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The Bookshop on Jacaranda Street
It’s never too late to run away from home!
Helen burns her bed and her bridges when she leaves home to run a second hand bookshop. But can you ever really discard the past? For starters there are thousands of musty books to sort through. Then her sons return home with more baggage than a Qantas 747 and on top of all that the drunk who sold her the bookshop is determined to muscle his way back into the business.
Helen desperately wants life to be a literary novel but it’s looking more and more like a pile of pulp fiction. As quirky characters browse the shelves of her bookshop, Helen fights for the right to choose a future that is not yet written.
Helen burns her bed and her bridges when she leaves home to run a second hand bookshop. But can you ever really discard the past? For starters there are thousands of musty books to sort through. Then her sons return home with more baggage than a Qantas 747 and on top of all that the drunk who sold her the bookshop is determined to muscle his way back into the business.
Helen desperately wants life to be a literary novel but it’s looking more and more like a pile of pulp fiction. As quirky characters browse the shelves of her bookshop, Helen fights for the right to choose a future that is not yet written.
290 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2009
6 people are currently reading
127 people want to read
About the author
Marlish Glorie
2 books17 followersMarlish Glorie is a short story writer and novelist who lives in Western Australia, where she also teaches creative writing at the Fremantle Arts Centre.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
April 23, 2024
EXCERPT: Armed with an arsenal of cleaning products, cloths, buckets ladder and tools, Helen went at the old building with the relentless force of a prosecution lawyer hammering a witness under cross-examination. The grubby bookshop's defence was meagre and came to pieces under Helen's scrutiny, surrendering up its filth to her tireless hands.
The irony that she had left one dump to land in another did not escape her. But this time she was free to do as she pleased; for once, junk was subordinate to her. And she didn't want Vivian's help; she wanted this job, she'd earned the right to throw out whatever and however she pleased.
ABOUT 'THE BOOKSHOP ON JACARANDA STREET': Helen can’t sleep. Her husband’s hoarding tendencies have taken over not only their house, but their marriage too, and she needs out. In a moment of desperation, Helen burns her bed, and leaves. Seeking to rediscover herself, she rather spontaneously seizes the opportunity to buy a run-down secondhand bookstore. But when her two adult sons unexpectedly return home with their own problems, Helen’s attempt to turn her life into something out of a literary novel starts to look like more of a comedy of errors. As quirky characters browse the shelves of The Book Maze, and relationships are put to the test, Helen fights to write her own happy ending to her story.
MY THOUGHTS: The Bookshop on Jacaranda Street is the book that ended my reading slump. I loved this Australian family drama which begins with Helen chopping up and setting on fire the bed she cannot sleep on, dragged home from some deceased estate by her husband Arnold who has become an inveterate hoarder.
Helen is rather judgmental. She judges books by their cover, people by their appearance. She's probably not the best person to own a second-hand bookstore, especially when she believes that anyone who doesn't read classics is ill-educated. Thank goodness for Vivian her younger son who, although he suffers from depression, has a far more realistic grip on what customers want.
There are some wonderful characters; not the least is Razoo who is illiterate but owns a second-hand book warehouse.
This story is quirky, poignant, entertaining and utterly charming. Once started, I only put it down when I went to sleep, and then not voluntarily. Marlish Glorie tells a story of love and loss, of the harm of long-term hoarding, of grieving and the bonds of a very dysfunctional family.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#TheBookshoponJacarandaStreet @FremantlePress
THE AUTHOR: Marlish Glorie is a novelist, short-story writer, mentor and teacher of creative writing. Marlish loves in Perth, Western Australia with her husband Lindsay.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Fremantle Press for providing a copy of The Bookshop on Jacaranda Street for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
The irony that she had left one dump to land in another did not escape her. But this time she was free to do as she pleased; for once, junk was subordinate to her. And she didn't want Vivian's help; she wanted this job, she'd earned the right to throw out whatever and however she pleased.
ABOUT 'THE BOOKSHOP ON JACARANDA STREET': Helen can’t sleep. Her husband’s hoarding tendencies have taken over not only their house, but their marriage too, and she needs out. In a moment of desperation, Helen burns her bed, and leaves. Seeking to rediscover herself, she rather spontaneously seizes the opportunity to buy a run-down secondhand bookstore. But when her two adult sons unexpectedly return home with their own problems, Helen’s attempt to turn her life into something out of a literary novel starts to look like more of a comedy of errors. As quirky characters browse the shelves of The Book Maze, and relationships are put to the test, Helen fights to write her own happy ending to her story.
