The Girl Who Reads on the Métro
Author: Christine Féret-Fleury
Published by: Mantle
Translated by: Rob Schwartz
Pages: 202
Format: Hardback
My Rating ★★★★
Published by: Mantle
Translated by: Rob Schwartz
Pages: 202
Format: Hardback
My Rating ★★★★
‘Have you heard of the principle of releasing books into the wild?’
When Juliette takes the Métro to her loathed office job each morning, her only escape is in books – she avidly reads on her journey and imagines what her fellow commuters’ choices might say about them.
But when, one day, she decides to alight the train a few stops early and meets Soliman, the mysterious owner of the most enchanting bookshop Juliette has ever seen, her world will never be the same again…
For Soliman also believes in the power of books to change the course of a life – entrusting his passeurs with the task of presenting the perfect book to the person who needs it most – and he thinks Juliette is up for the job.
And so, leaving her old life behind, Juliette will discover the true power a book can have…
When Juliette takes the Métro to her loathed office job each morning, her only escape is in books – she avidly reads on her journey and imagines what her fellow commuters’ choices might say about them.
But when, one day, she decides to alight the train a few stops early and meets Soliman, the mysterious owner of the most enchanting bookshop Juliette has ever seen, her world will never be the same again…
For Soliman also believes in the power of books to change the course of a life – entrusting his passeurs with the task of presenting the perfect book to the person who needs it most – and he thinks Juliette is up for the job.
And so, leaving her old life behind, Juliette will discover the true power a book can have…
My thoughts:
An ode to booklovers everywhere, this gem of a book follows Juliette as she rides the Paris metro to and from work and muses about her fellow passengers and their reading choices.
One morning, avoiding the office for as long as she can, Juliette finds herself on a new block, in front of a rusty gate wedged open with a book. Unable to resist, Juliette walks through, into the bizarre and enchanting lives of Soliman and his young daughter, Zaide.
Before she realizes entirely what is happening, Juliette agrees to become a passeur, Soliman's name for the booksellers he hires to take stacks of used books out of his store and into the world, using their imagination and intuition to match books with readers. Suddenly, Juliette's daydreaming becomes her reality, and when Soliman asks her to move into their store to take care of Zaide while he goes away, she has to decide if she is ready to throw herself headfirst into this new life.
What follows is an uplifting story, lots of lists of books, some you may recognize, some you may wish to add to your own list.
Most books similar to this are drenched in romance and thank goodness that this one wasn't. I’m really not a big fan of cheesey romance in my reading, and it was refreshing to see the plot not take a predictable or dull route in that direction. The book is actually a sweet and very moving celebration of the power of books and how they can unite us.
I would describe The Girl Who Reads on the Metro as a belated coming-of-age story about a young woman who dares to change her life and find her freedom. I especially loved the idea of the passeurs who give out books to strangers based on their perceived need for a specific tome.
This is a sweet short read, perfect for fans of Jean-Paul Didierlaurent and Antoine Laurain. I loved the setting, the quirky characters and intriguing plot.
The writing is whimsical and entertaining, with hints of magical realism and many heart-warming moments. The ending was lovely and exactly what I wanted for Juliette.
All in all, this book certainly exceeded my expectations. However, I do feel that the novel could have been even stronger if its ideas were more fully developed. It’s a shame it wasn’t just a bit longer to allow for more in terms of character growth and backstory. I also felt that the charm and importance of the setting could have been better explored for a novel set in such a beautiful city.
If you enjoy reading, I really do think you’ll love this modern homage to books and bibliophiles. I know I did.
Overall reaction:
An ode to booklovers everywhere, this gem of a book follows Juliette as she rides the Paris metro to and from work and muses about her fellow passengers and their reading choices.
One morning, avoiding the office for as long as she can, Juliette finds herself on a new block, in front of a rusty gate wedged open with a book. Unable to resist, Juliette walks through, into the bizarre and enchanting lives of Soliman and his young daughter, Zaide.
Before she realizes entirely what is happening, Juliette agrees to become a passeur, Soliman's name for the booksellers he hires to take stacks of used books out of his store and into the world, using their imagination and intuition to match books with readers. Suddenly, Juliette's daydreaming becomes her reality, and when Soliman asks her to move into their store to take care of Zaide while he goes away, she has to decide if she is ready to throw herself headfirst into this new life.
What follows is an uplifting story, lots of lists of books, some you may recognize, some you may wish to add to your own list.
Most books similar to this are drenched in romance and thank goodness that this one wasn't. I’m really not a big fan of cheesey romance in my reading, and it was refreshing to see the plot not take a predictable or dull route in that direction. The book is actually a sweet and very moving celebration of the power of books and how they can unite us.
I would describe The Girl Who Reads on the Metro as a belated coming-of-age story about a young woman who dares to change her life and find her freedom. I especially loved the idea of the passeurs who give out books to strangers based on their perceived need for a specific tome.
This is a sweet short read, perfect for fans of Jean-Paul Didierlaurent and Antoine Laurain. I loved the setting, the quirky characters and intriguing plot.
The writing is whimsical and entertaining, with hints of magical realism and many heart-warming moments. The ending was lovely and exactly what I wanted for Juliette.
All in all, this book certainly exceeded my expectations. However, I do feel that the novel could have been even stronger if its ideas were more fully developed. It’s a shame it wasn’t just a bit longer to allow for more in terms of character growth and backstory. I also felt that the charm and importance of the setting could have been better explored for a novel set in such a beautiful city.
If you enjoy reading, I really do think you’ll love this modern homage to books and bibliophiles. I know I did.
Overall reaction:
