The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry

By: Gabrielle Zevin

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 7 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's summary

The irascible A. J. Fikry, owner of Island Books - the only bookstore on Alice Island - has already lost his wife. Now his most prized possession, a rare book, has been stolen from right under his nose in the most embarrassing of circumstances. The store itself, it seems, will be next to go.

One night upon closing, he discovers a toddler in his children’s section with a note from her mother pinned to her Elmo doll: I want Maya to grow up in a place with books and among people who care about such kinds of things. I love her very much, but I can no longer take care of her. A search for Maya’s mother, A. J.’s rare book, and good childcare advice ensues, but it doesn’t take long for the locals to notice the transformation of both bookstore and owner, something of particular interest to the lovely yet eccentric Knightley Press sales rep, Amelia Loman, who makes the arduous journey to Alice Island thrice each year to pitch her books to the cranky owner.

©2014 Gabrielle Zevin. Recorded by arrangement with Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, a division of Workman Publishing Company, Inc. (P)2014 (p) 2014 HighBridge Company

Critic reviews

"Zevin is a deft writer, clever and witty, and her affection for the book business is obvious." ( Publishers Weekly)

Not to be missed!

This is a touching and delightful story; a book lover's love story with the perfect ending. A plus is the narrator is a perfect match.
Do yourself a favor and put this book into your collection.

ADORED this story

Great performance and fantastic writing. I found myself vested. I'm definitely interested to read some of the other stories referenced. I read in one sitting!

Surprising

This book is great. I cannot explain why it is great, but I will try. First, the characters are real, they are flawed, and they are wonderful. The story is enclosed and while it is A. J.'s, it really is about a small cast of characters who all grow during the novel's events.

The characters are the story and spending time with them is very, very enjoyable. Give it a try.

A real charmer

I laughed and I cried, and thoroughly enjoyed the narration. Audible has been a godsend.

A fun listen

Would you listen to The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry again? Why?

Yes. I enjoyed the story and thought the narrator perfect for the book!

Which scene was your favorite?

The 'book reading' at the store. Loved the humor and the plot twists.

My new favorite ... Maybe for a long time

I just finished Tha storied life of AJ Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin.
It is a sweet, deep, and touching book about being human. I loved the characters and getting to share in this journey.

Way too short!

A great read but I finished reading the book way too fast. Great characters and story line. People who are avid readers will especially enjoy it. There are also nice people and it is a pleasure to read about nice people!

A Book for Book Lovers

Any additional comments?

If you love books. If you believe you can tell a great deal about someone by their favorite book(s), you'll love this novel and its characters. It's a delightful listen!

Are we on stage?

Interesting story with a bit of intrigue and some twists. Not my favorite. I enjoyed all the literary references and the characters. The narrator was a bit dramatic for my taste.

An extraordinary novel

Any additional comments?

If you love to read, you will love this book. It's that simple. Centered around a small independent bookstore and its owner, this novel reminds us of the many ways in which books profoundly affect our lives. But this story is so much more than that. The story line, dialogue, and characters are far from being predictable or contrived, and the narration is simply spectacular. Scott Brick excels at portraying emotion and personality in his reading and his performance only makes The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry even more excellent and enjoyable. I binge-listened to this novel and would have most certainly listened to it in one sitting if possible. This story is unique, exciting, funny, sad, thrilling, and thought-provoking. Featuring a cast of realistic characters and a wonderful narrator, this audiobook is an absolute must-listen and will appeal to a very wide audience.