MY THOUGHTS: The Bookshop on Jacaranda Street is the book that ended my reading slump. I loved this Australian family drama which begins with Helen chopping up and setting on fire the bed she cannot sleep on, dragged home from some deceased estate by her husband Arnold who has become an inveterate hoarder.
Helen is rather judgmental. She judges books by their cover, people by their appearance. She's probably not the best person to own a second-hand bookstore, especially when she believes that anyone who doesn't read classics is ill-educated. Thank goodness for Vivian her younger son who, although he suffers from depression, has a far more realistic grip on what customers want.
There are some wonderful characters; not the least is Razoo who is illiterate but owns a second-hand book warehouse.
This story is quirky, poignant, entertaining and utterly charming. Once started, I only put it down when I went to sleep, and then not voluntarily. Marlish Glorie tells a story of love and loss, of the harm of long-term hoarding, of grieving and the bonds of a very dysfunctional family.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#TheBookshoponJacarandaStreet @FremantlePress
THE AUTHOR: Marlish Glorie is a novelist, short-story writer, mentor and teacher of creative writing. Marlish loves in Perth, Western Australia with her husband Lindsay.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Fremantle Press for providing a copy of The Bookshop on Jacaranda Street for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
November 20, 2023
This edition is a rerelease of the author's debut novel, originally published 2009, with a gorgeous cover more fitting 2023. The story itself though lacks a modern feel. A different type of book about a bookshop, there are MANY threads popped into this story which makes it quite busy, and a little crowded.
Helen's marriage is crumbling, her husband is a hoarder and she's had enough. The story moves along to the neighbouring couple, who themselves have their own domestic problems, Astrid is her friend so invites her to live with them.
Helen stumbles into making an underhanded deal to buy a crumbling store, her sons have returned to the fold at the same time. One helps her in the store, and the other helps his father attempt to lessen the junk pile at home.
There are many lies and many points of dysfunction, to the point the reader finds it all a little unbelievable. I'm a reader who prefers to like the protagonist, and I didn't like Helen. She judged people's reading habits; she judged people. Although as the story went on she tried to change this.
Sadly though, his choice of science fiction seemed characteristic of his generation and type. Helen determined that the young man needed re-educating.
Fornicating no doubt, breeding more children of a romantic persuasion. Was there no shame? She sneered at the cheap paperbacks, a shabby lot which remained shy beneath her judgemental eye.
The harshness of Helen made the tone a harsh one to the book in general. This isn't a soft book, the characters are flawed and marriages all breaking, the folk quite unhappy. The characters did not seem real to me, perhaps written in a voice older for their age.
Other readers may enjoy this more than I, this is a contemporary read, leaving me feeling quite sad for all of the characters. A good point to note here is that the protagonist isn't young and beautiful, she is a more mature age which is always refreshing!
With my thanks to @freemantlepress for a physical copy of this very pretty book.
Helen's marriage is crumbling, her husband is a hoarder and she's had enough. The story moves along to the neighbouring couple, who themselves have their own domestic problems, Astrid is her friend so invites her to live with them.
Helen stumbles into making an underhanded deal to buy a crumbling store, her sons have returned to the fold at the same time. One helps her in the store, and the other helps his father attempt to lessen the junk pile at home.
There are many lies and many points of dysfunction, to the point the reader finds it all a little unbelievable. I'm a reader who prefers to like the protagonist, and I didn't like Helen. She judged people's reading habits; she judged people. Although as the story went on she tried to change this.
Sadly though, his choice of science fiction seemed characteristic of his generation and type. Helen determined that the young man needed re-educating.
Fornicating no doubt, breeding more children of a romantic persuasion. Was there no shame? She sneered at the cheap paperbacks, a shabby lot which remained shy beneath her judgemental eye.
The harshness of Helen made the tone a harsh one to the book in general. This isn't a soft book, the characters are flawed and marriages all breaking, the folk quite unhappy. The characters did not seem real to me, perhaps written in a voice older for their age.
Other readers may enjoy this more than I, this is a contemporary read, leaving me feeling quite sad for all of the characters. A good point to note here is that the protagonist isn't young and beautiful, she is a more mature age which is always refreshing!
