Another magical realism win. Small town charm and quirky characters. Fingers crossed for a sequel.
4.5 stars.
I am SUCH a sucker for magical realism. I love living vicariously through books, I tell you. The Book Charmer by Karen Hawkins is a cute story with a few quirky characters. It's one of those that fits perfectly into the trope of small town Southern magical realism and it's a book that provides all the feels in a wonderfully fantastic way.
The title of the book is apt, but still feels a little misleading given the actual plot of the book. Sarah Dove does function prominently in the development of the narrative, but I felt that Grace's story was more of the focus. Because of this, the plot was a little different than I expected, with less focus on Sarah that I really wanted based on the title, but it worked all the same. The narrative was interesting and the characters were fun and real. There was a balance of emotion within the writing and not everything was generated with a shiny exterior. I appreciated that and felt that Hawkins left quite a bit in her development of the characters and the town that I wanted to continue to explore.
Overall, The Book Charmer by Karen Hawkins was a very charming, cozy, and cute read. I loved the characters and...noting that there are some unfinished stories and that the author does have a prequel of sorts for this book already...I will be hoping for a sequel. I am longing for more!
I am SUCH a sucker for magical realism. I love living vicariously through books, I tell you. The Book Charmer by Karen Hawkins is a cute story with a few quirky characters. It's one of those that fits perfectly into the trope of small town Southern magical realism and it's a book that provides all the feels in a wonderfully fantastic way.
The title of the book is apt, but still feels a little misleading given the actual plot of the book. Sarah Dove does function prominently in the development of the narrative, but I felt that Grace's story was more of the focus. Because of this, the plot was a little different than I expected, with less focus on Sarah that I really wanted based on the title, but it worked all the same. The narrative was interesting and the characters were fun and real. There was a balance of emotion within the writing and not everything was generated with a shiny exterior. I appreciated that and felt that Hawkins left quite a bit in her development of the characters and the town that I wanted to continue to explore.
Overall, The Book Charmer by Karen Hawkins was a very charming, cozy, and cute read. I loved the characters and...noting that there are some unfinished stories and that the author does have a prequel of sorts for this book already...I will be hoping for a sequel. I am longing for more!