What do you think?
Rate this book
The Emporium of Imagination
From the author of A Lifetime of Impossible Days (winner of the Courier-Mail People's Choice QLD Book of the Year Award) comes this beautiful and uplifting story, that will make you laugh and make you cry.
Welcome to The Emporium of Imagination, a most unusual shop that travels the world offering vintage gifts to repair broken dreams and extraordinary phones to contact lost loved ones.
But, on arrival in the tiny township of Boonah, the store’s long-time custodian, Earlatidge Hubert Umbray, makes a shocking realisation. He is dying . . .
The clock is now ticking to find his replacement, because the people of Boonah are clearly in need of some restorative magic.
Like Enoch Rayne – a heartbroken ten-year-old boy mourning the loss of his father, while nurturing a guilty secret.
Like Ann Harlow, who has come to the town to be close to her dying grandmother. Though it’s Enoch’s father who dominates her thoughts - and regrets . . .
Even Earlatidge in his final days will experience the store as never before - and have the chance to face up to his own tragedy . . .
Welcome to The Emporium of Imagination, a most unusual shop that travels the world offering vintage gifts to repair broken dreams and extraordinary phones to contact lost loved ones.
But, on arrival in the tiny township of Boonah, the store’s long-time custodian, Earlatidge Hubert Umbray, makes a shocking realisation. He is dying . . .
The clock is now ticking to find his replacement, because the people of Boonah are clearly in need of some restorative magic.
Like Enoch Rayne – a heartbroken ten-year-old boy mourning the loss of his father, while nurturing a guilty secret.
Like Ann Harlow, who has come to the town to be close to her dying grandmother. Though it’s Enoch’s father who dominates her thoughts - and regrets . . .
Even Earlatidge in his final days will experience the store as never before - and have the chance to face up to his own tragedy . . .
315 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 30, 2021
32 people are currently reading
1163 people want to read
About the author
Tabitha Bird
2 books185 followersIn a bayside suburb of Queensland, Australia, Tabitha Bird grew up in a garden. It wasn’t much of a garden, but she told stories to ferns and weeds alike and gave herself something to hope in that was bigger than she was. Eventually, she had to leave the garden and do responsible things like grow up. When her own children came along she read stories with gumption and wild joy and got to thinking that perhaps she had some of her own to tell. The first whispering of story she heard was from a forgotten child that lived in that long-ago garden. Together with her family she moved to Boonah, Australia, where her novel is set. Her Chihuahua, husband and three sons are all the reason she needs to believe there is still magic in this world. A LIFETIME OF IMPOSSIBLE DAYS is her first novel.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 198 reviews
March 24, 2021
Custodian of the Emporium of Imagination for the past ten years, Earlatidge Hubert Umbray was ready to find a new custodian, along with the new shopkeeper as the shop began to reveal itself in the small Queensland town of Boonah. The many residents of the town would be fascinated, sceptical, full of wonder once they were able to venture inside the shop. Would the Emporium help people through their grief; would it help people regain their sense of self?
Ann Harlow’s Nannie was dying, and Ann was devastated. She had also recently lost another loved one, had gone to his funeral in Boonah, but was unable to show herself to the family. Ann’s grief and secrets caused a great static in her brain. While Enoch Rayne, ten years old, mourned the loss of his beloved father Isaac and he couldn’t get around the guilty secret he kept. Along with his brothers, Jonas and Nipper, Enoch lived with their grandmother in the family home, but the constant noises in his head were overwhelming.
What would happen in the Emporium of Imagination?
What an absolute delight The Emporium of Imagination is! Not surprising after the author, Aussie Tabitha Bird’s debut, A Lifetime of Impossible Days and its impact on readers. This one will have the same impact and more. The magic and wonder, the sheer beauty of first the cover, then the contents which had me laughing out loud many times, and swallowing back tears at others. With excellent characters and everything magical, The Emporium of Imagination ties it all up in a beautiful bow for its readers, and I for one am totally enchanted! Highly recommended.
With thanks to Penguin Random House AU and the author for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
Ann Harlow’s Nannie was dying, and Ann was devastated. She had also recently lost another loved one, had gone to his funeral in Boonah, but was unable to show herself to the family. Ann’s grief and secrets caused a great static in her brain. While Enoch Rayne, ten years old, mourned the loss of his beloved father Isaac and he couldn’t get around the guilty secret he kept. Along with his brothers, Jonas and Nipper, Enoch lived with their grandmother in the family home, but the constant noises in his head were overwhelming.
What would happen in the Emporium of Imagination?
What an absolute delight The Emporium of Imagination is! Not surprising after the author, Aussie Tabitha Bird’s debut, A Lifetime of Impossible Days and its impact on readers. This one will have the same impact and more. The magic and wonder, the sheer beauty of first the cover, then the contents which had me laughing out loud many times, and swallowing back tears at others. With excellent characters and everything magical, The Emporium of Imagination ties it all up in a beautiful bow for its readers, and I for one am totally enchanted! Highly recommended.
With thanks to Penguin Random House AU and the author for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
June 14, 2021
4★
“I stand behind my door in my bedroom and try not to hear all the voices downstairs. Pulling at my ears, I try to focus on something else. It doesn’t work. I can still hear people thinking.
‘It’s all too loud,’ I yell out the window at the birds. At the world. At the thoughts in my head that are like bumps that turn purple then black. Hearing all the sad things is punishment for what I did.”
When bad things happen in a family, kids often think it’s their fault, and Enoch is convinced that he could have, should have stopped something from happening. He’s ten years old, the middle brother of three boys. He is also unlucky enough to hear everyone’s sad thoughts, which nobody should have to bear.
Ann is a single mother of one little boy, and she seems to be suffering for something she actually did do.
“As I tighten myself into a ball on the bed, I try to be angry about what I did. Try to visualise the shape of that anger. The texture. Would it be coarse
. . .
Nothing fits.
There’s no fabric, or matter to lay my fingers on. There’s no substance to it because I’m not angry. I would do it all again.”
The main character is a lovely fellow called Earlatidge Hubert Umbray. It wasn’t his real name, but it was one his son made up as the perfect name for a magician. Because Earlatidge has accidentally become something of a magician, he decided to adopt it.
He comes to Boonah, accompanied by a cat who has a knack of finding special ‘gifts’ for people who need them. Along with the appearance of the cat is a book titled ‘The Owner’s Guide to Grieving’ , and I have to say, I think it’s an interesting idea. People write whatever they want in it and sign their names, or not. Some hate it and try to get rid of it, but it has a way of turning up when needed.
Entries read like letters to someone or diary entries, and people are surprisingly open with what they share. Friends and neighbours learn about each other while we look for puzzle pieces to figure out what's going on.
Earlatidge arrives with a magic shop that is stocked with things that help people deal with their grief and set their minds and hearts at rest. He talks to Ann, who is struggling and refuses to admit her problems to anyone.
“‘Grief isn’t a problem per se. Not everything that hurts us means that there is something wrong. You don’t need an antidote for grief.’
‘I don’t?” Ann says.
‘No!’ His face lights up as if he’s discovered electricity. ‘Grief means we have loved. Would you really want to take away feelings of love?’”
Of course not. But you might have regrets. That’s where the Emporium of Imagination comes into its own. Earlatidge is the custodian of the shop, but he needs to locate the new custodian before the whole system falls apart forever. You see, there are rules about how all of this works.
Mind you, Earlatidge has not dealt with his own guilt and regrets and he’s running out of time to do so. Things are not looking good for him.
This book is full of mystery and love and happiness and Bedtime Muffins, as made by Enoch’s dad for his peckish boys. The recipe is at the back of the book, as is a wonderful author’s note about what prompted her to write this.
It’s a slow story that meanders back into memories and what might have been and then moves forward to what is and what might be. I enjoy these worlds the author creates. Her first book, A Lifetime of Impossible Days, is one of my favourites, and now I wish we really could have an Emporium of Imagination drop into town. Sigh . . .
I'm looking forward to her next one!
“I stand behind my door in my bedroom and try not to hear all the voices downstairs. Pulling at my ears, I try to focus on something else. It doesn’t work. I can still hear people thinking.
‘It’s all too loud,’ I yell out the window at the birds. At the world. At the thoughts in my head that are like bumps that turn purple then black. Hearing all the sad things is punishment for what I did.”
When bad things happen in a family, kids often think it’s their fault, and Enoch is convinced that he could have, should have stopped something from happening. He’s ten years old, the middle brother of three boys. He is also unlucky enough to hear everyone’s sad thoughts, which nobody should have to bear.
Ann is a single mother of one little boy, and she seems to be suffering for something she actually did do.
“As I tighten myself into a ball on the bed, I try to be angry about what I did. Try to visualise the shape of that anger. The texture. Would it be coarse
. . .
Nothing fits.
There’s no fabric, or matter to lay my fingers on. There’s no substance to it because I’m not angry. I would do it all again.”
The main character is a lovely fellow called Earlatidge Hubert Umbray. It wasn’t his real name, but it was one his son made up as the perfect name for a magician. Because Earlatidge has accidentally become something of a magician, he decided to adopt it.
He comes to Boonah, accompanied by a cat who has a knack of finding special ‘gifts’ for people who need them. Along with the appearance of the cat is a book titled ‘The Owner’s Guide to Grieving’ , and I have to say, I think it’s an interesting idea. People write whatever they want in it and sign their names, or not. Some hate it and try to get rid of it, but it has a way of turning up when needed.
Entries read like letters to someone or diary entries, and people are surprisingly open with what they share. Friends and neighbours learn about each other while we look for puzzle pieces to figure out what's going on.
Earlatidge arrives with a magic shop that is stocked with things that help people deal with their grief and set their minds and hearts at rest. He talks to Ann, who is struggling and refuses to admit her problems to anyone.
