The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry

There's something warm and inviting about reading a book set in a bookstore. I always find these types of stories enjoyable, and they make me feel connected to the story. "The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry" immerses you in a charming little bookstore on a small island near Cape Cod. It's a delightful tale where the owner receives an unexpected delivery that disrupts his solitary life.

Still grieving the loss of his wife, he is reluctant to move forward. However, with a lovable cast of characters and some surprising plot twists, he begins to do just that. I appreciated the author's writing style and the literary references woven throughout the story; they add a beautiful element to the narrative. It's a quick yet emotional read that I thoroughly enjoyed. I recommend grabbing this book for your book club; there's plenty to discuss!

This book is a fantastic choice for book lovers, as it is set in a bookstore, making it easy for readers to immerse themselves in the story. However, the narrative's main theme is life and its unpredictability, highlighting that things don't always go as planned.

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER BY THE AUTHOR OF TOMORROW, AND TOMORROW, AND TOMORROW NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE STARRING LUCY HALE & KUNAL NAYYAR. "A fun, page-turning delight." - Algonquin Books

A. J. Fikry's life is not at all what he expected it to be. He lives alone, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. But when a mysterious package appears at the bookstore, its unexpected arrival gives Fikry the chance to make his life over - and see everything anew.

1. At the beginning of the story, Amelia says she is considering quitting online dating. How would you compare the act of buying books online to the act of dating online? Is it relevant to the story that Amelia meets her eventual husband in a very analog location, a bookstore?

2. Consider the setting. Why do you think the author chooses to set the book on an island? How does the island setting reflect A.J.'s character?

3. Perhaps oddly, vampires are a recurring motif in the story: for example, when A.J.'s wife throws the vampire prom and when A.J. watches True Blood to court Amelia. What do you make of the references to vampires?

4. Lambiase moves from an occasional or nonreader, to a reader, to a bookseller. How do you think becoming a reader changes him? Consider the scene where he decides not to confront Ismay about the backpack. Do you think Lambiase's reaction is different than it would have been if he hadn't taken up reading?

5. The author chooses to begin each chapter with a description of a short story. Discuss some of the ways the stories relate to the chapters with which they are paired. Is A.J. creating a canon for Maya? How does the book itself function as a kind of canon? If these are A.J.'s favorites, what do they say about A.J. as a reader and as a man?

6. Did you find Ismay's motivations for stealing Tamerlane to be forgivable? How do you think she should pay for her crime? Why do you think Lambiase lets her off?

7. At one point, Maya speculates that perhaps "your whole life is determined by what store you get left in" (page 85). Is it the people or the place that makes the difference?

8. When did you become aware that Leon Friedman might be an imposter? What did you make of Leonora Ferris's reasons for hiring him?

9. How do you think Daniel Parrish might have changed if he had lived? Do you think some people never change?

10. Were you surprised by the outcome of the short story contest? What do you think of A.J.'s comments to Maya about why certain books and stories win prizes and others don't? Does the knowledge that a book has won a prize attract you to reading it?

11. Compare Maya's "fiction" about the last day of her mother's life to Ismay's version. Which do you consider to be more accurate and why?

12. How do you think the arrival of the e-reader is related to the denouement of the story? Is A.J. a man who cannot exist in a world with e-books? What do you think of e-books? Do you prefer reading in e- or on paper?

13. At one point, A.J. asks Maya, "Is a twist less satisfying if you know it's coming? Is a twist that you can't predict symptomatic of bad construction?" What do you think of this statement in view of the plot of The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry? Did you guess who Maya's father was? If so, what were the clues?

14. The author chooses to end the novel with a new sales rep coming to an Island Books that is no longer owned by A.J. What do you make of this ending?

15. What do you think the future holds for physical books and bookstores?