Cynthia Swanson’s novel, The Bookseller, is a remarkable debut. The unusual story takes readers back to the early 1960s in a story that can’t be called time travel. Dream travel sounds too gimmicky, which this story is not. At times, it reminded me of It’s a Wonderful Life, which is even mentioned in the book. It’s best to say The Bookseller is an unusual story about a thirty-eight-year-old woman searching for answers in her life.
Swanson beautifully sets the scene for this book, 1962 and 1963, mentioning books that were popular at the time such as Ray Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Comes and Cold War novels such as Fail-Safe and Seven Days in May. In fact, the Cold War is there in the background, the Cuban Missile Crisis and the fears around it. And, of course, for 1962-63, the Kennedys, and the clothing women wore to emulate the First Lady. Clothes, music, houses, shopping centers; everything combines to set an appropriate atmosphere for this novel. And, anyone who appreciates books will look for each mention of the books of the period.
It’s a story that works because of the time period. Part of the novel involves women’s roles in life, whether they choose to marry or have a career, remaining single and “a spinster”. There’s the struggle of a woman who wants to have everything, a job and a family, and the emotional conflicts that result. There’s so much more in the Kitty/Katharyn story, but further discussion would reveal too much about the storyline and Kitty/Katharyn’s issues.
Unusual. Unique. Those words describe Cynthia Swanson’s excellent story, The Bookseller. It’s a solid, fascinating debut.
The Bookseller by Cynthia Swanson. HarperCollins. 2015. ISBN 9780062333001 (hardcover), 352p.
*****
FTC Full Disclosure – The publisher sent me a copy of the book, hoping I would review it.
