The Bookshop of the Broken Hearted

By: Robert Hillman

Narrated by: Daniel Lapaine

Length: 9 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

Can one unlikely bookshop heal two broken souls?

"Beautifully written.... Full of insight into the nature of tragedy, love, and redemption." (Garth Stein)

"A poignant journey of unthinkable loss, love, and the healing capacity of the written word." (Ellen Keith)

It is 1968 in rural Australia and lonely Tom Hope can't make heads or tails of Hannah Babel. Newly arrived from Hungary, Hannah is unlike anyone he's ever met - she's passionate, artistic, and fiercely determined to open sleepy Hometown's first bookshop. Despite the fact that Tom has only read only one book in his life, the two soon discover an astonishing spark. Recently abandoned by an unfaithful wife - and still missing her sweet son, Peter - Tom dares to believe that he might make Hannah happy. But Hannah is a haunted woman. Twenty-four years earlier, she had been marched to the gates of Auschwitz.

Perfect for fans of The Little Paris Bookshop and The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Bookshop of the Broken Hearted cherishes the power of love, literature, and forgiveness to transform our lives, and - if we dare allow them - to mend our broken hearts.

©2019 Robert Hillman (P)2019 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“Hillman offers an uplifting exploration of how people rise above tragedy to find joy.... An impressive, riveting tale of how two disparate and well-drawn people recover from soul-wrenching grief and allow themselves to truly love again.” (Publishers Weekly)

“The openness of the Australian countryside is an apt setting for a complex exploration of grief, faith, and restoration, and in poignant, meditative, and stirring prose Hillman tells a heartrending and heartwarming tale of love and sacrifice.” (Booklist, starred review)

“Hillman crafts a compelling tale, toggling among Tom's, Hannah's, and Peter's perspectives, as he delineates the stripping of each heart and draws together the ties that bind them together again. A heart-wrenching tale of love enduring all things in the face of evil." (Kirkus Reviews)

“A triumphant examination of history, politics, literature, and the pall and sorrow of grief.... Hillman’s vivid observations of regional details, keen perceptions of local customs, absorbing storyline, and sympathetic characters make the novel impossible to put down.” (Washington Independent Review of Books)

Listener beware

I listen to books while I attempt to sleep at night. Often I have to go back and see what I missed. I found this book particularly difficult to figure out what was happening. It jumps around. I didn’t really get into it enough to feel sympathy for the characters, except for Tom and the boy. The bookstore of the title really didn’t play a large role in the story.

The warning above is for two reasons and if you don’t want to know specifics quit reading now.



Dogs are shot and killed. Not just one or two but large numbers. Not just in one chapter but it keeps coming up. I could nrver understand what it had to do with the story. But it was to give the flavor of sheep farming in Australia.

There are long passages describing child abuse.

Marvelous!

This was a marvelous story, I really enjoyed it. Highly recommended. Well written and narrated.

Wonderful!

An amazing tale of life, loss and strength of the human spirit. I already miss Tom, and Hannah.

Mezmerizing and Stirring

A Hungarian holocaust survivor and a broken man find each other and a beautiful life and love in Australia.

A Wonderful Stew of a Book!

I am in awe of the author's research skills. The book has many facets, and yet the reader is always drawn back to the farm and the lovely Tom. The reader is delightful especially when he is quoting the people of Hometown. A story of joy, pain. love, and downright evil, which is impossible to stop reading. I carried it around everywhere I went because I couldn't bear to be away from it.

Compelling and worth it.

Not surprisingly, all the four- and five-star reviews are correct. This is a book of courage and love and compassion and forgiveness and great evil and little evil and parts I had to skim over and times I had to walk away from listening. I am a bit wrung out right now. I marvel at the strength it takes to endure the unendurable. Robert Hillman showcases examples of this through several characters and most particularly through Hannah, Tom and Peter. No spoilers here. Simply be aware that in experiencing this story and its characters you will be moved and reaffirmed about choosing just to live or to thrive.

Narrator Daniel Lapaine adds the exactly right voices to all the characters. I might have been less fraught by this story had I read it rather than listening to it.