The Moment of Everything

By: Shelly King

Narrated by: Kristen Sieh

Length: 6 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's summary

In the tradition of The Cookbook Collector comes a funny, romantic novel about a young woman finding her calling while saving a used bookstore.

Maggie Duprès, recently "involuntarily separated from payroll" at a Silicon Valley startup, is whiling away her days in The Dragonfly's Used Books, a Mountain View institution, waiting for the Next Big Thing to come along.

When the opportunity arises for her to network at a Bay Area book club, she jumps at the chance - even if it means having to read Lady Chatterley's Lover, a book she hasn't encountered since college, in an evening. But the edition she finds at the bookstore is no Penguin Classics Chatterley - it's an ancient hardcover with notes in the margins between two besotted lovers of long ago. What Maggie finds in her search for the lovers and their fate, and what she learns about herself in the process, will surprise and move listeners.

Witty and sharp-eyed in its treatment of tech world excesses, but with real warmth at its core, The Moment of Everything is a wonderful listen.

©2014 Shelly King (P)2014 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"If the cast of Girls moved to the Silicon Valley and got tech jobs, if the correspondence in You've Got Mail took place in the pages of a used book, you might find The Moment of Everything at this hypercool intersection of retro appeal and modern smarts. Shelly King has drawn a perfect heroine for this very moment -- snarky enough to make you laugh and yet satisfyingly full of hope and soul. Thoroughly rooted in the now, but achingly in love with the past, The Moment of Everything is a book lover's book -- a warm-hearted illustration of the continuing relevance of books and bookstores in our modern culture that's sure to make readers fall in love." (Lydia Netzer, author of Shine, Shine, Shine and How to Tell Toledo from the Night Sky)

"Populated with an endearing, eccentric cast of characters, and told with sharp Southern humor, The Moment of Everything is a gift for those who believe in the magic of bookstores...and in the power of books." (Tracy Guzeman, author of The Gravity of Birds)

"Shelly King is among my all-time favorite writers. Her prose brims with beauty and her plots always pack a well-earned punch." (Lolly Winston, author of Good Grief)

"In Shelly King's charming novel, a young woman finds love letters in an old copy of Lady Chatterley's Lover. Her quest to discover their source leads her in and out of the many worlds of Silicon Valley, and the surprising twists and turns of love and self-discovery. We're the lucky readers who get to come along for this delightful ride. Ms. King writes with humor, passion and great intelligence." (Ellen Sussman, author of the New York Times bestselling novel French Lessons and The Paradise Guest House)

I want to be friends with these characters!

A wonderful mix of clever humor and quirky characters. This book will hit home for readers in the tech industry or living in Northern California!

Full of Heart and Wit

The Moment of Everything is an adult coming of age story about everything and nothing. Shelly King's debut novel revolves around a group of friends and acquaintances that have the common bond of books. It's entertaining and witty, though at times I was unsure of the plot. Her characters are of the variety that you quickly identify with and grow to love. If you have a beloved old book store, you will immediately feel very much at home within the pages of this book. The author detailed description will have you smelling the old books and looking for the ever present cat.

At one point I got a bit nervous for previous fictions I have read about bookstores soon become boring. There is just so far one can go when you write a book about books. The Moment of Everything worked through that well to tell a lovely tale of love and friendship.

Protagonist, thirty four year old, Maggie Dupres is still trying to find her place in life. An unemployed techie with a library science degree, she follows her passion while finding a way to have a career working with friends.

A nice light read.

Enjoyable vacation audiobook

A breezy novel about a young woman who discovers different priorities as her job path takes a turn in an unexpected direction at a used book store. It was an enjoyable vacation audiobook. I liked the narrator and would look for more of her audiobook performances.

Disappointing

A disappointment. It seemed like a weak attempt to imitate the charm and poignancy of "The Storied Life of AJ Fikry" and the movie "You've Got Mail". Narrator was fine. Skip this and listen to AJ Fikry instead.

Slow and Difficult Listening

Any additional comments?

The book is slow and I actually stopped in Chapter 4, which I never do! I simply cannot go on. There is no hope in this book of a redeeming quality and there is little redeeming about the main character. Dry, boring, and pointless as far as I can tell up through Chapter 4.