960s.
On another note, Aslan, Kitty's cat, was most aptly named after the lion from the C.S. Lewis novel. It was appropriate that Aslan's namesake also comes from a work of fiction that features an alternate world.
3.5 stars
In 1962 Denver, Kitty Miller is content with her unconventional life as an unmarried woman who runs a bookshop with her best friend, Frieda. That is until she begins to dream about an alternate path her life may have taken - one in which she goes by Katharyn and is married to the love of her life and is a stay at home mother. Kitty begins to question the path her life has taken at the same time that the division between her two lives begin to blur and merge.
It's hard to discuss the conclusion of this book without giving away spoilers, but some discussion is necessary. I was concerned with how this novel could possibly conclude from its opening pages. I think the only explanation for Kitty/Katharyn's confusion of what is real life and not, for her apparent lapses in memory, is mental disturbance caused by grief. That being said, it was unbelievable that no one was more concerned about her apparent memory disturbances and periods of apparent incoherence where she would drift off into another world. I was disappointed by the way that Kitty "discovers" which world is reality; "This...is...it.' Rubbing my eyes, I look around. 'This is the real world'" (302). I thought there would be some clue that helped Kitty come rushing back her reality or some other grand realization rather than a sort of inane verbal confirmation of reality. Some serious suspension of disbelief is necessary to make the conclusion work.
Additionally, I was a little disappointed that Kitty seems to be poised between choosing an "independent" life and the more conventional path of wife and mother. The narrative seems to confirm that being a mother is a more selfless way to live, which I don't necessarily agree with. "In that other life, I am the center of my world. Of course, I love and care about other people - many other people. But at the end of the day, my thoughts and actions are mainly about managing my own life and my own emotions" (272). It seems that Katharyn's role as a mother is viewed by Kitty as a more worthwhile pursuit. Yet Kitty's tutoring of her young neighbor Greg, and developing easy to read books for children who struggle to read like Greg could be seen as more selfless and pivotal for a larger number than her work as a mother. In short, I didn't like the assessment of the worth of one lifestyle over another - I see both as worthy choices.
I found this an easy read, and was propelled easily through the narrative, curious to see what would happen with Kitty and her alternative reality Katharyn. It's interesting to me to contemplate how one's life could easily have taken a very different path. I thought her relationship with her best friend Frieda was an interesting element to the book, as was her autistic son, Michael. I appreciated that Katharyn struggled with parenting Michael - it made her seem human and realistic when she lost patience or felt at a loss with how to deal with a child, particularly since Michael would have been seen with significant stigma in the 1960s.
On another note, Aslan, Kitty's cat, was most aptly named after the lion from the C.S. Lewis novel. It was appropriate that Aslan's namesake also comes from a work of fiction that features an alternate world.
3.5 stars
August 10, 2015
The Bookseller is a first-time novel for Cynthia Swanson. Katharyn/Kitty, the main character kept me engrossed in this novel from page one.
In the Bookseller, Swanson takes us on a startling journey where a woman is thrust into an alternate world that might have been, if she had made different decisions. The Bookseller is a wonderful exploration of identity, love and loss. The 1960's tone is elegant, slightly mysterious, and thoroughly engrossing.
The Bookseller's plot fascinated me, was well written and the many twists and turns kept me engaged until the final page. Katharyn/Kitty's journey kept me guessing. The Bookseller is an unique, intriguing read.
In the Bookseller, Swanson takes us on a startling journey where a woman is thrust into an alternate world that might have been, if she had made different decisions. The Bookseller is a wonderful exploration of identity, love and loss. The 1960's tone is elegant, slightly mysterious, and thoroughly engrossing.
The Bookseller's plot fascinated me, was well written and the many twists and turns kept me engaged until the final page. Katharyn/Kitty's journey kept me guessing. The Bookseller is an unique, intriguing read.
September 18, 2015
It's tough to say much about this book without giving away the entire plot. It's 1962 and Kitty is torn between two lives. One in which she's a conventional married mother of triplets, and the other where she's a single 38 year old woman who runs a small bookshop with her long time best friend Frieda. Presented in dreams and flashbacks the mystery is of course trying to figure out which parts are reality. The book references are fun, and what mother hasn't wondered what life would have been like sans children ? ( maybe me, more than most having had 4 in 4 years with a set of twins to boot.) Pretty standard chick lit fare. 3 stars
February 5, 2017
I went back and forth two or three stars. The writing quality was excellent but the plot construction was poor with a big- losing the reader why am I even reading this middle. The end was neatly done with a good twist and I can see what the writer was trying to accomplish. A Character moping around is not a good plot device. A rewrite would have done wonders for this book.
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