Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of this debut book by A. D. Bell, with the audiobook beautifully narrated by Olivia Vinall. All opinions expressed in this review are my own – 4 stars!
Lily Delaney is an apprentice to a master bookbinder in Oxford. But she struggles against the fact that she is a woman in a man’s world, as well as the fact that her father’s bookshop is failing. During a visit to a collector, she finds an old letter hidden beneath the binding speaking of love, fortunate and murder. Lily learns there are more books and becomes obsessed with finding them to uncover the mystery. But the books are becoming a very dangerous pursuit.
I really enjoyed this debut book set in 1901. It felt like a book within a book, as parts and pieces of the letters formed another story. It was also fascinating how bookbinders worked at their craft, which is unheard of in present day. You may have to suspend a bit of belief at her chance encounters and how easily Lily was able to track down these rare books, but it’s fiction after all. Lily’s personality was another dichotomy for me – I loved her strength and resilience, but she also had me shaking my head at some of her choices, like stealing, lying, and her romantic pursuits. The audiobook felt immersive, with the narrator’s beautiful accent transporting the listener to another time and place.
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