👥 Suitable for those who: - loves stories about books - are familiar with, or curious about classic literature - would like a gentle exploration of grief 🔖 Premise The story mainly follows two seemingly incompatible protagonists whose lives intersect at a local library. A Muslim widower in his 70s who is struggling to cope with the loss of his wife. A 17 year old white girl navigating adolescence while caring for a mother with severe mental illness in a single-parent household. Despite their differences, they form an unexpected friendship through a mysterious reading list of classic novels. 📌 Theme - Books serve not only as comfort, but as tools for understanding life and the wider world - Shared reading creates bridges between people - Mourning can be done by carrying forward the spirit of those who are gone 👍🏻 Liked ✨ Well Developed Characters - Written with nuance and showed multiple facets - Envied the friendship between the two main characters—particularly the intimacy of having someone to read alongside, exchange reflections with, and rely on in moments of quiet crisis ✨ Introduction to Classic Literature - Books that I had never seriously considered reading were framed within the story made them feel accessible and relevant 👎🏻 Disliked Certain Narrative Elements Lacked Elaboration - Aidan was so interesting and had such importance in this story yet not much was written about him - the emotional weight of caring for a mentally-ill parent / long-term burden of grief were conveyed too flatly ✏️ Quotes “Books aren’t always an escape, sometimes books teach as things. They show us the world, they don’t hide it.”