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)

A simple story

I liked the story. It was simple but personal. It was relatable and heart warming.

Delightful

I bought this title blindly during an audible sale, and am I ever glad I did. The allusions to other literary works ("Fall of the House of Usher"
M" "A Good Man Is Hard to Find," and dozens others, which pepper the novel make it a delight to an English major like me! The story's twists are not too predictable, but are realistic overall. Listen to this book! You will enjoy it!

A stretch

A book for people who love books. Ms Zevin's plot is fairly enjoyable, and the characters aren't too dull. However, the style and presentation try a little too hard, and ultimately fall short.

The storied life of love

It's a touching story of the love of the one who loves books and his love for the people who love books. I wish I could meet someone like A. J. F. who knows what kind of books are for me. Or maybe just what are not. Daniel Parish sounds like the one who perishes.

Scott Brick's narration is so distracting..

What three words best describe Scott Brick’s performance?

I have just started listening to this book, so this is not a review of the book itself. But I felt inclined to comment on Scott Brick's performance. I have listened to over 800 audible books and there are few narrators that bug me as much as he does. I know people love him, and so clearly this is just my opinion. But to my ear, his drama upstages the language. He has a nice voice, but he is so heavy handed that at times his reading feels like a parody of an audio book narrator. I think I will start avoiding books he reads. So for those of you that have not heard him read before, do listen to the sample audio. Maybe you will be one of the countless who love him, and maybe you won't.

ok

ok....wouldn't recommend it to a book club though. not terrible, just sorta ok, I guess.

For all the serious book nerds!

So what do you like to do in your free time?
Your answer: Read.
If you love reading this book is a must. You'll not only love the story but you'll renew your passion for books and reading. But beware once you listen to this book you'll also want to buy the book as well for the quotes.

Absolutely amazing

Such an amazing book. constantly craving for more. so sad i finished it. Youre going to love it

Interesting and fun read

I would highly recommend this book. It was a surprise. Good read to the end.

I wanted something very different... this was it!

I found this title on Goodreads and it was very interesting. Not predictable at all, and the characters were all so intelligent and engaging. I just loved the personalities!