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A review by liamliayaum
Bloomsbury Girls by Natalie Jenner
3.0
Content warnings: loss of a loved one, mentions of a male/male relationship, misogyny, PTSD, racism, sexism
Bloomsbury Girls is set in post-World War II 1950 London, where society is slowly changing. The main setting is the Bloomsbury Bookstore, which hasn't changed in one hundred years, headed by a rigid rule setting general manager who is stuck in the past, a past where women can amount to nothing than a menial job. The women of the shop, Viven, Grace, and Evie, are all sharp and talented in their own and similar ways but given their lot in life, have been stunted in their aspirations. Will the women succeed in what they've wanted, to be treated as equals, or will the order of the shop continue as it always has?
I'm drawn towards books about books and/or bookstores; there is just something magical about it. This novel was no exception. I enjoyed the intrigues and power dynamics of a bookstore back in 1950, where the world was continuing its snail progress for accepting women as equals, or at least, to give women the same opportunities as men. The characters were overall delightful. However, the male leads seemed to be one dimensional and/or rife with stereotypes. This could have been an intentional choice on the author's part, to flip the script and have the male characters be dull for once so I wasn't entirely angry with it.
I will say it was an interesting subplot for
Overall, this was a perfectly fine book about books that I neither hated nor was over the moon about. There were many tendrils I wished were explored a bit more or could be used to spur a sequel.
Bloomsbury Girls is set in post-World War II 1950 London, where society is slowly changing. The main setting is the Bloomsbury Bookstore, which hasn't changed in one hundred years, headed by a rigid rule setting general manager who is stuck in the past, a past where women can amount to nothing than a menial job. The women of the shop, Viven, Grace, and Evie, are all sharp and talented in their own and similar ways but given their lot in life, have been stunted in their aspirations. Will the women succeed in what they've wanted, to be treated as equals, or will the order of the shop continue as it always has?
I'm drawn towards books about books and/or bookstores; there is just something magical about it. This novel was no exception. I enjoyed the intrigues and power dynamics of a bookstore back in 1950, where the world was continuing its snail progress for accepting women as equals, or at least, to give women the same opportunities as men. The characters were overall delightful. However, the male leads seemed to be one dimensional and/or rife with stereotypes. This could have been an intentional choice on the author's part, to flip the script and have the male characters be dull for once so I wasn't entirely angry with it.
I will say it was an interesting subplot for
Spoiler
to have Mr. Dutton and Frank Allen be in a hidden romantic relationship. While they were still born with privilege, being both white males, being gay in the 1950s certainly would not be easy. It was a juxtaposition of using and having innate privileges against an identity that society has been against. I would have liked to see this developed a little further. For these men being gay, could they understand how the women were put down as they were? I think it could have brought another layer of depth to the novel.Spoiler
Overall, this was a perfectly fine book about books that I neither hated nor was over the moon about. There were many tendrils I wished were explored a bit more or could be used to spur a sequel.