Written by Mary Gibson
|
| Published by | Head of Zeus (3 Sept. 2020) |
| Genre | Family saga |
| Pages | 488 |
| ASIN | B07NYTX6ZK |
| ISBN-10 | 1788542657 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1788542654 |
| Audiobook ASIN | B0848XGVXV |
My parents came from Bermondsey and Rotherhithe, so when a cousin of mine put me on to Mary Gibson's books, I bought an audio copy of The Bermondsey Bookshop because I liked the cover, the era and the blurb.
The blurb:
The Bermondsey Bookshop'Happiness had never been something she'd looked for. A quiet day with no insults or wallops, that was the best she could imagine.' London, 1920s
Kate Goss lives in a freezing cold garret, bullied by her aunt and cousins. She dreams of being rescued by her handsome father. No one knows where he is, or what he is doing, just that he is sure to come back a rich man.
By the time Kate is seventeen, she has learnt to cope alone. When her aunt throws her out, she finds a job as a cleaner in the Bermondsey Bookshop and Reading Room.
Here she will discover a world she never knew existed. But trouble is never far away and long-held secrets are about to burst into the open, ensnaring her in a web of lies and violence. Will she ever be able to escape?
Family saga
Fiction
My thoughts:
It took me a while to settle into the story, but it was worth it. The Bermondsey Bookshop was beautifully narrated by Anne Dover, bringing alive the cruel poverty of the time, and the rich local accent. Indeed, a couple of times I thought I could hear my own family speaking; the language was so familiar.The story is about a young girl's struggle to survive after her mother's untimely death. Kate Goss is left with her Aunt Sylvie and loathsome cousins Janey and Stan by her father Archie Goss, who has set off to Canada to make his fortune. Kate is treated badly by everyone in that household but finds some comfort with her Aunt Sarah. Aunt Sarah is not able to look after her, so there is no option but to stay with Aunt Sylvie. She dreams of her father's return, where he will take Kate live with him and punish his sister, Sylvie, for her cruel treatment of Kate.
Aged fourteen Kate is sent to work at Boutle's, a tin makers, but the work is seasonal, and when Boutle's begin laying off staff, she finds herself a cleaning job at the Bermondsey Bookshop. Working here, takes her life in a different direction. She makes new friends, and becomes reacquainted with an old friend.
I really enjoyed this story, probably more so because of the wonderful narration. I love early 20th century sagas, and this is set at a time when my paternal grandparents would be struggling to bring up a large family in Sard's Rents, taking me back in time to walk a while in their shoes.
Told in the third person, we see the unfolding drama through Kate's eyes. The characters are well described and feel authentic. It was easy to like Kate and feel animosity towards her vile family. Kate is kind and compassionate, despite her own experiences, and I was hoping for the happy ending she was wishing for herself; that she would be reunited with her father and all would be well again.
I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy a between wars saga with drama and romance, and would highly recommend the audiobook to get a real flavour of 1920s Bermondsey.
| Social Media Links – | |
| Web site | http://www.marygibsonauthor.co.uk/ |
| Goodreads | https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/130218.Mary_Gibson |
| X | https://twitter.com/marygibsonbooks |
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