“‘Grief isn’t a problem per se. Not everything that hurts us means that there is something wrong. You don’t need an antidote for grief.’
‘I don’t?” Ann says.
‘No!’ His face lights up as if he’s discovered electricity. ‘Grief means we have loved. Would you really want to take away feelings of love?’”
Of course not. But you might have regrets. That’s where the Emporium of Imagination comes into its own. Earlatidge is the custodian of the shop, but he needs to locate the new custodian before the whole system falls apart forever. You see, there are rules about how all of this works.
Mind you, Earlatidge has not dealt with his own guilt and regrets and he’s running out of time to do so. Things are not looking good for him.
This book is full of mystery and love and happiness and Bedtime Muffins, as made by Enoch’s dad for his peckish boys. The recipe is at the back of the book, as is a wonderful author’s note about what prompted her to write this.
It’s a slow story that meanders back into memories and what might have been and then moves forward to what is and what might be. I enjoy these worlds the author creates. Her first book, A Lifetime of Impossible Days, is one of my favourites, and now I wish we really could have an Emporium of Imagination drop into town. Sigh . . .
I'm looking forward to her next one!
March 30, 2021
What a delightful and magical novel from the wonderful imagination of Tabitha Bird! 🐞
The Emporium of the Imagination is a shop of magic that appears when it is most needed. In the small town of Boonah in Queensland, there is a heavy weight of grief. Ann is grieving the loss of a very dear friend and the impending loss of her very ill grandmother. A family of three motherless boys are also now orphans after their father’s death and one of them, 10 year old Enoch is weighed down by a guilty secret he can’t share with anyone. All across town others are grieving for past regrets or lost opportunites.
Earlatidge Hubert Umbray, a name his young son bestowed on him shortly before his death, is the custodian of the store. Accompanied by a ginger cat called Pickled Onions, It’s his job to find the new storekeeper in each town and send invitations to people to visit and find what they most need in the store. But Earlatidge knows that Boonah will be the last place where he will do this as his time is nearly up and he must also find the next custodian and pass the Emporium over to their safekeeping. In doing so he knows he must face up to his own family tragedy.
The Emporium is truly a wondrous place and has a little bit of magic for everyone, even those who have never believed in magic before. Vintage gifts, childhood toys, phones to talk to lost loved ones, extraordinary ladybirds and afternoon teas are just some of the delights to be found within its doors. Beautifully written with wonderful characters, this is a book to fill everyone’s hearts.
With many thanks to author Tabitha Bird and Penguin Random House for a copy to read
The Emporium of the Imagination is a shop of magic that appears when it is most needed. In the small town of Boonah in Queensland, there is a heavy weight of grief. Ann is grieving the loss of a very dear friend and the impending loss of her very ill grandmother. A family of three motherless boys are also now orphans after their father’s death and one of them, 10 year old Enoch is weighed down by a guilty secret he can’t share with anyone. All across town others are grieving for past regrets or lost opportunites.
Earlatidge Hubert Umbray, a name his young son bestowed on him shortly before his death, is the custodian of the store. Accompanied by a ginger cat called Pickled Onions, It’s his job to find the new storekeeper in each town and send invitations to people to visit and find what they most need in the store. But Earlatidge knows that Boonah will be the last place where he will do this as his time is nearly up and he must also find the next custodian and pass the Emporium over to their safekeeping. In doing so he knows he must face up to his own family tragedy.
The Emporium is truly a wondrous place and has a little bit of magic for everyone, even those who have never believed in magic before. Vintage gifts, childhood toys, phones to talk to lost loved ones, extraordinary ladybirds and afternoon teas are just some of the delights to be found within its doors. Beautifully written with wonderful characters, this is a book to fill everyone’s hearts.
With many thanks to author Tabitha Bird and Penguin Random House for a copy to read
April 6, 2021
I just knew this was going to happen.A Lifetime of Impossible Days was so good that the author's next book would not be able to compete. It very nearly did but not quite.
For me the main reason it was not quite as good was that it was not as original. There are other books out there with magical houses which are wondrous and perform miracles. Even the idea of speaking to the dead through telephones has been done before and to greater effect. This is not to say The Emporium of Imagination is not a good book. It is good and very beautiful and happy /sad and all those things, but it just fell a tiny bit short of its predecessor.
I enjoyed all of the characters especially Nipper and Pickled Onion. There were many very emotional parts and some funny ones too especially when Enoch and his brothers were playing up for Grandma. The ending was particularly satisfying and cleverly done leaving the reader with a sense of contentment that all was in order in Boonah.
I am giving this book four and a half stars, marked up to five since Goodreads only deals in whole numbers.
For me the main reason it was not quite as good was that it was not as original. There are other books out there with magical houses which are wondrous and perform miracles. Even the idea of speaking to the dead through telephones has been done before and to greater effect. This is not to say The Emporium of Imagination is not a good book. It is good and very beautiful and happy /sad and all those things, but it just fell a tiny bit short of its predecessor.
I enjoyed all of the characters especially Nipper and Pickled Onion. There were many very emotional parts and some funny ones too especially when Enoch and his brothers were playing up for Grandma. The ending was particularly satisfying and cleverly done leaving the reader with a sense of contentment that all was in order in Boonah.
I am giving this book four and a half stars, marked up to five since Goodreads only deals in whole numbers.
May 17, 2021
“A person looking for the impossible will find it. One who isn’t, cannot”
The Emporium Of Imagination is the second novel by Australian author, Tabitha Bird. One hot January night, a strange and wondrous shop arrives in the town of Boonah, where it takes up the vacant block between the jeweller and the real estate agency.
The shop is brought by its custodian, Earlatidge Hubert Umbray, choosing its place and building itself. The Emporium of Imagination is here, summoned to where it is needed, called by the grief and heartbreak it senses within the townspeople.
Ann, just recently returned to Boonah with irrepressible four-year-old Benny, peers into the shop window at the myriad of marvellous items on display, but the door is firmly closed, awaiting its shopkeeper, whom the shop’s marmalade cat will choose, and the door key, yet to be located. And anyway, Ann’s biggest concern is her ailing Nannie: she can’t be concerned with frivolities like this.
Meanwhile, at 43 Dandelion Road, ten-year-old Enoch Rayne is sorely missing his dad. But also feeling guilty, about the day Isaac died, and what he didn’t do. He, too, is fascinated by the Emporium and soon, adopted by the cat, which he names Pickled Onions. Hazel Rayne has her hands full with three motherless grandsons, acting out after the recent death of her beloved son.
Earlatidge scours the town for a shopkeeper and a key. He hears the town’s grief, heartache and sadness. Those who need them are handed notes promising telephone contact with someone with whom issues are unresolved, if they come to the Emporium. Many also find that The Owner’s Guide to Grieving appears nearby, inviting them to add their own words on coping. “We don’t need an antidote to grief. It reminds us that we’ve lived and loved.”
Grief, it seems, stems not only from death: ambitions abandoned, harsh words unretracted, inclinations denied, apologies delayed, guilt over inaction, impulsive deeds never forgiven, feelings unshared, lost jobs and career opportunities, chances never taken, secrets kept.
The Emporium finds its shopkeeper, the key materialises, and the town enters, fascinated by its floor of grass and flowers, its ladybirds and lollypops, the many items that arouse nostalgia, memories both sad and happy. Calls are received and lives are changed. “…when people came to the Emporium, they weren’t swallowed whole by their sadness. Instead, many found hope.” But not all is well with the Emporium…
Earlatidge is reminded, in a rather concerning way, of his limited term as custodian, soon to end, and reluctantly recalls the catastrophic event that led to his being chosen as custodian, ten years earlier in a Japanese town by an unconnected phone. And he begins to understand the terrible criterion required for the next custodian.
Bird’s second novel is easily as captivating as her first, if not moreso. She gives her readers a dose of magical realism that will have them wishing they, too, could enter the Emporium of Imagination and experience its delightful quirks and oddities.
Her characters are appealing for all their very human flaws, and she gives them plenty of wise words and insightful observations. Included are lovely little touches, like the charming illustrations that head chapters for each narrator and a delicious-sounding recipe for Bedtime Muffins. This is an enchanting read.
The Emporium Of Imagination is the second novel by Australian author, Tabitha Bird. One hot January night, a strange and wondrous shop arrives in the town of Boonah, where it takes up the vacant block between the jeweller and the real estate agency.
The shop is brought by its custodian, Earlatidge Hubert Umbray, choosing its place and building itself. The Emporium of Imagination is here, summoned to where it is needed, called by the grief and heartbreak it senses within the townspeople.
Ann, just recently returned to Boonah with irrepressible four-year-old Benny, peers into the shop window at the myriad of marvellous items on display, but the door is firmly closed, awaiting its shopkeeper, whom the shop’s marmalade cat will choose, and the door key, yet to be located. And anyway, Ann’s biggest concern is her ailing Nannie: she can’t be concerned with frivolities like this.
Meanwhile, at 43 Dandelion Road, ten-year-old Enoch Rayne is sorely missing his dad. But also feeling guilty, about the day Isaac died, and what he didn’t do. He, too, is fascinated by the Emporium and soon, adopted by the cat, which he names Pickled Onions. Hazel Rayne has her hands full with three motherless grandsons, acting out after the recent death of her beloved son.
Earlatidge scours the town for a shopkeeper and a key. He hears the town’s grief, heartache and sadness. Those who need them are handed notes promising telephone contact with someone with whom issues are unresolved, if they come to the Emporium. Many also find that The Owner’s Guide to Grieving appears nearby, inviting them to add their own words on coping. “We don’t need an antidote to grief. It reminds us that we’ve lived and loved.”
Grief, it seems, stems not only from death: ambitions abandoned, harsh words unretracted, inclinations denied, apologies delayed, guilt over inaction, impulsive deeds never forgiven, feelings unshared, lost jobs and career opportunities, chances never taken, secrets kept.
