The lost bookshop

When I first started the book club back in late October (or maybe early November), I chose The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods as our very first read. In hindsight… it probably wasn’t the best pick to launch a new book club. It sounded like the perfect choice — a story about books, a mysterious bookshop in Dublin, a bit of history, a bit of magic. What could go wrong?

As it turns out, quite a bit.

The story moves between different timelines: one set in the 1920s and another in modern-day Dublin. In the past, we follow Opaline Carlisle, who runs away from an arranged marriage and ends up opening a bookshop while searching for rare and unusual books. In the present day, there’s Martha, who has fled an abusive marriage in London and finds herself drawn into the mystery of a long-lost bookshop. There’s also Henry, an academic who becomes involved in the search and tries to piece together the story behind it all.

On paper, the idea is wonderful. Unfortunately, the way the story jumps between characters and timelines can feel a little chaotic. The narrative shifts quickly between three perspectives, and at times it’s hard to keep track of where you are or how everything connects. The link between the historical storyline and the modern one doesn’t always feel clear, which can make the plot a bit confusing.

The book also leans into magical realism — including the mysterious, almost disappearing bookshop — but those elements aren’t always fully explained. For readers expecting either a strong historical story or a grounded contemporary one, that mix can feel a bit strange.

While the atmosphere of Dublin and the love of books come through beautifully, the story itself sometimes feels like it’s trying to do too many things at once. And the ending, unfortunately, feels rushed and leaves several questions unanswered.

In the end, we actually never got together to discuss the book. I didn’t push for a meeting either, mostly because I realized I hadn’t enjoyed it as much as I expected to. And that’s okay. Not every book is going to be a hit — especially when you’re just starting a book club and figuring out everyone’s tastes.