Widower Mukesh lives a quiet life in the London Borough of Ealing after losing his beloved wife. He shops every Wednesday, goes to Temple, and worries about his granddaughter, Priya, who hides in her room reading while he spends his evenings watching nature documentaries.
Aleisha is a bright but anxious teenager working at the local library for the summer when she discovers a crumpled-up piece of paper in the back of To Kill a Mockingbird. It’s a list of novels that she’s never heard of before. Intrigued, and a little bored with her slow job at the checkout desk, she impulsively decides to read every book on the list, one after the other. As each story gives up its magic, the books transport Aleisha from the painful realities she’s facing at home.
When Mukesh arrives at the library, desperate to forge a connection with his bookworm granddaughter, Aleisha passes along the reading list…hoping that it will be a lifeline for him too. Slowly, the shared books create a connection between two lonely souls, as fiction helps them escape their grief and everyday troubles and find joy again.
CW: Mental illness, suicide, grief, death, cancer
Rating
Review
This book shows how books can change things in your life and help you to adapt to a complex situation.
Truth be told, I really like Mukesh’s side of the story. This widower was great to read about as it’s a change of perspective as this type of character isn’t the main character in books. To have his point of view is refreshing as you see that he still grieving his wife. She is always there and is kind of a third main character. I also like his relationship with his daughters; they are a little too harsh with him at the beginning like he can’t do anything alone. Still, as the book unravels, you see the relationship change and evolve step by step, and it’s a delight to read about it. The relationship that developed the most is with his granddaughter; I like how they share a lot more and everything, thanks to books. I struggle a little more with Aleisha and am frustrated as I can’t explain why. However, there is a thing I like: when she started to read, it was nearly a chore, and as she continued, she felt really interested in them. At one point, I just wanted her to be a teenager; she isn’t an adult yet.
It’s kind of a found family book, thanks to books. Mukesh and Aleisha and even the people who go to the library started to interact with each other. They discover a new world, and it is pleasant to read. Even if there are some sadder moments, how it’s described and turned into something more positive is heartwarming. Each book talked about in the book is a classic, and discovering how everyone can have a completely different reaction to it is so good.
This book makes you want to read or re-read the books which are mentioned.
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