The Emporium finds its shopkeeper, the key materialises, and the town enters, fascinated by its floor of grass and flowers, its ladybirds and lollypops, the many items that arouse nostalgia, memories both sad and happy. Calls are received and lives are changed. “…when people came to the Emporium, they weren’t swallowed whole by their sadness. Instead, many found hope.” But not all is well with the Emporium…
Earlatidge is reminded, in a rather concerning way, of his limited term as custodian, soon to end, and reluctantly recalls the catastrophic event that led to his being chosen as custodian, ten years earlier in a Japanese town by an unconnected phone. And he begins to understand the terrible criterion required for the next custodian.
Bird’s second novel is easily as captivating as her first, if not moreso. She gives her readers a dose of magical realism that will have them wishing they, too, could enter the Emporium of Imagination and experience its delightful quirks and oddities.
Her characters are appealing for all their very human flaws, and she gives them plenty of wise words and insightful observations. Included are lovely little touches, like the charming illustrations that head chapters for each narrator and a delicious-sounding recipe for Bedtime Muffins. This is an enchanting read.
September 5, 2021
*www.onewomansbbr.wordpress.com
*www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr
**4.5 stars**
The Emporium of Imagination by Tabitha Bird. (2021).
Welcome to the Emporium of Imagination, an unusual shop that travels the world offering vintage gifts to repair broken dreams and extraordinary phones to contact lost loved ones. But on arrival in the tiny town of Boonah, the store's custodian Earlatidge realises he's dying. The clock is ticking to find his replacement, because Boonah clearly need some restorative magic. Like 10 year old heartbroken Enoch, who is mourning his father while nurturing a guilty secret. Like Ann, who came back to be close to her dying grandmother but it's Enoch's father who dominates her thoughts and regrets. Even Earlatidge in his final days will experience the store as never before and have the chance to face up to his own tragedy.
It honestly amazes me that writers have this extraordinary amount of imagination, and then the skills to successfully share those stories with the rest of us. This book is an example of a beautiful story that will stay in your mind long after reading. I adored it, the whole concept of this magical shop to assist those with grief in their hearts was just fantastic. I also loved that the author has included and addressed many types of grief; not just grief for those loved ones lost, but also missed opportunities and regrets that we hold inside ourselves. This novel is both heartbreaking and heartwarming, and I can assure you it is an emotional read.
Overall: this is a beautiful story with a touch of magic that will warm your heart by the end and make you wish you could visit the Emporium of Imagination yourself.
*www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr
**4.5 stars**
The Emporium of Imagination by Tabitha Bird. (2021).
Welcome to the Emporium of Imagination, an unusual shop that travels the world offering vintage gifts to repair broken dreams and extraordinary phones to contact lost loved ones. But on arrival in the tiny town of Boonah, the store's custodian Earlatidge realises he's dying. The clock is ticking to find his replacement, because Boonah clearly need some restorative magic. Like 10 year old heartbroken Enoch, who is mourning his father while nurturing a guilty secret. Like Ann, who came back to be close to her dying grandmother but it's Enoch's father who dominates her thoughts and regrets. Even Earlatidge in his final days will experience the store as never before and have the chance to face up to his own tragedy.
It honestly amazes me that writers have this extraordinary amount of imagination, and then the skills to successfully share those stories with the rest of us. This book is an example of a beautiful story that will stay in your mind long after reading. I adored it, the whole concept of this magical shop to assist those with grief in their hearts was just fantastic. I also loved that the author has included and addressed many types of grief; not just grief for those loved ones lost, but also missed opportunities and regrets that we hold inside ourselves. This novel is both heartbreaking and heartwarming, and I can assure you it is an emotional read.
Overall: this is a beautiful story with a touch of magic that will warm your heart by the end and make you wish you could visit the Emporium of Imagination yourself.
March 31, 2021
Oh my heart 💜 I wish this store was real.. I would love to visit The Emporium of Imagination, a beautiful store that helps people deal with their grief and self discovery. A phone call from a loved on that has passed on - what would you give for that? Ladybirds of all colours, books and more books. It is a magical place and it stole my heart. Tabitha Bird brought this wonderful place to life on the pages and I really could not get enough of it. A stunning and enchanting read that I think everybody needs.
The Emporium of Imagination is in need of a new custodian. Earlatidge Hubert Umbray has been looking after it for 10 years, but his time is coming to an end and needs to find a successor. His search brings him to the small town of Boonah in Queensland, where this store is going to be a godsend. Ann has returned to look after her dying Nannie with her young son. 10 year old Enoch is devastated at the death of his father and blames himself. This town needs the Emporium and it needs them.
Beautifully written with characters that you will fall in love with, The Emporium is an absolute treasure. Keep the tissues close, you will feel all the feels reading this book and you will love it. I was sad when it was all over to be honest, I could have lived in the world for a lot longer.
Thank you Tabitha Bird for sending me your wonderful story. I could not love it more.
If you could get a phone call from a lost loved one who would you want to talk to? For me it would be my grandfather who died before my children were born. I would give anything to speak to him just one more time.
The Emporium of Imagination is in need of a new custodian. Earlatidge Hubert Umbray has been looking after it for 10 years, but his time is coming to an end and needs to find a successor. His search brings him to the small town of Boonah in Queensland, where this store is going to be a godsend. Ann has returned to look after her dying Nannie with her young son. 10 year old Enoch is devastated at the death of his father and blames himself. This town needs the Emporium and it needs them.
Beautifully written with characters that you will fall in love with, The Emporium is an absolute treasure. Keep the tissues close, you will feel all the feels reading this book and you will love it. I was sad when it was all over to be honest, I could have lived in the world for a lot longer.
Thank you Tabitha Bird for sending me your wonderful story. I could not love it more.
If you could get a phone call from a lost loved one who would you want to talk to? For me it would be my grandfather who died before my children were born. I would give anything to speak to him just one more time.
April 12, 2023
Krámek s fantazií mi upřímně polámal srdce, lepil ho a znovu lámal a lepil. Dobrou půlku jsem četla s rozmlženým viděním, protože se mu dařilo mě zasahovat na nejcitlivějsích místech.
A jak se to tváří jako feel-good, tak jsem byla přesvědčená, že vám tu napíšu, že ani omylem, ale emoce, s níž jsem končila, byla "hřejivé smutno". Protože kde něco končí, něco jiného začíná.
Je to kniha o smutku, o smrti, o tom, jak se lidé vyrovnávají se smrtí a ztrátou. Ztratit se dá totiž kde co. Je i o odpuštění. A že i uprostřed temna může něco zářit barvami a kouzly.
Třeba jeden takový krámek...
Třeba i jeho strážce...
...kterému zbývá už jen jednadvacet dní
Popravdě i teď, když toto píšu, mi teče slza.
Neskutečné čtení.
A zároveň tak moc skutečné.
A jak se to tváří jako feel-good, tak jsem byla přesvědčená, že vám tu napíšu, že ani omylem, ale emoce, s níž jsem končila, byla "hřejivé smutno". Protože kde něco končí, něco jiného začíná.
Je to kniha o smutku, o smrti, o tom, jak se lidé vyrovnávají se smrtí a ztrátou. Ztratit se dá totiž kde co. Je i o odpuštění. A že i uprostřed temna může něco zářit barvami a kouzly.
Třeba jeden takový krámek...
Třeba i jeho strážce...
...kterému zbývá už jen jednadvacet dní
Popravdě i teď, když toto píšu, mi teče slza.
Neskutečné čtení.
A zároveň tak moc skutečné.
February 10, 2023
Objektívne asi 3,5 — 4 hviezdy, ale subjektívne plný počet.
Dalo by sa tejto knihe vyčítať všeličo, hlavne inšpirácia Nočným cirkusom a Siedmimi minútami po polnoci, ale už dávno som nečítal niečo tak prudko čitateľné. Veď som dal 360 strán za niečo vyše 48 hodín a to som bol normálne v práci!
Je to asi najveselšia kniha o smútku a ja sa už teraz teším na rereading.
Keď do mestečka príde Krámek s fantazií, začnú sa diať veci. Obyvateľom sa vo vreckách zjavujú pozvánky na dávno odkladané telefonáty, otvárajú sa pandorine skrinky z dávnej i nedávnej minulosti, ale namiesto žiaľu nachádzajú všetci pokoj, rozuzlenie, a šťastné konce.
Hlavní hrdinovia Ann, Enoch, chlap s nezapametateľným menom a mnohí ďalší sa pred žiaľom dokonale obrnili, a Krámek musí spraviť niečo viac, aby sa im dostal pod kožu…. A zvyšok si už prečítajte.
Pre mňa bol toto dokonalý čitateľský zážitok, keď som čítal so skutočnou chuťou čítať. Remeselne vynikajúco zvládnuto kniha.
Dalo by sa tejto knihe vyčítať všeličo, hlavne inšpirácia Nočným cirkusom a Siedmimi minútami po polnoci, ale už dávno som nečítal niečo tak prudko čitateľné. Veď som dal 360 strán za niečo vyše 48 hodín a to som bol normálne v práci!
Je to asi najveselšia kniha o smútku a ja sa už teraz teším na rereading.
Keď do mestečka príde Krámek s fantazií, začnú sa diať veci. Obyvateľom sa vo vreckách zjavujú pozvánky na dávno odkladané telefonáty, otvárajú sa pandorine skrinky z dávnej i nedávnej minulosti, ale namiesto žiaľu nachádzajú všetci pokoj, rozuzlenie, a šťastné konce.
Hlavní hrdinovia Ann, Enoch, chlap s nezapametateľným menom a mnohí ďalší sa pred žiaľom dokonale obrnili, a Krámek musí spraviť niečo viac, aby sa im dostal pod kožu…. A zvyšok si už prečítajte.