With my thanks to @freemantlepress for a physical copy of this very pretty book.
July 25, 2023
The Bookshop on Jacaranda Street was originally published in 2009 and has been re-released by Fremantle Press with a new, modern updated cover.
The book opens on quite a dramatic scene as Helen has had enough of her husband's hoarding and living with dead people's belongings, she drags her bed outside and attacks it with an axe.
Helen, hoping to start a new life, eventually leaves her husband and with the help of her long-time neighbour, Astrid, she buys an old rundown bookshop.
I quite enjoyed this quirky and poignant story about the messiness that is family. Glorie shows how serious hoarding can destroy relationships. Helen and Arnold's two sons had left home to get away from the mess and they very rarely saw them but when they heard their mother had actually left their father, both boys found their way home.
Marlish Glorie's writing is witty and candid. I felt this story was a bit of a tragi-comedy. It's a story of love, loss and grief, of second chances and doing the best you can. I loved the finely nuanced characters, all inexplicably tied to each other. The story is funny at times and at other times quite profound.
I'm a bit of a hoarder myself, not to the extent that Arnold hoards, but I love teacups and teapots. And of course books!
This quote in the book had me in stitches, because this is exactly what I tell my children. 🤣🤣
The Bookshop on Jacaranda Street may not be to everyone's liking, but I loved it!
The book opens on quite a dramatic scene as Helen has had enough of her husband's hoarding and living with dead people's belongings, she drags her bed outside and attacks it with an axe.
Helen, hoping to start a new life, eventually leaves her husband and with the help of her long-time neighbour, Astrid, she buys an old rundown bookshop.
I quite enjoyed this quirky and poignant story about the messiness that is family. Glorie shows how serious hoarding can destroy relationships. Helen and Arnold's two sons had left home to get away from the mess and they very rarely saw them but when they heard their mother had actually left their father, both boys found their way home.
Marlish Glorie's writing is witty and candid. I felt this story was a bit of a tragi-comedy. It's a story of love, loss and grief, of second chances and doing the best you can. I loved the finely nuanced characters, all inexplicably tied to each other. The story is funny at times and at other times quite profound.
I'm a bit of a hoarder myself, not to the extent that Arnold hoards, but I love teacups and teapots. And of course books!
This quote in the book had me in stitches, because this is exactly what I tell my children. 🤣🤣
"One day, all this will be yours. And Vivian's. It's your inheritance. I've been thinking about your future."
The Bookshop on Jacaranda Street may not be to everyone's liking, but I loved it!
January 22, 2013
I love books, bookshops and Fremantle (where the book is set) so I really wanted to love this book which combines all three. Unfortunately I didn't love it. I think it was because I didn't like any of the characters which for me is so important in a great novel. Saying that, it is an easy read and you can still sniff the paint on the bookshop walls.
August 3, 2023
Thank you to the Author and Fremantle Press for a complimentary copy of this book. It was recently republished and given a lovely green new cover.
This is a story of a family unit that broke apart and then found a way to rebuild; both together and separately. It proves that family isn't always blood, with friends and new faces stepping in over time. The relationship building was my favourite aspect of the book, but I'll admit I struggled at times with the sudden drama in some chapters. There just seemed to be too much going at points, which spread my focus a little too thin.
As someone who knows the Fremantle area well, it was interesting to see the book shop and surrounding area described, and compare that to what I know of the area. I love how beautiful the architecture is in Fremantle and there are so many lovely book shops. Many times in the book I wished I could step into that building and enjoy the stunning layout!
This is a story of a family unit that broke apart and then found a way to rebuild; both together and separately. It proves that family isn't always blood, with friends and new faces stepping in over time. The relationship building was my favourite aspect of the book, but I'll admit I struggled at times with the sudden drama in some chapters. There just seemed to be too much going at points, which spread my focus a little too thin.
As someone who knows the Fremantle area well, it was interesting to see the book shop and surrounding area described, and compare that to what I know of the area. I love how beautiful the architecture is in Fremantle and there are so many lovely book shops. Many times in the book I wished I could step into that building and enjoy the stunning layout!
April 24, 2023
What a lovely read this book was! It was a bit slow to start, and it took a while for me to get into it, but once Helen bought a very old and battered book shop, it started to become a beautiful story!
As the bookshop renovations unfold and the shop starts to resemble a proper bookstore we learn about Helen’s troubled marriage, her sons, her friends and new people that enter her life.
