The Librarian
Author: Sally Vickers
Published by: Penguin Random House
Pages: 379
Format Hardback
My Rating ★★★
Sylvia Blackwell, a young woman in her twenties, takes up the post of Children’s Librarian in a run-down library in the market town of East Mole. But the seemingly pleasant town is not all it seems. Sylvia falls in love with an older married man - but it’s her relationship with his young daughter and her neighbour’s son which will permanently affect their lives.
The Library is a moving testament to the joy of reading and the power of books to change and inspire us all, from the acclaimed author of The Cleaner of Chartres.
My thoughts:
The Librarian is a beautifully presented book, and the classic hardback cover looks worn even though I brought it from new. The pages feel lovely and substantial and the book itself is so eye-catching that I couldn’t resist picking this one up on a recent trip to my local bookshop.
Taking place in the 1950s, a young librarian, Sylvia Blackwell, accepts the opportunity to run the children’s library in the small town of East Mole. Her arrival and relationships with several local children open their minds to literature but also cause some serious unforeseen consequences. Eventually, Sylvia also falls for the local doctor, a married man, and this causes a major scandal within the town.
Taking on the position at the Children’s library, Sylvia is very keen to make books accessible and interesting to all children and is passionate and hardworking in her job. Sadly her efforts are quickly met with some resistance from her manager and, as the story progresses, certain members of the community.
This story feels authentic, and is based on a love of libraries and the Children’s librarian from Vickers past. I just felt that the slow pacing in this one didn’t quite work for me, and at times actually made for pretty dull reading.The story is mostly about the librarian’s friendships with local children, which could be very interesting. I felt the writing let things down though, and the way the pages went on and on without anything much actually developing left me feeling frustrated and even a little bored in certain parts.
Unfortunately, the content really didn’t satisfy me quite as much as the presentation of the book. I must admit that I struggled with this one. I almost put it down several times which is why I honestly couldn’t give it four stars. It does pick up about halfway through but then builds towards an ambiguous ending. I felt cheated when the perspective changed towards the end of the book, when the main character became a memory and we learned that Sylvia had died…
Ultimately, this is a story that very gradually and gently unfolds, including themes of friendship, love, aspirations and the power of books. I have found it a difficult novel to review, because despite its charm, I felt this one wasn’t really for me. Worth a read, but not my favourite.
Overall reaction:
Published by: Penguin Random House
Pages: 379
Format Hardback
My Rating ★★★
Sylvia Blackwell, a young woman in her twenties, takes up the post of Children’s Librarian in a run-down library in the market town of East Mole. But the seemingly pleasant town is not all it seems. Sylvia falls in love with an older married man - but it’s her relationship with his young daughter and her neighbour’s son which will permanently affect their lives.
The Library is a moving testament to the joy of reading and the power of books to change and inspire us all, from the acclaimed author of The Cleaner of Chartres.
My thoughts:
The Librarian is a beautifully presented book, and the classic hardback cover looks worn even though I brought it from new. The pages feel lovely and substantial and the book itself is so eye-catching that I couldn’t resist picking this one up on a recent trip to my local bookshop.
Taking place in the 1950s, a young librarian, Sylvia Blackwell, accepts the opportunity to run the children’s library in the small town of East Mole. Her arrival and relationships with several local children open their minds to literature but also cause some serious unforeseen consequences. Eventually, Sylvia also falls for the local doctor, a married man, and this causes a major scandal within the town.
Taking on the position at the Children’s library, Sylvia is very keen to make books accessible and interesting to all children and is passionate and hardworking in her job. Sadly her efforts are quickly met with some resistance from her manager and, as the story progresses, certain members of the community.
This story feels authentic, and is based on a love of libraries and the Children’s librarian from Vickers past. I just felt that the slow pacing in this one didn’t quite work for me, and at times actually made for pretty dull reading.The story is mostly about the librarian’s friendships with local children, which could be very interesting. I felt the writing let things down though, and the way the pages went on and on without anything much actually developing left me feeling frustrated and even a little bored in certain parts.
Unfortunately, the content really didn’t satisfy me quite as much as the presentation of the book. I must admit that I struggled with this one. I almost put it down several times which is why I honestly couldn’t give it four stars. It does pick up about halfway through but then builds towards an ambiguous ending. I felt cheated when the perspective changed towards the end of the book, when the main character became a memory and we learned that Sylvia had died…
Ultimately, this is a story that very gradually and gently unfolds, including themes of friendship, love, aspirations and the power of books. I have found it a difficult novel to review, because despite its charm, I felt this one wasn’t really for me. Worth a read, but not my favourite.
Overall reaction: