13 September 2024
The Storied Life Of A.J. Fikry Review & Book Club Questions
Reviewed by: Melissa Ng
Quick Facts
Book Publication Date: 1 April 2014
How I Read It: Borrowed from my local library
Where You Can Find The Storied Life Of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin: Amazon Australia* | Kobo US* | Kobo Canada*
Content & Trigger Warnings: Suicidal ideation, death, spice is talked about
The Storied Life Of A.J. Fikry Book Review
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked up The Storied Life Of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin. I had read Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow* in 2023 and loved it, so my expectations were high going in.
Unfortunately, this one didn’t quite live up to the same hype for me.
The story is set in a small town called Alice Island, and we follow A.J. Fikry, a grumpy and widowed bookstore owner. A.J.’s world is turned upside down when his rare and prized possession – a copy of Edgar Allan Poe’s Tamerlane – is stolen.
A.J. becomes careless and leaves his bookshop unlocked. When he returns, he finds a baby abandoned on the floor of his store.
A.J. is unlikeable from the start. He’s rude, selfish, and even describes the baby as “totally self-centred.” Father of the year material.
His sister-in-law sums him up perfectly:
“Aside from her husband, she believes her brother-in-law to be one of the most selfish and self-centred men she has ever met.”
Despite this, A.J. decides to adopt the baby, Maya.
I have to admit, I was confused by this decision. Why would someone as selfish as A.J. want to adopt a baby he has no connection to? It felt out of character, and I wished the book had delved deeper into his motivations.
The romance subplot is there, with the blossoming romance between A.J. and a publisher sales rep, Amelia. But it’s not the main focus.
Instead, the story is more about A.J.’s personal growth, and how Maya helps him soften his edges over time.
That being said, the pacing felt rushed. Time moves quickly in the novel, and at times its hard to know how many years have passed between chapters. I only started to really get into the story about halfway through.
The small-town setting of Alice Island reminded me of Gilmore Girls – if Luke were a bookstore owner. It’s got all the cozy fall vibes, and if you’re thinking of picking up the book, I would highly recommend reading it during the autumn/fall season.
I actually enjoyed the town dynamics and the way the community interacts with A.J. and his bookstore. I do love a book about books. It’s charming, but I wished the book was longer to flesh out these relationships more.
By the end, I wasn’t entirely sure how to rate the book. I loved Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow*, but The Storied Life Of A.J. Fikry fell a bit flat for me. I ultimately landed on three stars.
If you’re a fan of small-town settings, second chance stories, and grumpy protagonists, you might enjoy this one.
Plus, the book was adapted into a movie starring Kunal Nayyar and Lucy Hale, so if you prefer watching rather than reading, you might want to check that out too.
Favourite Quotes
But what, in this life, is more personal than books?
I love Island Books with all my heart. I do not believe in God. I have no religion. But this to me is as close to a church as I have known in this life.
The Storied Life Of A.J. Fikry Book Club Questions
- What are your impressions of A.J. as a character? Do you think he’s likeable?
- Which side character was your favourite?
- Did you like the small-town setting of Alice Island
- A.J. has certain genres of books that he dislikes and refuses to read. Are there any genres that you don’t read and why?
- Lambiase gets into reading by starting off with crime books. What genre of books got you into reading?
- What did you think of A.J.’s reaction to the e-reader? What is your preferred method of reading? Physical books, eBooks, or audiobooks?
- Do you think bookstores can thrive with the rise of digital books and audiobooks?
- Why do you think A.J. wanted to adopt Maya?
- Do you think A.J. was a good father to Maya?
- Do you think Maya’s life would be different if Daniel Parrish acknowledged her as his child?
- What did you think happened to A.J.’s copy of Tamerlane?
- Did you agree with Ismay’s motivation for stealing Tamerlane?
- If you were Lambiase, would you have confronted Ismay for stealing Tamerlane?
- Did you watch the movie adaptation? If so, what did you think?
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