I loved Helen! She wanted to help everyone and really gave the bookstore a good go! She didn’t judge people either which I really admired!
There were many themes lightly touched on in this book; relationship breakdowns, depression, struggling with motherhood and gambling. They all made the book what it was, a great story, and a reminder that everyone has their own issues they are dealing with.
Thank you @fremantlepress for sending me this review copy in exchange for an honest review.
As the bookshop renovations unfold and the shop starts to resemble a proper bookstore we learn about Helen’s troubled marriage, her sons, her friends and new people that enter her life.
I loved Helen! She wanted to help everyone and really gave the bookstore a good go! She didn’t judge people either which I really admired!
There were many themes lightly touched on in this book; relationship breakdowns, depression, struggling with motherhood and gambling. They all made the book what it was, a great story, and a reminder that everyone has their own issues they are dealing with.
Thank you @fremantlepress for sending me this review copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 8, 2024
I do love a dysfunctional family, and this book has one in spades!
I thought I would like and sympathize with Helen, but I grew to dislike her judgemental attitude. She liked being a victim and really played into that role in all her relationships. I actually really loved Arnold, and I didn't think I would.
Now Astrid, the childless neighbour, was a breath of fresh air. Full of insight and a wonderful turn of phrase she really bought the book to a great place.
With grief being the underlying theme this book could have been a hard and emotional slog, but the diverse characters littered throughout gave a hard topic a softer edge.
I thought I would like and sympathize with Helen, but I grew to dislike her judgemental attitude. She liked being a victim and really played into that role in all her relationships. I actually really loved Arnold, and I didn't think I would.
Now Astrid, the childless neighbour, was a breath of fresh air. Full of insight and a wonderful turn of phrase she really bought the book to a great place.
With grief being the underlying theme this book could have been a hard and emotional slog, but the diverse characters littered throughout gave a hard topic a softer edge.
Read
July 1, 2024DNF
September 28, 2020
2.5 stars. An easy read, which I found enjoyable after a few months of reading only fiction. I don't think I would have enjoyed the book as much following a few novels.
The book quickly branched into several stories, delving into the lives of nearly every character in the book. It felt like the author realised too late that all their stories would have to be wound up somehow. Some of these endings were unsatisfying, unrealistic, rushed, and lazy.
The main character was verging on likeable but still seemed self-centred in the final pages, despite much character growth.
I wouldn't tell anyone not to read this book. But I wouldn't recommend it to anyone either.
The book quickly branched into several stories, delving into the lives of nearly every character in the book. It felt like the author realised too late that all their stories would have to be wound up somehow. Some of these endings were unsatisfying, unrealistic, rushed, and lazy.
The main character was verging on likeable but still seemed self-centred in the final pages, despite much character growth.
I wouldn't tell anyone not to read this book. But I wouldn't recommend it to anyone either.
December 30, 2014
This book made it to 3 stars because mostly it keeps the pages turning. The story itself had promise (hoarder hiding his grief / fed up wife leaves home to live next door / damaged sons return home to sort father/mother and themselves out) but became a bit neat and tied up with a a bow, at times. Other times, it swerved away from the neat bow but became unsatisfactory and unbelievable. Unsophisticated writing - but readable - always like reading about bookshops and books. I probably expected more because it is from Fremantle Press.
February 3, 2010
Probably 2 and a half stars would be more accurate. I probably wouldn't deliberately mention it to anyone I know but I did like it. A quick read essentially exploring the effect of grief at the loss of a loved one and the long term effects. The Bookshop on Jacaranda Street is full of eccentric characters that are likeable, but difficult to relate to. I didn't really warm to Helen much and felt the last chapter was out of place. Still a quiet read - I miss Fremantle :(
May 10, 2009
I really wanted to like this - there can never be enough books written about bookshops and set in Australia.
Having said that, I found the tone a little sinster at times and the characters unrealistic (not to mention completely dysfunctional!)
While it was a relatively easy and quick read, it left a sour taste in my mouth and a sense of great disappointment.
Having said that, I found the tone a little sinster at times and the characters unrealistic (not to mention completely dysfunctional!)
While it was a relatively easy and quick read, it left a sour taste in my mouth and a sense of great disappointment.
