I spotted The Midnight Bookshop by Amanda James on a book list, and the tagline on the cover stood out to me: “You don’t choose the book; the book chooses you.” This, coupled with the gorgeous imagery made me feel that it would be a magical title to check out. And so it was.

 

In The Midnight Bookshop, we meet three characters: Jo, Adelaide, and Kye. Their paths cross in unexpected ways thanks to a promotional flyer for The Midnight Bookshop that promises “all are welcome.” Something about it lures them all there at the same time, and they discover a wondrous place where everything seems magical, including the owner, Fay Revil. She echoes the tagline on the cover and explains that the right book will choose them.

 

Jo is a young, seemingly shiftless woman with the façade of a charmed life that masks how void of love and affection her relationships with her parents are. For her, the bookshop suggests The Great Gatsby. Adelaide has an abusive husband and has not talked to anyone about it for the longest time. The bookshop offers her Oliver Twist. Kye is the youngest among them, and he and his family have been in a difficult situation since his father died. His mother has a chronic illness and is barely able to move. His brother acts as the head of the household, but does so with an illegal “business” that he forces Kye to participate in. When visiting the bookshop, Kye finds himself walking away with One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. The trio form a Midnight Book Club and work together to explore their books and discover what lessons the bookshop and Fay are trying to teach them.

 

The main characters waste no time in discovering, accepting, and embracing the magic of the bookshop. It makes for a more engaging read by letting us dive into the heart of the book so quickly while also conveying just how desperate for guidance and change these three people are. The story is also heartfelt with a poignant reminder that it’s never too late to “edit” your own narrative. It quickly becomes hard to put down, and I may have stayed up a little past midnight to finish reading it. (This does fit with the spirit of the book, in my defense.)

 

The Midnight Bookshop is a great pick for fans of magical realism who also love books about books. It may not be your next read, or even the one after that. But don’t worry! It will find you when you need it.