Pre mňa bol toto dokonalý čitateľský zážitok, keď som čítal so skutočnou chuťou čítať. Remeselne vynikajúco zvládnuto kniha.
October 5, 2021
This was a delightful book one that was very hard to put down, was picked up with pleasurable anticipation and never disappointed, right down to the perfectly crafted ending.
Magical realism is a type of fiction that I love and this is one of the most outstandingly lovely books in the genera that I have read.
Earlatidge Hubert Umbray has been the custodian for the Emporium if Imagination for years (he is not counting how many), and has followed it all around the world to whichever place it is choosing to manifest next. This time it has brought him to the small town of Boonah in QLD Australia. The shop offers items and gifts straight from the imagination, but for some customers it offers more; a chance to speak to lost loved ones, alive or dead, a chance to repair broken dreams, a chance to heal wounds that have never quite shut. It is not the first book I have read about an extraordinary shop, but this is one of the most charming concepts and I sincerely hope it stops by the Gold Coast one day. I have even picked out a tract or two of empty ground it might like...
On this particular occasion Earlatidge is having an awfully hard time locating the shopkeeper, (who will be needed to open the shop at all) and then when he finds out he is also going to have to locate a custodian to replace him, everything becomes more complicated.
This was a wonderful book, almost as wonderful as visiting the shop it features would be. The actual reading is charming and the strengths of it are many, but one is the empathy and vividness with which Boonah and it's residents come to life. The inner lives are visible to Earlatidge - and hence to us - because he hears their grief, which the shop can heal. As a result we get a magical understanding of the lost hopes and deep sadnesses of the many resident on the town and I will admit that I got a little teary once or twice. The shop's ability to heal inner wounds, open doors people thought were locked for good and ease fears, that is the balm and the charm of the book.
Though I loved this book - and do thoroughly recommend it to anyone who is even a little bit intrigued by the concept I did not give it five stars. Sorry; I feel I must apologise for that but... The town is magical and the people too, so the drought of the area is glanced over and the residents are all good people on the inside. Even the kid who is the town bully has a reason for it which can be healed. That just feels a little too sweetness and light to me, some people are just nasty people and that is life. In this Boonah, though, everyone is a nice person. It does not bother me while reading, but I do think it makes this an ephemeral book. However much I loved reading it, I might not read it again. It has left me with a touch of happiness whenever I look at the lovely cover, but I think the feeling will fade and not leave a lasting impression.
Except for one; now I REALLY want to visit Boonah, it is only two hours up the road after all...
Magical realism is a type of fiction that I love and this is one of the most outstandingly lovely books in the genera that I have read.
Earlatidge Hubert Umbray has been the custodian for the Emporium if Imagination for years (he is not counting how many), and has followed it all around the world to whichever place it is choosing to manifest next. This time it has brought him to the small town of Boonah in QLD Australia. The shop offers items and gifts straight from the imagination, but for some customers it offers more; a chance to speak to lost loved ones, alive or dead, a chance to repair broken dreams, a chance to heal wounds that have never quite shut. It is not the first book I have read about an extraordinary shop, but this is one of the most charming concepts and I sincerely hope it stops by the Gold Coast one day. I have even picked out a tract or two of empty ground it might like...
On this particular occasion Earlatidge is having an awfully hard time locating the shopkeeper, (who will be needed to open the shop at all) and then when he finds out he is also going to have to locate a custodian to replace him, everything becomes more complicated.
This was a wonderful book, almost as wonderful as visiting the shop it features would be. The actual reading is charming and the strengths of it are many, but one is the empathy and vividness with which Boonah and it's residents come to life. The inner lives are visible to Earlatidge - and hence to us - because he hears their grief, which the shop can heal. As a result we get a magical understanding of the lost hopes and deep sadnesses of the many resident on the town and I will admit that I got a little teary once or twice. The shop's ability to heal inner wounds, open doors people thought were locked for good and ease fears, that is the balm and the charm of the book.
Though I loved this book - and do thoroughly recommend it to anyone who is even a little bit intrigued by the concept I did not give it five stars. Sorry; I feel I must apologise for that but... The town is magical and the people too, so the drought of the area is glanced over and the residents are all good people on the inside. Even the kid who is the town bully has a reason for it which can be healed. That just feels a little too sweetness and light to me, some people are just nasty people and that is life. In this Boonah, though, everyone is a nice person. It does not bother me while reading, but I do think it makes this an ephemeral book. However much I loved reading it, I might not read it again. It has left me with a touch of happiness whenever I look at the lovely cover, but I think the feeling will fade and not leave a lasting impression.
Except for one; now I REALLY want to visit Boonah, it is only two hours up the road after all...
January 7, 2022
⭐️4.5 Stars⭐️
🐞🍭What a charming, heartfelt and unique read The Emporium of Imagination is. The plot is whimsical, the writing is enchanting and the characters adorable.
🐞🍭Wow Tabitha Bird has the kind of imagination that will have you mesmerised in this book. I found it beautifully written and enjoyed the humour and magical elements of the story.
🐞🍭The Emporium of Imagination is an unconventional shop that travels the world and on this occasion begins to reveal itself in the town of Boonah, Queensland. It helps customers deal with grief and loss in the magical form of vintage treasures to repair broken dreams and extraordinary phones to contact lost loved ones.
🐞🍭We follow the story of the emporium’s custodian Earlatidge Hubert Umbray, who needs to find a new custodian and shopkeeper for the store as his time on earth is running out.
🐞🍭Ann has a four year old son named Benny, she is grieving the recent loss of an old friend taken too soon. Her Nannie is also dying and she is back in Boonah to be near her.
🐞🍭Heartbroken Enoch aged ten is one of three brothers who are motherless and just recently lost their father. Enoch is holding onto a guilty secret!
🐞🍭Can Earlatidge in his final days face up to his own person tragedy? What can The Emporium of Imagination bring to these people?
We all need an Emporium Of Imagination in our lives. A captivating and heartwarming read.
Thank you so much to Tabitha Bird for sending me a copy of your book
🐞🍭What a charming, heartfelt and unique read The Emporium of Imagination is. The plot is whimsical, the writing is enchanting and the characters adorable.
🐞🍭Wow Tabitha Bird has the kind of imagination that will have you mesmerised in this book. I found it beautifully written and enjoyed the humour and magical elements of the story.
🐞🍭The Emporium of Imagination is an unconventional shop that travels the world and on this occasion begins to reveal itself in the town of Boonah, Queensland. It helps customers deal with grief and loss in the magical form of vintage treasures to repair broken dreams and extraordinary phones to contact lost loved ones.
🐞🍭We follow the story of the emporium’s custodian Earlatidge Hubert Umbray, who needs to find a new custodian and shopkeeper for the store as his time on earth is running out.
🐞🍭Ann has a four year old son named Benny, she is grieving the recent loss of an old friend taken too soon. Her Nannie is also dying and she is back in Boonah to be near her.
🐞🍭Heartbroken Enoch aged ten is one of three brothers who are motherless and just recently lost their father. Enoch is holding onto a guilty secret!
🐞🍭Can Earlatidge in his final days face up to his own person tragedy? What can The Emporium of Imagination bring to these people?
We all need an Emporium Of Imagination in our lives. A captivating and heartwarming read.
Thank you so much to Tabitha Bird for sending me a copy of your book
March 20, 2021
We could all do with a little more magic in our lives, and whether you are eight or 108, The Emporium of Imagination (Penguin Random House 2021) by Tabitha Bird will calm, enlighten, inspire, thrill, rescue, ignite and magic you into another realm of possibilities. Tab’s debut novel, A Lifetime of Impossible Dreams, won the hearts of readers with its gentle and subtle treatment of childhood trauma infused with the wonder of imagination. This second novel is no less wonderful and will treat readers to more of the same.
Set in the author’s home town of Boonah in rural Queensland, this is the tale of The Emporium, a magical shop that appears in various places, where and when it is most needed. It has a custodian, Earlatidge Hubert Umbray, and an enchanted cat. It builds itself overnight, brick by brick, and fills itself with all manner of exciting and fascinating paraphernalia. Flowering vines wind around its windows, and inside the shop, the ‘carpet’ is lush green grass full of wildflowers and colourful ladybugs that turn into lollipops. The shop is full of vintage, retro and antique wares. Suitcases and trunks are bursting with items labelled Looking Glasses, Open Me Last, Hopeful Things to Eat, Walk in My Shoes and Toys of Yesteryear. It’s an Alice in Wonderland vibe. And it must be opened by the new shopkeeper – Earlatidge is never sure who it will be, but it will be someone local and they will have the key – and then fantastical invitations will begin to appear in people’s pockets, inviting them to visit the Emporium, to find whatever it is they need, whatever they have lost … be that comfort or joy, reconnection with a loved one, memories revisited, or the chance to make amends. It is a charmed and mysterious place that enchants everyone who enters.
There are a few key characters who are prominent (although the story encompasses most of the townsfolk in Boonah; rarely is there somebody unaffected one way or another.) One of these is 10-year-old Enoch, who lives with his brothers and his grandmother, all weighed down with recent grief, and Enoch especially by a guilty secret. Another is Ann, who has come to Boonah to be close to her own grandmother in her dying days, but who can’t stop thinking about Enoch’s father. And of course there is Earlatidge himself: his time as custodian is coming to an end, but before that happens, he must reckon with his own tragic past and his own lost regrets.
Throughout the story floats another book (a story within a story), The Owner’s Guide to Grieving. This appears to the people who need it most and stays with them even when they try to throw it away. Eventually, people begin to write in it, like a journal … short pieces about their own grief, and then their reactions to the words written by others. In this way, the book becomes a powerful source of connection for the entire community, as neighbours and friends recognise each other’s pain, loss, grief and discomfort. It becomes a tool of encouragement too, for cheering on those willing to take a risk, to try something new, to accept the challenge of change before it is too late.
The grieving book, the people, the township, the community, the tsunami, the past, the treasures, the community … all come together in one heartbreaking and beautiful storm. Perhaps some of the most vital and cherished objects in the Emporium are the phones – all manner of telephones, from old, black Bakelite rotary phones to modern iPhones. These phones allow visitors to the shop to contact their lost loved ones, a process that – as you can imagine �� creates all sorts of tears and joy. Contacting those gone, and repairing broken dreams, are the two most important roles of the shop.
But when the Emporium itself begins to fall apart, (perhaps it is even dying?), is when Earlatidge realises he must face his own demons and do for himself what for so long he has been doing for others.
The Emporium of Imagination is written in Tabitha Bird’s trademark style. As with her first book, she explores the themes of grief, loss and trauma, particularly childhood trauma. But she does so with a lightness of touch, an optimism, a splash of magic and hope, that counters any heaviness with light. Grandmothers feature strongly in both stories, and those who know Tab will know why. Her respect and fondness for the elderly, and her desire to protect and comfort young children, play out in her stories in different ways, but always with the same feel of a warm, enveloping hug.
The chapters are written on a countdown… starting with ’21 Days Left’, leading us to wonder what will happen when those 21 days run out. This keeps pulling the reader forward to the next page, and the next. And the whole content is so absolutely full of imaginative and outlandish objects and ideas, it transports the reader to another time and place, a time of wonder and impossibility made possible, of dreams come true and wounds healed, of spirits restored and hopes ignited. A time of childish optimism and fantasy. This story is a comfort, a joy and a balm. A much needed piece of magic in a world that could do with more of it.
Set in the author’s home town of Boonah in rural Queensland, this is the tale of The Emporium, a magical shop that appears in various places, where and when it is most needed. It has a custodian, Earlatidge Hubert Umbray, and an enchanted cat. It builds itself overnight, brick by brick, and fills itself with all manner of exciting and fascinating paraphernalia. Flowering vines wind around its windows, and inside the shop, the ‘carpet’ is lush green grass full of wildflowers and colourful ladybugs that turn into lollipops. The shop is full of vintage, retro and antique wares. Suitcases and trunks are bursting with items labelled Looking Glasses, Open Me Last, Hopeful Things to Eat, Walk in My Shoes and Toys of Yesteryear. It’s an Alice in Wonderland vibe. And it must be opened by the new shopkeeper – Earlatidge is never sure who it will be, but it will be someone local and they will have the key – and then fantastical invitations will begin to appear in people’s pockets, inviting them to visit the Emporium, to find whatever it is they need, whatever they have lost … be that comfort or joy, reconnection with a loved one, memories revisited, or the chance to make amends. It is a charmed and mysterious place that enchants everyone who enters.
There are a few key characters who are prominent (although the story encompasses most of the townsfolk in Boonah; rarely is there somebody unaffected one way or another.) One of these is 10-year-old Enoch, who lives with his brothers and his grandmother, all weighed down with recent grief, and Enoch especially by a guilty secret. Another is Ann, who has come to Boonah to be close to her own grandmother in her dying days, but who can’t stop thinking about Enoch’s father. And of course there is Earlatidge himself: his time as custodian is coming to an end, but before that happens, he must reckon with his own tragic past and his own lost regrets.
Throughout the story floats another book (a story within a story), The Owner’s Guide to Grieving. This appears to the people who need it most and stays with them even when they try to throw it away. Eventually, people begin to write in it, like a journal … short pieces about their own grief, and then their reactions to the words written by others. In this way, the book becomes a powerful source of connection for the entire community, as neighbours and friends recognise each other’s pain, loss, grief and discomfort. It becomes a tool of encouragement too, for cheering on those willing to take a risk, to try something new, to accept the challenge of change before it is too late.
The grieving book, the people, the township, the community, the tsunami, the past, the treasures, the community … all come together in one heartbreaking and beautiful storm. Perhaps some of the most vital and cherished objects in the Emporium are the phones – all manner of telephones, from old, black Bakelite rotary phones to modern iPhones. These phones allow visitors to the shop to contact their lost loved ones, a process that – as you can imagine �� creates all sorts of tears and joy. Contacting those gone, and repairing broken dreams, are the two most important roles of the shop.
But when the Emporium itself begins to fall apart, (perhaps it is even dying?), is when Earlatidge realises he must face his own demons and do for himself what for so long he has been doing for others.
The Emporium of Imagination is written in Tabitha Bird’s trademark style. As with her first book, she explores the themes of grief, loss and trauma, particularly childhood trauma. But she does so with a lightness of touch, an optimism, a splash of magic and hope, that counters any heaviness with light. Grandmothers feature strongly in both stories, and those who know Tab will know why. Her respect and fondness for the elderly, and her desire to protect and comfort young children, play out in her stories in different ways, but always with the same feel of a warm, enveloping hug.
The chapters are written on a countdown… starting with ’21 Days Left’, leading us to wonder what will happen when those 21 days run out. This keeps pulling the reader forward to the next page, and the next. And the whole content is so absolutely full of imaginative and outlandish objects and ideas, it transports the reader to another time and place, a time of wonder and impossibility made possible, of dreams come true and wounds healed, of spirits restored and hopes ignited. A time of childish optimism and fantasy. This story is a comfort, a joy and a balm. A much needed piece of magic in a world that could do with more of it.
May 5, 2021
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
‘A little bit of magic is about to appear.’
I am incredibly grateful to author Tabitha Bird. In the lead up to the release of her highly anticipated second novel, Tabitha Bird personally picked and packaged a very thoughtful box of trinkets to me that directly linked to her new novel, The Emporium of Imagination. This special delivery was just the start of my magical journey with Tabitha Bird’s second novel. The Emporium of Imagination was an enchanting and magical spectacular, that taught me a thing or two about grief.
The Emporium of Imagination welcomes the reader to a strange and quirky store that moves from place to place. This special store presents its customers with unique gifts to help them heal in the face of grief or loss. When the store arrives in the Queensland town of Boonah, the caretaker of the shop makes a shocking discovery, he has only a small amount of time left to find a new custodian for his beloved store. With the pressure on to find a new protector for the store, the current supervisor has his work cut out for him. The community of Boonah are struggling in many ways and it is up to Earlatidge Hubert Umbray to make amends before his big departure. From heartbreak, loss, guilty secrets and regrets, the people of Boonah are weathering many emotional situations. In helping the township of Boonah, the Earlatidge must also confront his own personal issues. Can Hubert Umbray depart from his role in this world with no regrets?
The front cover quote for The Emporium of Imagination states boldly that, ‘A little bit of magic is going to appear.’ Yes, it did for me, despite the internal battle I face in appreciating books with a magical realism tone. I have a bit of a strained relationship with magical realism and fantasy based stories. Tabitha Bird’s book did challenge me as a reader, especially as I had to suspend my disbelief. However, it made me smile and reflect. What I appreciated the most about The Emporium of Imagination was where this book took me imagination wise. It really allowed me to explore my creative spirit, in written form!
The Emporium of Imagination is filled with a number of bold cast members and this adds a high level of vibrancy to the unfolding tale. With many memorable characters with fascinating story angles, Tabitha Bird’s second novel is a performance not to be missed! I came to embrace many of the protagonists and their individual pathways as the book made its fantastical journey. It felt like I was a direct part of the fabric of this eclectic community for the time that I spent in the company of The Emporium of Imagination.
Structurally, there is a lot to like about The Emporium of Imagination. I appreciated the short chapter format, which is clearly marked out in day form. The sharp chapter format did encourage me to read just one more chapter, until I realised I had raced through Tabitha Bird’s novel in just a day. This is probably not the best way to approach the book, I think The Emporium of Imagination should be read at a slower pace to absorb all this original book has to offer. In terms of themes, this is a novel packed to the brim with messages of love, passion, hope, regret, blame, guilt, second chances, fate, choice, loss, death and moving on. With the umbrella theme of magic underlining the overall tone of The Emporium of Imagination, this is a one-of-a-kind piece of fiction. It is clear that Tabitha Bird is comfortable in the magical realism and contemporary fiction genre. Bird blends these two areas well, which we saw in the author’s debut, A Lifetime of Impossible Days.
I loved the store itself, which is the centre of the happenings in the novel, it was a unique conglomeration. The idea that a shop exists as a place where people can go to process their grief was a touching and original narrative direction. Tabitha Bird approaches this area of her novel with a sense of understanding, sensitivity and charm. The parting messages around the store were poignant and moving, leaving a lasting impression on my mind.
Be sure to embrace this very special novel lovingly created by a passionate storyteller. The Emporium of Imagination is a recommended read, especially if you are searching for something a little outside the box!
*I wish to thank the author for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
The Emporium of Imagination is book #36 of the 2021 Australian Women Writers Challenge
‘A little bit of magic is about to appear.’
I am incredibly grateful to author Tabitha Bird. In the lead up to the release of her highly anticipated second novel, Tabitha Bird personally picked and packaged a very thoughtful box of trinkets to me that directly linked to her new novel, The Emporium of Imagination. This special delivery was just the start of my magical journey with Tabitha Bird’s second novel. The Emporium of Imagination was an enchanting and magical spectacular, that taught me a thing or two about grief.
The Emporium of Imagination welcomes the reader to a strange and quirky store that moves from place to place. This special store presents its customers with unique gifts to help them heal in the face of grief or loss. When the store arrives in the Queensland town of Boonah, the caretaker of the shop makes a shocking discovery, he has only a small amount of time left to find a new custodian for his beloved store. With the pressure on to find a new protector for the store, the current supervisor has his work cut out for him. The community of Boonah are struggling in many ways and it is up to Earlatidge Hubert Umbray to make amends before his big departure. From heartbreak, loss, guilty secrets and regrets, the people of Boonah are weathering many emotional situations. In helping the township of Boonah, the Earlatidge must also confront his own personal issues. Can Hubert Umbray depart from his role in this world with no regrets?
The front cover quote for The Emporium of Imagination states boldly that, ‘A little bit of magic is going to appear.’ Yes, it did for me, despite the internal battle I face in appreciating books with a magical realism tone. I have a bit of a strained relationship with magical realism and fantasy based stories. Tabitha Bird’s book did challenge me as a reader, especially as I had to suspend my disbelief. However, it made me smile and reflect. What I appreciated the most about The Emporium of Imagination was where this book took me imagination wise. It really allowed me to explore my creative spirit, in written form!
The Emporium of Imagination is filled with a number of bold cast members and this adds a high level of vibrancy to the unfolding tale. With many memorable characters with fascinating story angles, Tabitha Bird’s second novel is a performance not to be missed! I came to embrace many of the protagonists and their individual pathways as the book made its fantastical journey. It felt like I was a direct part of the fabric of this eclectic community for the time that I spent in the company of The Emporium of Imagination.
Structurally, there is a lot to like about The Emporium of Imagination. I appreciated the short chapter format, which is clearly marked out in day form. The sharp chapter format did encourage me to read just one more chapter, until I realised I had raced through Tabitha Bird’s novel in just a day. This is probably not the best way to approach the book, I think The Emporium of Imagination should be read at a slower pace to absorb all this original book has to offer. In terms of themes, this is a novel packed to the brim with messages of love, passion, hope, regret, blame, guilt, second chances, fate, choice, loss, death and moving on. With the umbrella theme of magic underlining the overall tone of The Emporium of Imagination, this is a one-of-a-kind piece of fiction. It is clear that Tabitha Bird is comfortable in the magical realism and contemporary fiction genre. Bird blends these two areas well, which we saw in the author’s debut, A Lifetime of Impossible Days.
I loved the store itself, which is the centre of the happenings in the novel, it was a unique conglomeration. The idea that a shop exists as a place where people can go to process their grief was a touching and original narrative direction. Tabitha Bird approaches this area of her novel with a sense of understanding, sensitivity and charm. The parting messages around the store were poignant and moving, leaving a lasting impression on my mind.
Be sure to embrace this very special novel lovingly created by a passionate storyteller. The Emporium of Imagination is a recommended read, especially if you are searching for something a little outside the box!
*I wish to thank the author for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
The Emporium of Imagination is book #36 of the 2021 Australian Women Writers Challenge
March 30, 2021
After being enchanted by Tabitha Bird’s debut, A Lifetime of Impossible Days, I was delighted by the gift of her second novel, The Emporium of Imagination. The book arrived in a charming package accompanied by a veritable cornucopia of thoughtfully hand selected vintage treasures from the author herself, items which tie in beautifully with novel.
The Emporium of Imagination is a heartfelt, poignant, and whimsical tale of love, grief and magic.
In the small Queensland town of Boonah, an extraordinary store suddenly appears on what the day before was a vacant block of land. It declares itself as The Emporium of Imagination and its customers will soon learn that the magic is not just in its living carpet of wildflowers or ladybugs that turn into lollipops, but in its ability to grant wishes and second chances, encourage wonder and joy, and offer the grieving the chance to reconnect with lost loved ones.
“Thee Emporium is filling with wonders, with things necessary to bring healing or help others fulfil lost dreams or mend broken hopes. The Emporium has arrived to help....”
Before the store can open for business though, the custodian of The Emporium of Imagination, Earlatidge Hubert Umbray, accompanied by an orange cat, must find a shopkeeper for its tenure in Boonah, and as his time is nearly up, he is also in search of a new steward. In the meantime, messages and trinkets are delivered to residents of the town in need of the magic the Emporium’ has to offer. Among them is Ann Harlow, who has returned to Boonah with her four year old son to be with her beloved, dying grandmother, and ten year old Enoch whose adored father has just passed away.
Crafted with sensitivity, compassion and Tabitha Bird’s particular brand of magic, The Emporium of Imagination explores grief, regret, love, forgiveness, and hope. Anyone, which face it is almost everyone, who has ever lost something - be it a dream, a relationship, a treasured item, or a person - will be deeply moved by this story, which reminds us, among other things, that redemption and salvation is always a possibility.
“Grief means we have loved. Would you really want to take away feelings of love?”
It’s a lesson Bird’s characters need to embrace. As Earlatidge’s time with the Emporium draws to a close, and parts of himself begin to disappear, he needs to confront the tragedy of his past. Ann needs to accept the inevitable and make peace with the decisions she has made, while Enoch has to find a way to forgive himself, and his father. I felt for all the characters in The Emporium of Imagination struggling with their various losses, and found myself alternatively sobbing and smiling as their stories were revealed.
“All you need is a little imagination. Broken things can still be made whole.”
Infused with creativity, wit and wisdom, The Emporium of Imagination Is a magical read. Let yourself believe.
The Emporium of Imagination is a heartfelt, poignant, and whimsical tale of love, grief and magic.
In the small Queensland town of Boonah, an extraordinary store suddenly appears on what the day before was a vacant block of land. It declares itself as The Emporium of Imagination and its customers will soon learn that the magic is not just in its living carpet of wildflowers or ladybugs that turn into lollipops, but in its ability to grant wishes and second chances, encourage wonder and joy, and offer the grieving the chance to reconnect with lost loved ones.
“Thee Emporium is filling with wonders, with things necessary to bring healing or help others fulfil lost dreams or mend broken hopes. The Emporium has arrived to help....”
Before the store can open for business though, the custodian of The Emporium of Imagination, Earlatidge Hubert Umbray, accompanied by an orange cat, must find a shopkeeper for its tenure in Boonah, and as his time is nearly up, he is also in search of a new steward. In the meantime, messages and trinkets are delivered to residents of the town in need of the magic the Emporium’ has to offer. Among them is Ann Harlow, who has returned to Boonah with her four year old son to be with her beloved, dying grandmother, and ten year old Enoch whose adored father has just passed away.
Crafted with sensitivity, compassion and Tabitha Bird’s particular brand of magic, The Emporium of Imagination explores grief, regret, love, forgiveness, and hope. Anyone, which face it is almost everyone, who has ever lost something - be it a dream, a relationship, a treasured item, or a person - will be deeply moved by this story, which reminds us, among other things, that redemption and salvation is always a possibility.
“Grief means we have loved. Would you really want to take away feelings of love?”
It’s a lesson Bird’s characters need to embrace. As Earlatidge’s time with the Emporium draws to a close, and parts of himself begin to disappear, he needs to confront the tragedy of his past. Ann needs to accept the inevitable and make peace with the decisions she has made, while Enoch has to find a way to forgive himself, and his father. I felt for all the characters in The Emporium of Imagination struggling with their various losses, and found myself alternatively sobbing and smiling as their stories were revealed.
“All you need is a little imagination. Broken things can still be made whole.”
Infused with creativity, wit and wisdom, The Emporium of Imagination Is a magical read. Let yourself believe.
July 23, 2021
I can't tell you how much I adored this book. Reading The Emporium of Imagination was like sending nourishing warm hot chocolate straight to the soul.
The Emporium of the title is a shop, and Earlatidge is the store's custodian. The shop travels the world to where it's needed and at the start of the book, it's opening in the small town of Boonah. When it magically appears, and the shopkeeper has been found, the store will sell vintage gifts to revive broken dreams, repair relationships, ease grief, soothe broken hearts and more.
"The Emporium is a bustle of a place. People come and go. Some see magic everywhere. Other people see less magic and more a commonplace shop selling quirky vintage wares. It depends on what they expect to see. A person looking for the impossible will find it. One who isn't cannot." Page 215
Set in Boonah in Queensland, this book contains magical realism and even the streets named after weeds seem wonderfully magical. Who wouldn't want to live in Milk Thistle Street, Ragweed Place and Mustard Hedge Road?
Early on in the novel, we learn Earlatidge is gifted with:
"a sight and senses that others don't possess. He can hear other people's grief, an ability that is not only auditory, he can also see those moments as clear as motion pictures in his mind. Often, he can smell the event. Hear the sounds. Sometimes he can taste or even feel things relating to their sadness. He will use this gift to understand people's sorrow and extend invitations to visit the Emporium..." Pages 6-7
The Emporium of Imagination is an incredibly uplifting and life affirming novel delivering messages about regret, lost opportunities, guilt, smothered dreams, love, loss, sorrow, grief, duty, hope, redemption and more to the reader. The Emporium is able to provide just what each customer needs at that point in their life to heal and I think the book does the same for the reader. Some character backstories will resonate more than others, but all are heartwarming and moving.
While touching on such important and deep themes, the novel somehow manages to be quite funny in parts, and I loved the dialogue between the brothers. It's also incredibly creative and I haven't experienced that level of stimulating imagination on the page since reading and falling in love with Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor in 2019. That book easily made my Top 5 Books of 2019 list and I'm positive The Emporium of Imagination by Tabitha Bird is going to be on my Top 5 Books of 2021 list. That's how much I enjoyed this book.
Tabitha Bird is an Australian author, and this is the first book I've read of hers, however you better believe that her debut A Lifetime of Impossible Days is now on my TBR pile.
The Emporium of Imagination by Tabitha Bird was an absolute highlight of my reading year so far and I highly recommend it.
The Emporium of the title is a shop, and Earlatidge is the store's custodian. The shop travels the world to where it's needed and at the start of the book, it's opening in the small town of Boonah. When it magically appears, and the shopkeeper has been found, the store will sell vintage gifts to revive broken dreams, repair relationships, ease grief, soothe broken hearts and more.
