The Memory Shop
Author: Ella Griffin
Published by: Orion Books
Pages: 345
Format: Paperback
My Rating ★★★★
The most important things in life…are not things at all.
Nora is fleeing London broken-hearted for her childhood town in Dublin. Back home, she learns she has inherited all of her grandmother’s worldly belongings – a feather shrug, a Tiffany mirror, a gold locket, and many more precious things besides.
With no means of keeping them, and not able to bear auctioning everything off, Nora decides to open The Memory Shop so that each object can be matched to a perfect new owner.
Soon Nora begins transforming the lives of those around her through the items she pairs them with, helping them find happiness in unexpected ways. Now if she can only let go of her own past, she might just surprise herself…
Will every treasured possession find a perfect new home?
My thoughts:
The Memory shop is my first time reading anything by Ella Griffin, and I really enjoyed it a lot. The book is heart-warming, fun and touching; a highly enjoyable read with characters you care about very quickly.
I liked how each chapter was headed with an item from the memory shop, along with the name of the character who had purchased the item. This layout helped to create short, punchy chapters that were continually engaging and fun to read.
I enjoyed the concept and how the author created backstories to explain how each of the antique items within the shop had their own meaning and memory. These were then linked each time to a different character, each of whom were all at a certain turning point in their own lives, and looking for something more.
I must admit that I liked some characters more than others, and was always pleased when the story reverted back to the lead character, Nora. She was a fun, relatable main character who I found likeable and interesting. The new friendships and relationships she managed to build during her time running the memory shop seemed genuine and intriguing; and I particularly liked how Nora was able to create unusual and artistic window displays for many of the other local businesses during her time running the shop in Dublin. The book was very well written, and full of atmosphere, intriguing characters and engaging subplots. At times, the individual chapters jumping around from the tales of one character to the next almost felt like a series of short stories, which I think worked really well. This allows readers to enjoy a few chapters at a time, then pick the book up again and delve straight back into another unfolding drama featuring a new central character.
All in all, if you’re looking for a delightfully easy read that is also interesting and heartfelt, you definitely should give this a book a try. The Memory Shop is a lovely upbeat read that kept me engrossed throughout.
Overall reaction:
Published by: Orion Books
Pages: 345
Format: Paperback
My Rating ★★★★
The most important things in life…are not things at all.
Nora is fleeing London broken-hearted for her childhood town in Dublin. Back home, she learns she has inherited all of her grandmother’s worldly belongings – a feather shrug, a Tiffany mirror, a gold locket, and many more precious things besides.
With no means of keeping them, and not able to bear auctioning everything off, Nora decides to open The Memory Shop so that each object can be matched to a perfect new owner.
Soon Nora begins transforming the lives of those around her through the items she pairs them with, helping them find happiness in unexpected ways. Now if she can only let go of her own past, she might just surprise herself…
Will every treasured possession find a perfect new home?
My thoughts:
The Memory shop is my first time reading anything by Ella Griffin, and I really enjoyed it a lot. The book is heart-warming, fun and touching; a highly enjoyable read with characters you care about very quickly.
I liked how each chapter was headed with an item from the memory shop, along with the name of the character who had purchased the item. This layout helped to create short, punchy chapters that were continually engaging and fun to read.
I enjoyed the concept and how the author created backstories to explain how each of the antique items within the shop had their own meaning and memory. These were then linked each time to a different character, each of whom were all at a certain turning point in their own lives, and looking for something more.
I must admit that I liked some characters more than others, and was always pleased when the story reverted back to the lead character, Nora. She was a fun, relatable main character who I found likeable and interesting. The new friendships and relationships she managed to build during her time running the memory shop seemed genuine and intriguing; and I particularly liked how Nora was able to create unusual and artistic window displays for many of the other local businesses during her time running the shop in Dublin. The book was very well written, and full of atmosphere, intriguing characters and engaging subplots. At times, the individual chapters jumping around from the tales of one character to the next almost felt like a series of short stories, which I think worked really well. This allows readers to enjoy a few chapters at a time, then pick the book up again and delve straight back into another unfolding drama featuring a new central character.
All in all, if you’re looking for a delightfully easy read that is also interesting and heartfelt, you definitely should give this a book a try. The Memory Shop is a lovely upbeat read that kept me engrossed throughout.
Overall reaction:
