A Very Special Year
Thomas Montasser (transl., Jamie Bulloch), 2016
One World Publications
166 pp.
ISBN-13: 9781780748665
Summary
It’s not true that booksellers look after books; they look after people. A Very Special Year is a declaration of love to the guardians of literature and book doctors all over the world—an absolute gem. — Nina George, bestselling author of The Little Paris Bookshop
When young businesswoman Valerie takes over the bookshop owned by her aunt—who has vanished without trace—her intention is to bring some order to the chaos, and then sell the business.
But she has underestimated the power of this little store. As she spends her days in an old armchair, losing herself in books by Italo Calvino and Gustav Flaubert as well as Jonathan Safran Foer and Shahriar Mandanipour, she finds herself in thrall to the life of a bookseller—including the resident bookstore rat (yes, rat, not cat) and the chaotic shelving system.
One day she stumbles upon a mysterious book with an unfinished ending. Valerie thinks it must be a defective copy, but when a customer turns up searching for that very book, her view of the shop—and world—is never the same. (From the publisher.)
Author Bio
Author Thomas Montasser is a poet and novelist. He founded Montasser Media Agency with his wife twenty-five years ago, and it is now one of the leading literary agencies in Germany. Thomas is a self-confessed bibliophile, and lives in Munich, Germany, with his wife and three children.
Translator Jamie Bulloch studied modern languages at Bristol University and obtained an MA in Central European History at the School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES) as well as a PhD in interwar Austrian history. His recent literary translations include Look Who's Back by Timur Vermes (MacLehose Press), which has been long-listed for the 2016 IMPAC award. He lives in London with his wife and three daughters. (Author bios from the publisher.)
Book Reviews
A slim love letter to books and their transformative powers…. Warm writing, an obvious adoration of the subject matter, the cozy setting, and a tiny splash of magic will charm readers, who will find Aunt Charlotte’s bookshop irresistible.
Booklist
A magical journey ... captivating and moving.
Elle
Discussion Questions
1. Why did the author title the book A Very Special Year?
2. What did you think about the use of magic in the book?
3. Would you have been able to close the bookshop, as Valerie intends to do at the outset?
4. What do you think is the greatest lesson Valerie learns in the end?
5. Who was your favorite character? Why?
(Questions issued by the publisher.)