The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin, Viking Publishing, 260 pages, $30.
Island Books is the only bookstore on Alice Island and is a business drowning in sorrow. A.J. Fikry operates his store by day and at night goes to his apartment upstairs to drink himself into oblivion so he can stop thinking of his dead wife. The bookstore was their dream and now it has become his nightmare.
Into this lonely place comes a surprise arrival that will change A.J.'s life completely. Delivered from despair we follow his renewal and witness the power of second chances.
Gabrielle Zevin delves into the turbulent waters of lost love, loneliness and tragedy but discovers friendship, trust and redemption. She brings a well-rounded cast of characters to life and makes us care about them. Her story spans years but is such a wonderful tale that it feels like it is over far too soon.