January 21, 2015
characters totally unbelievable
like cartoons except presented as realistic. all interactions, inner thoughts, and conversations seem totally, unhuman.
feels like the author just isn't very good at writing.
like cartoons except presented as realistic. all interactions, inner thoughts, and conversations seem totally, unhuman.
feels like the author just isn't very good at writing.
July 28, 2011
A lovey little read. I dream of owning, working in and living in a bookshop! If only my neighbour would give me $350,000! The constant house swapping of all the characters had me baffled though!
March 3, 2012
Quirky and eccentric, I loved this author's unique voice. The best Australian book I read in 2011.
December 11, 2017
Fremantle Press you’ve done it again, releasing another great piece of local work into the world, loved it.
September 1, 2023
This is a fairly uneven novel, and in the end I found it rather emotionally arid, with a rushed ending which tried to pack too much in without laying groundwork earlier in the novel. Although it has strengths, I found them obscured by the weaknesses.
Helen’s marriage has been in trouble for at least twenty years. The root cause can be traced back to the loss of a child. Helen and Arnold (her husband) dealt with their loss in very different ways. Helen understands what’s going on in Arnold’s head, but she can’t live with it any more. After nearly thirty years, she snaps.
Flailing about for what to do next, Helen buys a near derelict second hand bookshop, with plans to turn it into a thriving business. Unfortunately, she hadn’t foreseen the extra-ordinary range of problems life is going to offer her in the next few months.
The novel does have some real strengths. I liked the writing style. The observational, wry tone works well, and there are some occasional wonderful turns of phrase. The plot is believable enough, and the actions of the characters credible and convincing.
The biggest failing for me was the lack of emotional engagement. Early on, the emotions depicted are believable and draw you into the character’s lives. However, for me there was something lacking: that indefinable something that makes you feel their emotions. I felt a little too much as though I was observing, not feeling.
This is compounded by the sheer number of characters Glorie tries to get us emotionally involved with. She handles Helen and Art quite well, but by the time she’s added their two sons, the neighbour couple, Ella the dentist, and assorted friends… well, although I found the descriptions of their emotions believable and each character interesting, there just wasn’t quite enough for me to feel for them.
As a result, I found it a bit problematic how well everything was rounded off at the end of the novel. Every character has a nice neat ending. I know a lot of readers appreciate this, but it felt kinda rushed and hard to believe that everyone could come to a credible resolution of major problems at the same time.
If you read this uncritically, it’s a pleasant family drama. It’s well written, easy to read and with flashes of really good writing. Events flow plausibly and it’s easy to keep track of the characters. Plenty of readers will find that this offers enough to meet their needs.
But for me, it fell a little short of what I expected.
An edited version of this review first appeared on www.beautyandlace.net as part of their bookclub.
If you enjoyed this review, please visit www.otherdreamsotherlives.home.blog to read more.
Helen’s marriage has been in trouble for at least twenty years. The root cause can be traced back to the loss of a child. Helen and Arnold (her husband) dealt with their loss in very different ways. Helen understands what’s going on in Arnold’s head, but she can’t live with it any more. After nearly thirty years, she snaps.
Flailing about for what to do next, Helen buys a near derelict second hand bookshop, with plans to turn it into a thriving business. Unfortunately, she hadn’t foreseen the extra-ordinary range of problems life is going to offer her in the next few months.
The novel does have some real strengths. I liked the writing style. The observational, wry tone works well, and there are some occasional wonderful turns of phrase. The plot is believable enough, and the actions of the characters credible and convincing.
The biggest failing for me was the lack of emotional engagement. Early on, the emotions depicted are believable and draw you into the character’s lives. However, for me there was something lacking: that indefinable something that makes you feel their emotions. I felt a little too much as though I was observing, not feeling.
This is compounded by the sheer number of characters Glorie tries to get us emotionally involved with. She handles Helen and Art quite well, but by the time she’s added their two sons, the neighbour couple, Ella the dentist, and assorted friends… well, although I found the descriptions of their emotions believable and each character interesting, there just wasn’t quite enough for me to feel for them.
As a result, I found it a bit problematic how well everything was rounded off at the end of the novel. Every character has a nice neat ending. I know a lot of readers appreciate this, but it felt kinda rushed and hard to believe that everyone could come to a credible resolution of major problems at the same time.
If you read this uncritically, it’s a pleasant family drama. It’s well written, easy to read and with flashes of really good writing. Events flow plausibly and it’s easy to keep track of the characters. Plenty of readers will find that this offers enough to meet their needs.