"The Emporium is a bustle of a place. People come and go. Some see magic everywhere. Other people see less magic and more a commonplace shop selling quirky vintage wares. It depends on what they expect to see. A person looking for the impossible will find it. One who isn't cannot." Page 215
Set in Boonah in Queensland, this book contains magical realism and even the streets named after weeds seem wonderfully magical. Who wouldn't want to live in Milk Thistle Street, Ragweed Place and Mustard Hedge Road?
Early on in the novel, we learn Earlatidge is gifted with:
"a sight and senses that others don't possess. He can hear other people's grief, an ability that is not only auditory, he can also see those moments as clear as motion pictures in his mind. Often, he can smell the event. Hear the sounds. Sometimes he can taste or even feel things relating to their sadness. He will use this gift to understand people's sorrow and extend invitations to visit the Emporium..." Pages 6-7
The Emporium of Imagination is an incredibly uplifting and life affirming novel delivering messages about regret, lost opportunities, guilt, smothered dreams, love, loss, sorrow, grief, duty, hope, redemption and more to the reader. The Emporium is able to provide just what each customer needs at that point in their life to heal and I think the book does the same for the reader. Some character backstories will resonate more than others, but all are heartwarming and moving.
While touching on such important and deep themes, the novel somehow manages to be quite funny in parts, and I loved the dialogue between the brothers. It's also incredibly creative and I haven't experienced that level of stimulating imagination on the page since reading and falling in love with Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor in 2019. That book easily made my Top 5 Books of 2019 list and I'm positive The Emporium of Imagination by Tabitha Bird is going to be on my Top 5 Books of 2021 list. That's how much I enjoyed this book.
Tabitha Bird is an Australian author, and this is the first book I've read of hers, however you better believe that her debut A Lifetime of Impossible Days is now on my TBR pile.
The Emporium of Imagination by Tabitha Bird was an absolute highlight of my reading year so far and I highly recommend it.
April 26, 2021
My View:
Over the past few weeks, I have read 3 books that I am prepared to say are the best reads of 2021. Each are in different categories, each is memorable, remarkable, enjoyable, well written and coincidentally written by Australian authors. Each is an immersive read – you will not want to put these 3 books down; you will not want the stories to end.
This is the first of those 3.
This is the second book written by Tabitha Bird and sadly I missed the first but this read has convinced me to hunt down and read “A Lifetime of Impossible Days”. THIS book is remarkable; evocative, magical, heart breaking, encouraging, community building…life affirming…glorious! Fabulous! Poignant – you will tear up a little at times. It has so many themes woven into this magical narrative – the biggest takeaway for me is about missed opportunities and righting mistakes, about misdirection’s and false starts and getting back on track, about doing what you are passionate about, loving who you love, caring for the community – you never know what someone else’s life looks like inside the façade they present to the world. It is never too late to mend, heal, follow your dreams.
And it is about grief – all consuming, overwhelming, life changing, grief. Grief in all its forms, grief that is intense, grief that changes how we live, and the intimate, personal grief for oneself, the for the child within that has been pigeonholed, held back, controlled…this book cuts those chains and releases the soul to be what it is destined to be.
A superb read!!!
Over the past few weeks, I have read 3 books that I am prepared to say are the best reads of 2021. Each are in different categories, each is memorable, remarkable, enjoyable, well written and coincidentally written by Australian authors. Each is an immersive read – you will not want to put these 3 books down; you will not want the stories to end.
This is the first of those 3.
This is the second book written by Tabitha Bird and sadly I missed the first but this read has convinced me to hunt down and read “A Lifetime of Impossible Days”. THIS book is remarkable; evocative, magical, heart breaking, encouraging, community building…life affirming…glorious! Fabulous! Poignant – you will tear up a little at times. It has so many themes woven into this magical narrative – the biggest takeaway for me is about missed opportunities and righting mistakes, about misdirection’s and false starts and getting back on track, about doing what you are passionate about, loving who you love, caring for the community – you never know what someone else’s life looks like inside the façade they present to the world. It is never too late to mend, heal, follow your dreams.
And it is about grief – all consuming, overwhelming, life changing, grief. Grief in all its forms, grief that is intense, grief that changes how we live, and the intimate, personal grief for oneself, the for the child within that has been pigeonholed, held back, controlled…this book cuts those chains and releases the soul to be what it is destined to be.
A superb read!!!
June 3, 2021
4.5 stars. Once again another magical, beautiful story from Tabitha Bird. It tugs at your heartstrings and makes you giggle. Full of love, longing, grief and hope - it really is a treat. My only (small) criticism is with the Emporium itself - it sometimes felt a little too twee and sickly sweet. But overall a magical insight into a families grief and coming to terms with their own guilt.
March 28, 2021
If you think of Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium, add a dash of Mary Poppins and a shake of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, you might have an inkling on what to expect with The Emporium of Imagination. Well, sort of. At least, that’s what I felt like whilst reading this remarkably unique and truly inventive story.
Tabitha Bird is a highly imaginative writer whose creativity is akin to sunbursts and showers of stardust – magical, fragile, beautiful, incredible. This is a novel about grief: death, missed opportunities, failed moments, lost relationships, guilt over the things we wish we could change. It’s beautiful and devastating all at once.
‘And here is the stillness I was dreading. Here is the ordinary, extraordinary moment. The one when all my world changes, and everything that was, now isn’t.’
The Emporium of Imagination is a novel to linger over, to reflect on and take your time with. It is magical realism with emphasis on the magical. But at the heart of the story is an essential message: we need to grieve in order to live. Whatever the loss: a person, an opportunity, a relationship, a pet, an object of great importance. In order to heal, we must first allow ourselves to break.
‘Sometimes the hardest part of being sisters is that you share many of the same wounds from childhood. You share a darkness and it doesn’t always bring you together.’
Structurally interesting with a brilliant cast and a magical storyline, The Emporium of Imagination is the type of novel that offers each reader a unique experience. I don’t feel as though any two readers will read this story the same way. Just as the Emporium offers each person what they need at this point in time, so too does this story. It’s a remarkable achievement with a deeply personal attention to detail that has me filled with admiration.
Thanks is extended to the author for providing me with a copy of The Emporium of Imagination for review.
Tabitha Bird is a highly imaginative writer whose creativity is akin to sunbursts and showers of stardust – magical, fragile, beautiful, incredible. This is a novel about grief: death, missed opportunities, failed moments, lost relationships, guilt over the things we wish we could change. It’s beautiful and devastating all at once.
‘And here is the stillness I was dreading. Here is the ordinary, extraordinary moment. The one when all my world changes, and everything that was, now isn’t.’
The Emporium of Imagination is a novel to linger over, to reflect on and take your time with. It is magical realism with emphasis on the magical. But at the heart of the story is an essential message: we need to grieve in order to live. Whatever the loss: a person, an opportunity, a relationship, a pet, an object of great importance. In order to heal, we must first allow ourselves to break.
‘Sometimes the hardest part of being sisters is that you share many of the same wounds from childhood. You share a darkness and it doesn’t always bring you together.’
Structurally interesting with a brilliant cast and a magical storyline, The Emporium of Imagination is the type of novel that offers each reader a unique experience. I don’t feel as though any two readers will read this story the same way. Just as the Emporium offers each person what they need at this point in time, so too does this story. It’s a remarkable achievement with a deeply personal attention to detail that has me filled with admiration.
Thanks is extended to the author for providing me with a copy of The Emporium of Imagination for review.
Read
March 13, 2021A beautiful, magical, heart-wrenching but uplifting story. Young Enoch will stay with you long after you've finished the last page. Full review and author interview to come.
November 17, 2025
A beautifully magical story, that had me laughing, crying and wishing I could visit the emporium!
March 26, 2023
Úžasná kniha u které se budete smát i plakat. 💔
April 24, 2021
Thank you to Author Tabitha Bird for providing me with a copy of this book, together with the most incredible VIP package I’ve ever received!
Earlatidge has been the custodian of a magical shop, that pops up in different places, for almost ten years. Now it’s time for him to find a new custodian to run the shop, but it has to be just the right person. The Emporium of Imagination, as well as giving its customers incredible experiences and taking them back to special memories, has a unique purpose. To give those who have grief in their heart the opportunity to have that conversation they never had, to fulfil that dream that passed them by, to talk once again to their loved ones and tell them what they always wanted to say.
This book was EVERYTHING. Magical, heartbreaking, funny and thought provoking. Honestly, after reading both of Tabitha Bird’s books, I am quite sure she could turn a shopping list into a magical experience I’d never want to end. I fell in love with so many characters and empathised with their individual pain. The existence of the special book, The Owner’s Guide to Grieving, in The Emporium of Imagination is something I wished I could pull out of the book and call into being in the real world. I don’t want to say too much about it, because the beauty of it is best experienced for the first time, but in a world where people are often afraid to share their grief, The Owner’s Guide to Grieving would be a very special thing.
A whimsical, magical and emotional read that deals so well with the rollercoaster of grief, I honestly want to put The Emporium of Imagination in front of everyone!
Earlatidge has been the custodian of a magical shop, that pops up in different places, for almost ten years. Now it’s time for him to find a new custodian to run the shop, but it has to be just the right person. The Emporium of Imagination, as well as giving its customers incredible experiences and taking them back to special memories, has a unique purpose. To give those who have grief in their heart the opportunity to have that conversation they never had, to fulfil that dream that passed them by, to talk once again to their loved ones and tell them what they always wanted to say.
