Book review! The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend, by Katarina Bivald ~~

I picked up Katarina Bivald’s book based on the cover. I won't lie. Isn't it lovely?? I’m an architecture geek, and I would love to have that beautiful blue wall in my house. I may actually do something about it, using this inspiration. I'm thinking about the wall behind my headboard.... It did help that the book was about small town midwestern life and a love of books, both of which I am intimately familiar with. The story is framed around two kindred book lovers that have never met: Sara, a book clerk from Sweden, and Amy a book lover in rural Broken Wheel, Iowa. When Sara's book shop closes, with nothing to keep her at home, she decides to take up Amy's offer of an extended visit, where she can experience small-town life in America. Amy has done such done such a thorough job describing her context, from her little town's street names to her quirky friends and family, Sara is eager to encounter Amy's world first-hand.

Unfortunately, Sara arrives at Amy's house in Broken Wheel to find it full of mourners. Amy has passed and Sara arrives just in time for the gathering after her funeral. The story that follows embraces the innate hospitality and small town quirks prevalent in the American Midwest. Good intentions, ulterior motives, and the curiosities of relationships are set in the backdrop of a rural life that is struggling to remain alive, vibrant, and meaningful and the quickly urbanizing World.

Though I typically read books with a bit more action, the journey through Broken Wheel was relaxing and enjoyable, like a lazy river at the pool. Filled with book references of authors and characters that only truly dedicated bookworms and fans of the classics will understand, many of the names and characters went over my head, or I just glazed over until I got through a patch. I hadn't read many of the classics that Bivald refers to, nor did I know some of the authors she mentioned, which at times toned down my progress and investment in Sara's story. But I take that as a fault of my own, not the author’s. These references certainly might be meaningful to you. Either way, The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend is a lovely lazy read, either for the beach or cuddled up in the winter in front of a fire. Sara's journey of creating a meaningful life for herself outside of the covers of her books, in a strange land, is an endearing one that is lovely to witness.

I'd love to hear your thoughts if you've read The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend. And I've got more coming, so sign up for my mailing list here. It would be great to hear from you!