But for me, it fell a little short of what I expected.
An edited version of this review first appeared on www.beautyandlace.net as part of their bookclub.
If you enjoyed this review, please visit www.otherdreamsotherlives.home.blog to read more.
June 27, 2023
I absolutely loved this book, hooked from the surprise beginning. Helen, rather fed up with her hoarder husband, chops her bed up (which her husband dragged home at some stage) and burns it on the lawn, to her own surprise as well as her neighbour Astrid, who looks on at the burning with great interest then invites her in for some cocoa and a chat, then invites her to move in, then unexpectedly gifts her an enormous sum of money to make a new start. It's a marvellously quirky start to a terrific book, full of wit and unexpected twists and turns. When her two adult sons turn up out of the blue, both at a crossroads of life and not coping well themselves, Helen impulsively decides to buy a bookshop and enlists their help. I found one of the funniest things about the bookshop was that Helen was a little bit of a book snob. She thought everyone should be reading worthwhile classics, not 'rubbish' books like Westerns, crime, romance and such, and let's not even begin to talk about fantasy or sci-fi. Her attitude to the customers who want those sorts of books is rather dreadful to start with. And the customers! Booksellers will recognise some of the 'types', but the author has had fun with a whole heap of unusual book buyers. The story's not just about books, of course. It's about a family who's had tremendous struggles, and how the bed burning and Helen moving out is the catalyst for them all to rethink their lives. It's wonderful, actually, very endearing to read and full of humour and heart. I do recommend it!
Thanks so much to Beauty & Lace Bookclub and Fremantle Press for the review copy.
Thanks so much to Beauty & Lace Bookclub and Fremantle Press for the review copy.
June 21, 2023
✍️ Helen is unhappy with her marriage and her husband's hoarding habits which has taken over their home and their marriage. In a moment of anger she burns her bed and moves out. When an opportunity arises she decides to buy a run-down second hand bookshop in hopes of rediscovering her own identity. When her two sons return home with their own problems and new people enter their lives, Helen must find a way to make her own life better than she did in the past.
This book was SIMPLY DELIGHTFUL. I was immersed in the Heartening, Lovely and Cosy Atmosphere of the story that was Gracefully Written and put into words so Elegantly.
I love to read books about books so the bookshop setting and the title captured my attention and my interest from start to finish.
The story was filled with a variety of emotions that were expressed in a way that was very real and insightful.
I adored the well crafted characters and their quirks and personalities that shined through. There was a plentitude of stories that were conveyed throughout within the main story which I felt blended perfectly with each other along with the numerous character point of views.
Highly recommend!
This book was SIMPLY DELIGHTFUL. I was immersed in the Heartening, Lovely and Cosy Atmosphere of the story that was Gracefully Written and put into words so Elegantly.
I love to read books about books so the bookshop setting and the title captured my attention and my interest from start to finish.
The story was filled with a variety of emotions that were expressed in a way that was very real and insightful.
I adored the well crafted characters and their quirks and personalities that shined through. There was a plentitude of stories that were conveyed throughout within the main story which I felt blended perfectly with each other along with the numerous character point of views.
Highly recommend!
August 27, 2023
Yes this was a very agreeable read. I liked the way that all the characters became cognisant of their situations and made an effort to do something about it. There were no sudden fixes nor any happily ever afters, but small changes to improve the things they did not like in their life and get on with facing something more optimistic for the future. It was somewhat sad, yet hopeful.
January 29, 2024
What starts off as a seemingly typical story about a suburban family with their fair share of peculiarities, stress and heartbreak - turns into an absolutely riveting read, with lots of funny and poignant moments. I read the whole book in a day and enjoyed every moment of it.
December 18, 2019
I really enjoyed reading this book. It's great. Lots of wonderful characters. Terrific story.
March 11, 2021
Really really enjoyed this book. 4.5 stars
Beautifully written, great characters and I loved the last passage of the book. Great WA local author
Beautifully written, great characters and I loved the last passage of the book. Great WA local author
May 3, 2023
"When the familiarity of conflict is all you have you stay, you just do"
July 10, 2023
Easy to read story about a normal but fed up mother, and how she changed the course of her entire slightly dysfunctional family.
March 28, 2025
Wasnt really sure where this was going go go and dome of the characters i really didnt like. It was an ok book but felt a bit fluffy
July 4, 2023
The Bookshop on Jacaranda Street by Australian author Marlish Glorie is a heart-warming contemporary women's novel embarking on a transformational journey.
