Books & Java

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend

by Katarina Bivald 

 

Synopsis:

Broken Wheel, Iowa, has never seen anyone like Sara, who traveled all the way from Sweden just to meet her pen pal, Amy. When she arrives, however, she finds that Amy's funeral has just ended. Luckily, the townspeople are happy to look after their bewildered tourist—even if they don't understand her peculiar need for books. Marooned in a farm town that's almost beyond repair, Sara starts a bookstore in honor of her friend's memory.

All she wants is to share the books she loves with the citizens of Broken Wheel and to convince them that reading is one of the great joys of life. But she makes some unconventional choices that could force a lot of secrets into the open and change things for everyone in town. Reminiscent of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, this is a warm, witty book about friendship, stories, and love.

My Review:

Fantastic, feel-good read for this year so far. I so enjoyed being part of the Broken Wheel community of Iowa. Who knew that in a little, forgotten town in the middle of nowhere is a group of such fabulously rich in depth characters. It goes to show that no matter how small the town, it is not in the numbers but in the community you build around the people in the town. 

Sarah comes from a completely different life in Sweden to this tiny town in Iowa simply to find that the people around you and the love you find with the people around you is what makes for a happy life and a life where you feel you belong. Ultimately, isn't that what we all search for - love and belonging. I read another book earlier this year about small town life in rural Montana and found it so droll and stereotypical to the tacky, "country bumpkin" life of the "Honey Boo Boo" and "Duck Dynasty" variety that I was a bit hesitant to read this one. I am so glad I did because this was a truly heart-warming and intelligent look at life in rural America. Also, the story is based on the love of books two women (Amy in Iowa and Sarah in Sweden) share and how that love of books bridges the similarities people who are otherwise culturally different. I love that about books. And, this book definitely does that. Also, there are so many insights within the book about other authors.

I had a running list of books I now want to read because of the recommendations and commentary about them within this book. When you are a book lover as I am, a book about the love and appreciation of books is like hitting the jackpot.

Just on a side note, another book for book lovers that capitalizes on that very love is The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin. That is another book I can't rave enough about.