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The Last Bookshop in London
- A Novel of World War II
- Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
- Length: 8 hrs and 13 mins
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The Last Bookshop in London
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Summary
Inspired by the true World War II history of the few bookshops to survive the Blitz, The Last Bookshop in London is a timeless story of wartime loss, love, and the enduring power of literature.
August 1939: London is dismal under the weight of impending war with Germany as Hitler’s forces continue to sweep across Europe. Into this uncertain maelstrom steps Grace Bennett, young and ready for a fresh start in the bustling city streets she’s always dreamed of - and miles away from her troubled past in the countryside.
With aspirations of working at a department store, Grace never imagined she’d wind up employed at Primrose Hill, an offbeat bookshop nestled in the heart of the city - after all, she’s never been much of a reader. Overwhelmed with organizing the cluttered store, she doesn’t have time to read the books she sells. But when one is gifted to her, what starts as an obligation becomes a passion that draws her into the incredible world of literature.
As the Blitz rains down bombs on the city night after night, a devastating attack leaves the libraries and shops of London’s literary center in ruins. Miraculously, Grace’s bookshop survives the firestorm. Through blackouts and air raids, Grace continues running the shop, discovering a newfound comfort in the power of words and storytelling that unites her community in ways she never imagined - a force that triumphs over even the darkest nights of war-torn London.
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What listeners say about The Last Bookshop in London
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Danette Morrish
- 31-01-23
Rich with historic detail.
I adored this reading. Beautifully read, and rich with details. If you have an interest in WWII, London in The Blitz and a great cast of characters then just sit back and enjoy.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- MicT
- 15-04-22
Fantastic!
This book is amazing. I loved it so much. The narration is really good too. Get it, you won’t regret it :-)
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Marta Crowley
- 06-02-24
incredible
Everything you could ask for. A beautiful story of war, humanity, bravery, love and the magic of books.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Miss Kiran Mahay
- 27-02-24
Love it
This was truly a delightful book. Definitely recommend it. It has all the highs and lows and hope.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Nighean S Walker
- 25-01-24
Well written and believable story - an easy read
I enjoyed the book very much barring the narrator’s odd pronunciation of many words - important names such as Charing Cross and Clerkenwell were changed to ‘Char ring Cross’ and ‘Clurkenwell’. Such fundamentals of a London based story being wrong was a little jarring!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Lesley
- 18-02-24
Warm and Lovely Story
I really enjoyed this book but probably wouldn't have chosen it if it hadn't been on sale. The subject matter appealed to me and I havn't been disappointed. A warm story of love and courage, with believable personalities against a backdrop of war and normal people pulling together. I loved that it was centred around a bookshop and how the stories brought people together. The narrator was good but I found her slightly strange accent a bit breathy at times, bur still very well read. I will definitely check out more from this author.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- mpd
- 10-01-24
A good read; heart-warming and evocative
I found this audio a really good 'read'. An interesting story set in the Second World War; one or two of the details were not quite accurate but this didn't matter to me. I actually lived through the war as a very young child and although it was during the first five years of my life, I have surprisingly many memories, particularly the siren, warning of the start of a raid, and being taken down to shelter in the cupboard under the stairs, or the described 'official' models of shelters, until the raid was over. The atmosphere and coming together of communities and individuals is conveyed vividly.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Christineb
- 17-05-21
A Pleasant Story
Well narrated An overall pleasant listen not riveting or exciting in any sense but the characters where all pleasant and the story flowed uneventfully
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- a buckley
- 29-12-23
the love of books
I was so sorry when it ended, even though I don't read books , I love listening to them, so this book to me was wonderful thank you , and so beautiful read .
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Laureen
- 22-12-23
Nice feelgood wartime story
Enjoyed this little story of a young woman who starts working at an old bookshop. Gave some insight into the struggles ofwartime London during the blitz. Excellently read as always by Saskia Maarleveld.
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