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captainz's review against another edition
2.0
Can't say there's much in here that's worth reading today. Not zero, but not much. I think contemporary authors can get the valuable message across much better without so much patriarchy vomited all over it.
zbmorgan's review against another edition
4.0
Because it was written before 'genre' fiction really was invented, this book is hard to define. It is mostly a mystery, a little romance, and alot of literary criticism. The main character, Roger Mifflin, is the owner of a secondhand book store in Brooklyn. The story takes place right after WWI ended, and as it was written then, they did not know there would be another one. It is a wonderful slice of 20th century life, a charming little mystery that gets more engrossing as the book goes on, but modern readers might not enjoy it as it ocassionaly detours into literary criticism. This, however, is one of the things that sets it apart for me, and regardless of how versed you are in turn of the century books, the authors passion for them shines through.
For more on Victorian lit, a publisher is trying to bring back some of the forgotten greats. http://www.victoriansecrets.co.uk/
For more on Victorian lit, a publisher is trying to bring back some of the forgotten greats. http://www.victoriansecrets.co.uk/
lostinfrance's review against another edition
2.0
The book started out sweet....with references to a bookshop I dream of losing myself in on restless nights when I need a change of thought. The story.....was a bit hard to get through at points....as Aubrey is a bit daft (he should not be a detective)....but the mystery kept me readingso I could read more about the love of books.
I thought the book was about a haunted bookshop...with ghosts and murders, but sadly...the title is in reference to the haunting done by book characters and authors.
It is about a bookshop in Brooklyn---the continuous disappearance of a book.... and an advertising man who wants to protects a beautiful woman he met who is working there.
I thought the book was about a haunted bookshop...with ghosts and murders, but sadly...the title is in reference to the haunting done by book characters and authors.
It is about a bookshop in Brooklyn---the continuous disappearance of a book.... and an advertising man who wants to protects a beautiful woman he met who is working there.
robotswithpersonality's review against another edition
This book is so confused. It's something of a sequel to Parnassus on Wheels, which is a pity, because that felt like a clear narrative. Roger Mifflin continues to have a passion for books, eloquently if verbosely expressed. Due to the time of publication (1918/19) now added to the many things he suggests they are a remedy for is the tragedy of war. Again, some incisive anti-war sentiment I can get behind. Alas, there are also some very old ideas about the world buried in here. I would happily have read a work surrounding the plot of a young woman, daughter of an old family friend, being a new employee at Mifflin's now stationary book selling institution, The Haunted Bookshop. Even if Helen is now kind of a background character. Morely decided he needed to add a touch of truly painful romance and a mystery involving an advertising man. I think Aubrey is supposed to be vaguely ridiculous for plot purposes, but he comes off as a moron that gave me a headache.
Worse, he's proved at least partially right in his prejudices when the German-American turns out to be the bad guy. Oh, and the dog dies, violently. WTF Morley?!
Good news: You don't have to spend money on this you're still curious, it's available in digital form free via the Internet Archive.
⚠️ derogatory/out of date language, animal death
Good news: You don't have to spend money on this you're still curious, it's available in digital form free via the Internet Archive.
⚠️ derogatory/out of date language, animal death
djodyhendrix's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
5.0
This is a great book, should really be a classic
lilylanie's review against another edition
3.0
Not at all what I expected, but it turned out to be quite a good mystery. It was written in 1919 and until I started reading I didn't realize it was the sequel to an earlier novel, Parnassus on Wheels, so now I must track that down. Quaint but very enjoyable.
karionie's review against another edition
2.0
Plenty of noteworthy sentiments, and fun to be had counting how many of the more arcane literary references you understand, but overall this is not a book for everyone. Better seen as a novelty than a serious read.
ellehartford's review against another edition
3.0
This is a fun continuation of the first book, Parnassus on Wheels. However, it was first written over a hundred years ago, and it does show its age (anti-German sentiment particularly). That aside, this was a more complex adventure than the first book, with some new characters and a mystery to solve. Another fun evening of reading!
bookworks's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5