This book was EVERYTHING. Magical, heartbreaking, funny and thought provoking. Honestly, after reading both of Tabitha Bird’s books, I am quite sure she could turn a shopping list into a magical experience I’d never want to end. I fell in love with so many characters and empathised with their individual pain. The existence of the special book, The Owner’s Guide to Grieving, in The Emporium of Imagination is something I wished I could pull out of the book and call into being in the real world. I don’t want to say too much about it, because the beauty of it is best experienced for the first time, but in a world where people are often afraid to share their grief, The Owner’s Guide to Grieving would be a very special thing.
A whimsical, magical and emotional read that deals so well with the rollercoaster of grief, I honestly want to put The Emporium of Imagination in front of everyone!
March 16, 2021
Thank you Penguin for sending us a copy to read and review.
A magical, whimsical, heartfelt and enchanting drama about a little shop that travels around to help people deal with and process their grief.
One extraordinary day in the small town of Boonah, a curious shop appears.
The Emporium of Imagination offers the most incredible gifts and helps those in need to contact loved ones lost.
For two members of the community, Ann and Enoch it gives them a precious and memorable time.
For the owner Mr Umbray, it’s time to hand over the keys and seek a new supervisor.
But nothing goes quite to plan and each will experience something they never dreamed of and go on a journey of life and self discovery.
A pleasing adventure full of happiness, loss, hurt, love, pain and once you have closed the book it will leave you with a smile and a few tears.
It was a slow start for me and took me a little while to get used to the fantasy and fanciful style of storytelling running throughout and once I did I found I appreciated it more and did rather enjoy it.
Tabitha has the ability to transport the reader to a world of illusion and creativity, making it seem very realistic.
Full of quirky characters, dreamy moments and heartbreaking cast stories that will play the heart strings.
A tale that will carry you away on a spellbinding ride.
A magical, whimsical, heartfelt and enchanting drama about a little shop that travels around to help people deal with and process their grief.
One extraordinary day in the small town of Boonah, a curious shop appears.
The Emporium of Imagination offers the most incredible gifts and helps those in need to contact loved ones lost.
For two members of the community, Ann and Enoch it gives them a precious and memorable time.
For the owner Mr Umbray, it’s time to hand over the keys and seek a new supervisor.
But nothing goes quite to plan and each will experience something they never dreamed of and go on a journey of life and self discovery.
A pleasing adventure full of happiness, loss, hurt, love, pain and once you have closed the book it will leave you with a smile and a few tears.
It was a slow start for me and took me a little while to get used to the fantasy and fanciful style of storytelling running throughout and once I did I found I appreciated it more and did rather enjoy it.
Tabitha has the ability to transport the reader to a world of illusion and creativity, making it seem very realistic.
Full of quirky characters, dreamy moments and heartbreaking cast stories that will play the heart strings.
A tale that will carry you away on a spellbinding ride.
March 5, 2021
Wow... I FELT this book from the start. I could feel the town, the people in the town, the shop and Oh the Book of Grief... I really felt like someone was sharing their grief with me and I wanted to turn around or look under my desk and find the book there for myself. Tabitha's ability to develop characters (people and objects) is mind blowing and such a talent. I don't want to give too much away here because I want everyone to find their own way through this book... but how amazing would be to have the Emporium there when everyone needs it and to experience that sense of community. Just like when I finished her first book I had to hug it for a little while. I won't forget Enoch, Ann, Earlatidge, Issac, Pickled Onion and all the Boonah characters for quite sometime. Keep loving, writing and sharing Tabitha... I can't wait for what comes next :)
May 25, 2023
Kniha tak silná, že vám srdce rozdrtí napadtrť, aby jej následně v závěru slepila magickou silou slov. Naprosto omračující studie zármutku, kterou budete chtít číst znovu a znovu.
May 4, 2023
This is quite simply the most beautiful book. It affected me immensely.
All the feels 💗 and all the stars ☄
*** FULL REVIEW TO COME ***
(recovering from a bug 🐛)
All the feels 💗 and all the stars ☄
*** FULL REVIEW TO COME ***
(recovering from a bug 🐛)
June 12, 2021
Everyone needs a little magic in their lives right now and Tabitha Bird delivers the goods in her second novel, The Emporium Of Imagination. I adored Bird’s debut story, A Lifetime of Impossible Days, so I had high hopes coming into this. This second book helped Bird deal with the death of her beloved grandmother, and I could feel the warmth and love pouring out of the pages. From the opening lines, I was whisked away to Boonah where I got to know the people of this small town. All of them had their own relatable problems to deal with but the focus was on the protagonists Earlatidge, Ann and Enoch. Through these three, Bird explores life and death, second chances, family, childhood, secrets, disaster, terminal illness and much, much more all with a touch of alchemy.
Earlatidge Hubert Umbray….what a fantastical name and character! From the start I had a lot of trouble with pronouncing such an unusual name in my head but as I delved deeper into his life it grew on me. I loved learning how Earlatidge got this name as it spoke volumes about his feelings towards his family. Earlatidge’s family remained a mystery for a long time as he was the custodian of most astonishing shop to ever be conceived, The Emporium Of Imagination.
The special shop moved from place to place, choosing where it would put down its roots, popping up overnight and filling itself with things that the people of the new town needed. No matter where it opened, the residents all needed, along with other things, the opportunity to speak to friends or family who were deceased. Like in the book, The Phone Box At The End Of The World, it was on a telephone but these were catered for each individual. Who wouldn’t take the chance to speak to a loved one just one more time?
With Earlatidge’s custodianship coming to an end, his focus was to find the new custodian and shopkeeper. Finding those two people was a difficult journey for Earlatidge and I could feel his panic kick in as he slowly started to disappear. It left me curious as to what Earlatidge was as his limbs vanished one by one. When the shop itself becomes sick, locating the pair becomes a race against the clock.
Ann and Enoch were both carrying secrets that weighed down their souls. Ann was a nurse returning to Boonah so she could be close to her grandmother, who was dying. Like many relationships between a grandmother and granddaughter, theirs was special. I could sense the affection Bird had for her grandmother and it brought to mind my own grandmother. While being in Boonah eases Ann’s conscious, Ann must still come to terms with her actions in the past. Will ten year old Enoch bring her solace?
Despite having to grow up quickly, Enoch had a wonderful imagination that he was still able to hold onto. It’s a pity that society doesn’t embrace this quality more in children and it disappears as they get older. This bode Enoch well as he was mourning the loss of his father. He carried the burden of believing he was responsible for his dad’s death. A little boy could never be to blame, and my heart broke for Enoch. I knew that the pair were connected in some way, the most obvious being that Ann and Enoch’s father were once a couple. I was glad this was not the case as it made their journey unpredictable. Learning how was well worth the wait as they were able to help each other heal.
The Emporium Of Imagination is magical realism at its best.
Earlatidge Hubert Umbray….what a fantastical name and character! From the start I had a lot of trouble with pronouncing such an unusual name in my head but as I delved deeper into his life it grew on me. I loved learning how Earlatidge got this name as it spoke volumes about his feelings towards his family. Earlatidge’s family remained a mystery for a long time as he was the custodian of most astonishing shop to ever be conceived, The Emporium Of Imagination.
The special shop moved from place to place, choosing where it would put down its roots, popping up overnight and filling itself with things that the people of the new town needed. No matter where it opened, the residents all needed, along with other things, the opportunity to speak to friends or family who were deceased. Like in the book, The Phone Box At The End Of The World, it was on a telephone but these were catered for each individual. Who wouldn’t take the chance to speak to a loved one just one more time?
With Earlatidge’s custodianship coming to an end, his focus was to find the new custodian and shopkeeper. Finding those two people was a difficult journey for Earlatidge and I could feel his panic kick in as he slowly started to disappear. It left me curious as to what Earlatidge was as his limbs vanished one by one. When the shop itself becomes sick, locating the pair becomes a race against the clock.
Ann and Enoch were both carrying secrets that weighed down their souls. Ann was a nurse returning to Boonah so she could be close to her grandmother, who was dying. Like many relationships between a grandmother and granddaughter, theirs was special. I could sense the affection Bird had for her grandmother and it brought to mind my own grandmother. While being in Boonah eases Ann’s conscious, Ann must still come to terms with her actions in the past. Will ten year old Enoch bring her solace?
Despite having to grow up quickly, Enoch had a wonderful imagination that he was still able to hold onto. It’s a pity that society doesn’t embrace this quality more in children and it disappears as they get older. This bode Enoch well as he was mourning the loss of his father. He carried the burden of believing he was responsible for his dad’s death. A little boy could never be to blame, and my heart broke for Enoch. I knew that the pair were connected in some way, the most obvious being that Ann and Enoch’s father were once a couple. I was glad this was not the case as it made their journey unpredictable. Learning how was well worth the wait as they were able to help each other heal.
The Emporium Of Imagination is magical realism at its best.
August 23, 2022
[IN PROGRESS]
The Emporium of Imagination is another enchantingly imaginative novel from Queensland (Australia) author Tabitha Bird. Like her debut novel A Lifetime of Impossible Days, this story weaves magical realism with gritty real-life concepts to create a gloriously immersive and thought-provoking reading experience.
The Emporium of Imagination is another enchantingly imaginative novel from Queensland (Australia) author Tabitha Bird. Like her debut novel A Lifetime of Impossible Days, this story weaves magical realism with gritty real-life concepts to create a gloriously immersive and thought-provoking reading experience.
March 19, 2021
What a beautiful, heartfelt magical book. I’m so honoured to have read it. It’s whimsical and fanciful and just gorgeous. Definitely gave me all the Mary Poppins feels. I don’t think I’ll ever forget Enoch, I think he’ll be right up there with Ponyboy for me. I couldn’t have loved it more ✨
June 13, 2021
Tabitha Bird’s second novel delights with wild imagination and her signature brand of heart-rending whimsy. This story was a gift that made me feel like my passed loved ones were right there, turning the pages with me…and who knows? Maybe they were.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 198 reviews