The Grandest Bookshop in the Worldby Amelia Mellor
Rating: ★★★★★
isbn: 9781925972955
Publication Date: September 29, 2020
Pages: 302
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Affirm Press
Pearl and Vally Cole live in a bookshop. And not just any bookshop. In 1893, Cole’s Book Arcade in Melbourne is the grandest bookshop in the world, brimming with every curiosity imaginable. Each day brings fresh delights for the siblings: voice-changing sweets, talking parrots, a new story written just for them by their eccentric father.
When Pearl and Vally learn that Pa has risked the Arcade – and himself – in a shocking deal with the mysterious Obscurosmith, the siblings hatch a plan. Soon they are swept into a dangerous game with impossibly high stakes: defeat seven challenges by the stroke of midnight and both the Arcade and their father will be restored. But if they fail Pearl and Vally won’t just lose Pa – they’ll forget that he and the Arcade ever existed.
A friend told me about this book 6+ months ago, as a gift idea for my 10 year old niece, mentioning it was a story I’d enjoy too. I forgot about it until she reminded me back in October, so when, just a few weeks later, I saw it at one of my schools’ book fairs, I bought it for a Christmas present, thinking niece and I could read it together, since I’d be spending Christmas with her and her family.
Then, Christmas got cancelled and the book was packed up to ship up to her along with the rest of the presents. I figured I’d get to it one of these days.
Turns out I would; a package arrived at our house 5 days after Christmas, from an online bookseller, containing this book – I never ordered it and there’s NO information in the package about who sent it. Mysteries. The Good Kind.
Anyway, I got to read the book and oh, what an enchanting story it is. Firmly written for middle grade kids, but magical enough to capture this adult’s imagination. Two children, who live above the Grandest Bookstore in the World** have 28 hours to solve 7 challenges or else their beloved dad and their bookstore will cease to exist.
There are shades of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Jumanji, and on a deeper level Faust, but nothing ever too heavy for a 10 year old to handle. Everything is couched in adventure and the heavier theme behind the Faustian roots of the story are confronted honestly without dwelling on them. It really is a most wonderfully done story.
** Coles Book Arcade was a real place in Melbourne in the late 1800’s and it really was the Grandest Bookshop in the World. While all the parts the author uses in the book (the tea room, the lolly shop, the fernery, etc.) didn’t all exist at the same time, they did all exist. For those interested, I highly recommend this article from The Guardian, written by the author of this book, which you can find here.
Umm. I can solve the mystery who sent it … blast the online bookseller in question for not including that info!!
I did wonder – I had received email notification from said bookseller about the other thing, and the timing was too coincidental, but I couldn’t believe it, it seemed way too amazing.
Well, thank you. You couldn’t have picked a better book for SO. MANY. REASONS. The setting, the subject, the story itself was spot on and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Hug yourself from me, please? And thanks.
Also, the other one arrived the next day. Squee!
You‘re very welcome. You liked it — that’s all that matters! 🤗
(Don‘t tell me the bookseller made 3 deliveries out of it, though … the email and 2 packages, 1 possibly yet to be delivered??!) Grrrr …
Yep, three packages: the email, one package on the 30th and the next on the 31st. I like to think of it as a festival of unexpected gifts. 😀
Sigh. Well, I guess you had a sort of post-Christmas Advent calendar that way … 😗😹
Anyway, I am glad it seems to have hit the spot …
BUMMER!! It is not available on AudibleUS. I love the cover and I love your description of the book. On your recommendation alone, I want to read it. I can’t even get a a paper copy on Amazon — not in stock. :-((
That IS a bummer – it’s published by Affim Press, a local Aussie publisher, and my guess is they haven’t sold international rights. I just checked BookDepository, thinking they’d definitely have it, but no, Currently Not Available. It’s really a wonderful story and one I’m certain would appeal to a worldwide audience. Hopefully it’s reach will expand soon.