Helen Budd-Doyle is a woman who is ready to reclaim her life. Trapped for twenty-nine years in a marriage living with a hoarder she has had enough, enough to the point she gets up at 5am and chops her bed to smithereens and sets it alight. As she watches it burn, she feels the nightmares of the past incinerate, but never the grief of losing her first born, Leif.
Arnold Budd-Doyle a self-employed gardener, he hates his job and despised his clients, his true love is searching the tips for anything valuable and accepting his clients’ cast offs to add to his collection. He knows Helen isn’t impressed with all he has accumulated but he wants more out of life than just mowing lawns.
Not wanting to return home Helen’s friend and neighbour Astrid and her husband Hendel invite her to stay. When she knew Arnold would be at work, she packed a bag and left him a note “I have gone for good. Living with Astrid.”
If there was one thing Helen loved in life it was books, she was an addict and would source them from everywhere. When an unexpected windfall lands in her lap and an offer to buy a dilapidated second-hand bookstore from a man in a pub arises her dreams have come true, and she grabs the opportunity.
Unexpectedly Helen and Arnolds two sons Gabriel and Vivian return home with their own issues, they try to assist their parents, but sibling rivalry occurs, and it seems they are creating more chaos than helping. Has Helen made the right decision?
The narrative style is liberating, entertaining, and rejuvenating to engage readers and make them feel like part of the story. I loved the well-crafted, small-town feel with characters who you’ll miss long after you have put the book down. So many layers, some surprises, twist and turns, filled with humour, wit, and laugh out loud moments whilst exploring the ups and downs of marriage and family life.
Glorie has created a joyous, and incredibly relatable protagonist in Helen, she felt like a friend I had known all my life; charismatic, caring, a little bit problematic, yet so very lovable. It was great to see her evolve and become stronger, you wish nothing but the best for her or at the very least some resolution and contentment.
I adored the supporting cast of characters, I was pulled into their quirky lives and resonated with the complex interweaving of their relationships. The description of the bookstore had me picturing every scene in vivid detail. The author masterfully utilized the craft of showing, not telling.
.
This novel offers hope and inspiration, the sense of accomplishment in overcoming a difficult situation is genuinely profound. As demonstrated throughout the book, our courage and actions can shape the outcomes we desire in life.
The Bookshop on Jacaranda Street is a breath of fresh air, credit goes to Marlish Glorie. I highly recommend.
Thank you, Beauty and Lace and Fremantle Press for the opportunity to read and review.
Helen Budd-Doyle is a woman who is ready to reclaim her life. Trapped for twenty-nine years in a marriage living with a hoarder she has had enough, enough to the point she gets up at 5am and chops her bed to smithereens and sets it alight. As she watches it burn, she feels the nightmares of the past incinerate, but never the grief of losing her first born, Leif.
Arnold Budd-Doyle a self-employed gardener, he hates his job and despised his clients, his true love is searching the tips for anything valuable and accepting his clients’ cast offs to add to his collection. He knows Helen isn’t impressed with all he has accumulated but he wants more out of life than just mowing lawns.
Not wanting to return home Helen’s friend and neighbour Astrid and her husband Hendel invite her to stay. When she knew Arnold would be at work, she packed a bag and left him a note “I have gone for good. Living with Astrid.”
If there was one thing Helen loved in life it was books, she was an addict and would source them from everywhere. When an unexpected windfall lands in her lap and an offer to buy a dilapidated second-hand bookstore from a man in a pub arises her dreams have come true, and she grabs the opportunity.
Unexpectedly Helen and Arnolds two sons Gabriel and Vivian return home with their own issues, they try to assist their parents, but sibling rivalry occurs, and it seems they are creating more chaos than helping. Has Helen made the right decision?
The narrative style is liberating, entertaining, and rejuvenating to engage readers and make them feel like part of the story. I loved the well-crafted, small-town feel with characters who you’ll miss long after you have put the book down. So many layers, some surprises, twist and turns, filled with humour, wit, and laugh out loud moments whilst exploring the ups and downs of marriage and family life.
Glorie has created a joyous, and incredibly relatable protagonist in Helen, she felt like a friend I had known all my life; charismatic, caring, a little bit problematic, yet so very lovable. It was great to see her evolve and become stronger, you wish nothing but the best for her or at the very least some resolution and contentment.
