Lost For Words Bookshop, written by Stephanie Butland, is a deep and thought provoking novel that will leave you wanting to know what comes next and learning more as you put all the pieces together throughout the story. Stephanie Butland is an English author who trains people to think more creatively in her free time. She also occasionally performs poetry (BookBrowse).
The novel takes place at a small, cozy bookshop in Little York. The whole story is centered around the main character Loveday Cardew, who despite her name, is not an instinctively warm or loving person by nature. She even says to herself, “I don’t love much, but I love words” (Butland). Her character starts off as seeming like the typical cliche, emo, antisocial, and closed off bookshop employee that has no tolerance for the disrespect of poetry or other literature. However, as the story continues, Loveday’s past is revealed little by little and will make you see why she turned out to be so cold and hesitant when it comes to other people. In comparison, Archie, the owner of the bookshop, is completely opposite to her. He seems to know everyone in the town and can strike up a conversation with just about anyone. But towards the beginning of the story, someone that even Archie has yet to become familiar with enters the bookshop to retrieve a poetry book that Loveday came across on the sidewalk. This character is an edgy, mysterious, poetry performer named Nathan Avebury. And although she doesn’t know it yet, Nathan is about to become a big part of her life.
These characters are so deeply thought out and well written. Although there are cliches present, it is clear that the main characters were developed with care and strategy.
This novel is uniquely divided because instead of chapters, it is divided into different forms of literature. The book starts off with its first of a few “poetry” sections. The poetry sections take place in the present. The “crime” sections are the parts that take place back into Loveday’s childhood and early home life. And the “history” sections take place about three years prior to the start of the novel. Through these different sections, Loveday’s past and secrets start to unravel, and so does her character.
In another plotline to the story, Loveday starts receiving multiple boxes full of books from her childhood and starts to become anxious. She is starting to wonder who these boxes came from and is worried that someone knows about her very secretive, traumatic past. However, through both plotlines of the story, the one behind the mysterious boxes is not exposed until the end of the novel. Throughout all of this, she is seemingly trying to grow from her past. Loveday reminded herself that,“a beginning and an ending are two different places, and, in real life, you might be able to make your own ending, whatever had gone before” (Butland). This will keep you on your toes and wondering who it could be as the story of Loveday’s past is gradually unraveled.
This novel pulled on my heart strings and was entertaining to read because of the well thought out structure of different characters as well as how it was organized and formatted. Stephanie Butland definitely taught her readers through this book that although trauma can leave lasting effects, it is always possible to grow from it and learn how to love again.