Publisher: Penguin Group - Putnam
Release Date: April 9, 2019
Genre: Historical Fiction
It is 1968 in rural Australia and lonely Tom Hope can't make heads or tails of Hannah Babel. Newly arrived from Hungary, Hannah is unlike anyone he's ever met--she's passionate, artistic, and fiercely determined to open sleepy Hometown's first bookshop. Despite the fact that Tom has only read only one book in his life, the two soon discover an astonishing spark. Recently abandoned by an unfaithful wife--and still missing her sweet son, Peter--Tom dares to believe that he might make Hannah happy. But Hannah is a haunted woman. Twenty-four years earlier, she had been marched to the gates of Auschwitz.
Perfect for fans of The Little Paris Bookshop and The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Bookshop of the Broken Hearted cherishes the power of love, literature, and forgiveness to transform our lives, and--if we dare allow them--to mend our broken hearts.
My Review 🧡
If you want a book that puts depression and a cloud over everything then The Bookshop of the Brokenhearted is for you. This novel has a disjointed and dark ebb and flow, falling back into time of World War II, focusing mostly on the Auschwitz death camp, where Hannah and her Jewish family were forced to go, and leaping forward to 'modern' times of Australia in the 1960's, and the tragic and simple life of Tom and his sheep farm. Back and forth the reader goes, between past and present, through both Tom and Hannah's eyes.
Though both Tom and Hannah each deal with their own unimaginable horrors, I found it hard to connect with either of them. Peter, the sweet little boy that endures the unthinkable with his unstable mother, is who captured my heart, and spurred me on to continue to give this book a chance. Honestly, without him, I most likely would've added this to my DNF list. Peter's plight was truly gut-wrenching, and I found myself praying for him, wishing he didn't have to endure such pain.
Darkness shrouds the narrative, and I didn't feel like the story had a good rhythm. The constant tossing of the narration between Tom, Hannah, and Peter was at times confusing, and the writing was lacking in some areas, but the descriptions of the settings were piercing, transforming my minds eye to this unique farmland.
A warning: there are adult themes, and descriptions of unfavorable acts, like sex and physical abuse, but thankfully they are not too graphic, leaving much to the imagination.
I truly believe if I could've connected more with the characters I believe I would've enjoyed The Bookshop of the Broken Hearted more. This is truly a dark and heartbreaking read that was a struggle for me, no matter how much I tried to connect.
About the Author
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Photo Credit: Jeremy Dillon - Penguin Random House Canada
Robert Hillman is the author of The Bookshop of the Broken Hearted and the co-author of The Honey Thief. He won Australia's National Biography Award in 2005 for his memoir The Boy in the Green Suit. He lives in Melbourne, Australia.
Content Warning: Lightly descriptive sexual depictions and abuse
*I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book which I received from the publisher through NetGalley. All views and opinions are completely honest, and my own.
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