I adored the supporting cast of characters, I was pulled into their quirky lives and resonated with the complex interweaving of their relationships. The description of the bookstore had me picturing every scene in vivid detail. The author masterfully utilized the craft of showing, not telling.
.
This novel offers hope and inspiration, the sense of accomplishment in overcoming a difficult situation is genuinely profound. As demonstrated throughout the book, our courage and actions can shape the outcomes we desire in life.
The Bookshop on Jacaranda Street is a breath of fresh air, credit goes to Marlish Glorie. I highly recommend.
Thank you, Beauty and Lace and Fremantle Press for the opportunity to read and review.
May 20, 2014
So many stories in a story. The Bookshop On Jacaranda Street is deceptive, it could be three books, yet there is pleasure in its simplicity and the fact that the tale is a common one.
The story centres around Helen and Arnold and their family but quickly spread to a considerable cast of characters no doubt similar to many lives. Helen and Arnold's lives have been rocked struggling to recover from the death of a child. It is the final downward spiral, the constant nightmares that makes Helen burn her bed and leave the house, setting in motion events that change the family and the families around them.
I first read the Bookshop as a final draft before publication and I have just reread it - finding the book in a tea chest after travelling. I was taken with it and sat down by the unpacking, engrossed. It is a tale of families beset by grief that can destroy or make bonds, and of misunderstandings that turn to grievances that can hurt so many. Yet there is light in this book.
Glorie has a way of expressing tough moments with a lightness and irony that catches you unawares yet strikes a chord.
As the childless Astrid considers,
' ...you wear discontentment because it has become comfortable. Until if you are fortunate enough, it simply falls away, like rotten fruit off a tree.'
There are striking metaphors through out the book, as in describing Helen's initial impression of the Bookshop
'the interior resembled autumn with its books brittle and warped and pages yellow and curled and detached from their branches and fallen onto the floor where they drifted to the outer edges, decomposing..'
In the conversations you hear the characters and you know them. Some characters had no sympathy for other characters until life's events change their thinking and it begs that reflection in the reader's life.
There is a lot in this book, a lot of everydayness, bringing to fore exactly the angst and joy of everydayness. The Bookshop on Jacaranda Street comes across as a light read but there is much in it that strikes a chord, would strike a chord in everyone's life. It is touching and clever and at times acerbic. It is worth a read simply for its subterranean comment on the state of the literary world.
The story centres around Helen and Arnold and their family but quickly spread to a considerable cast of characters no doubt similar to many lives. Helen and Arnold's lives have been rocked struggling to recover from the death of a child. It is the final downward spiral, the constant nightmares that makes Helen burn her bed and leave the house, setting in motion events that change the family and the families around them.
I first read the Bookshop as a final draft before publication and I have just reread it - finding the book in a tea chest after travelling. I was taken with it and sat down by the unpacking, engrossed. It is a tale of families beset by grief that can destroy or make bonds, and of misunderstandings that turn to grievances that can hurt so many. Yet there is light in this book.
Glorie has a way of expressing tough moments with a lightness and irony that catches you unawares yet strikes a chord.
As the childless Astrid considers,
' ...you wear discontentment because it has become comfortable. Until if you are fortunate enough, it simply falls away, like rotten fruit off a tree.'
There are striking metaphors through out the book, as in describing Helen's initial impression of the Bookshop
'the interior resembled autumn with its books brittle and warped and pages yellow and curled and detached from their branches and fallen onto the floor where they drifted to the outer edges, decomposing..'
In the conversations you hear the characters and you know them. Some characters had no sympathy for other characters until life's events change their thinking and it begs that reflection in the reader's life.
There is a lot in this book, a lot of everydayness, bringing to fore exactly the angst and joy of everydayness. The Bookshop on Jacaranda Street comes across as a light read but there is much in it that strikes a chord, would strike a chord in everyone's life. It is touching and clever and at times acerbic. It is worth a read simply for its subterranean comment on the state of the literary world.
December 3, 2024
Easy beach read. Not life changing.
February 11, 2013
I really loved this book - if you have ever been part of a disfunctional family you will understand the characters in this book completely. It showed how not dealing with grief could manifest itself in many different ways - from hoarding to depression. But in the end, its books and the Bookshop on Jacaranda Street that plays a part in saving them all and giving them new life and new purpose.
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