From the Publisher
"A quietly beautiful novel about the magic of books and the joy of human connection.” — Newsweek
"A remarkable, heartwarming debut about the power of fiction." — Popsugar
"Thoughtful and heartwarming... An absolute delight to read, it will be catnip to book groups craving a story to remind them why we read and how very important libraries and book shops are." — Library Journal (starred review)
"A lovely story about how a love of reading can transport us to other worlds and also bring us together.” — Toronto Star
"This moving debut demonstrates the power of novels to provide comfort in the face of devastating loss and loneliness, with relatable characters and a heartwarming tone throughout. Readers who enjoyed Gabrielle Zevin's The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry and Nina George's The Little Paris Bookshop will find themselves drawn in by this book." — Booklist
"The most heartfelt read of the summer...a surprising delight of a novel." — Shondaland
“The story is an absolute joy. A captivating and exquisitely crafted debut.” — Heidi Swain, bestselling author of The Winter Garden
“If you love books, read this. If you love people, read this. If you love crying with sadness, crying with happiness, and feeling like you have been wrapped in the blanket of someone else's life, read this.” — Debbie Johnson, bestselling author of Maybe One Day
“A wonderful read about the fundamental power of books to lift our lives from the mundane and transform them into something truly magical.” — Imogen Clark, bestselling author of Postcards From a Stranger
“The Reading List absolutely captures the magic of reading and of libraries. I felt a part of Mukesh and Aleisha's book club, revisiting some of my favourite novels alongside these new friends.” — Louise Hare, author of The Lovely City
Imogen Clark
A wonderful read about the fundamental power of books to lift our lives from the mundane and transform them into something truly magical.”
Toronto Star
"A lovely story about how a love of reading can transport us to other worlds and also bring us together.”
Newsweek
"A quietly beautiful novel about the magic of books and the joy of human connection.
Heidi Swain
The story is an absolute joy. A captivating and exquisitely crafted debut.”
Louise Hare
“The Reading List absolutely captures the magic of reading and of libraries. I felt a part of Mukesh and Aleisha's book club, revisiting some of my favourite novels alongside these new friends.”
Debbie Johnson
If you love books, read this. If you love people, read this. If you love crying with sadness, crying with happiness, and feeling like you have been wrapped in the blanket of someone else's life, read this.”
Popsugar
"A remarkable, heartwarming debut about the power of fiction."
Shondaland
"The most heartfelt read of the summer...a surprising delight of a novel."
Booklist
"This moving debut demonstrates the power of novels to provide comfort in the face of devastating loss and loneliness, with relatable characters and a heartwarming tone throughout. Readers who enjoyed Gabrielle Zevin's The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry and Nina George's The Little Paris Bookshop will find themselves drawn in by this book."
Newsweek
"A quietly beautiful novel about the magic of books and the joy of human connection.
Booklist
"This moving debut demonstrates the power of novels to provide comfort in the face of devastating loss and loneliness, with relatable characters and a heartwarming tone throughout. Readers who enjoyed Gabrielle Zevin's The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry and Nina George's The Little Paris Bookshop will find themselves drawn in by this book."
Kirkus Reviews
2021-06-16
An aging widower and a lonely teenage girl form an unlikely friendship by bonding over books.
Aleisha works at the Harrow Road Library in North London not for her love of books, but because she needs the money. When Mukesh, an older man who's recently lost his wife, visits the library seeking a book recommendation, Aleisha has little to offer. As he pushes for a suggestion, she becomes defensive, even rude. She regrets her behavior almost immediately, but she’s more focused on difficulties in her home life, including her absentee father and her mentally fragile mother. Even so, when she stumbles on a handwritten reading list tucked into a just-returned book, she impulsively uses it as a way to apologize to Mukesh, recommending the first book, To Kill a Mockingbird. She also decides to read every book on the list herself, rationalizing that it will help pass the long days in the library. When Mukesh returns to tell Aleisha how much he enjoyed Mockingbird, they decide to create an impromptu book club. It seems this budding relationship is just the thing to save Mukesh from his continued grief over his late wife. Meanwhile, Aleisha begins relying on Mukesh as the only stable adult in her life. When Aleisha’s family suffers a devastating event, Aleisha looks to Mukesh to help her pick up the pieces, but he’s not sure he’s the person she needs. Full of references to popular and classic novels, this debut focuses on reading as a means of processing and coping with challenging life events. The author deftly captures the quiet and listless vibe of ill-fated libraries everywhere. Told from the perspectives of both Aleisha and Mukesh, as well as a sampling of other characters, the story shows an insightful empathy for difficulties faced at divergent life stages. The author explores many difficult topics with grace, like mental illness, grief, abandonment, and self-doubt. Although the pace starts off slow, things pick up in the later pages and reach a satisfying conclusion.
A quiet and thoughtful look into loneliness, community, and the benefits of reading—suited for true bibliophiles.
