Once Upon a Tome by Oliver Darkshire (2023)
A collection of short stories and memories of working at a rare bookstore.
Laura’s Rating: 2.5/5 Stars
Plot: Author Oliver Darkshire began an apprenticeship many years ago at Henry Sotheran Ltd., a rare bookshop established in 1761. During his time as a bookseller, he collected many anecdotes and experiences about the eccentric world of antiquarian books.
Analysis: The chapters are relatively short, each focusing on one story or topic. Many of them are cute or interesting, but often end abruptly. I’d like more details or a follow up on what happened next, but the author rarely provides that. This ends up being a collection of meandering stories more than anything else.
I liked the idea of bookstore cryptids, eccentric patrons that haunt the store without ever actually buying anything. But again, I wish there was more on this. The chapter on cursed books was also interesting, but lacked details despite being one of the longer entries.
This book does somehow have the old, nostalgic feeling of a good bookstore, while still acknowledging the present and modern world of automobiles and the internet.This was a cute collection of anecdotes, but could have been better with a central focus and more details. It felt more like a diary of reflections and memories rather than a story or complete profile of a bookseller. Once Upon a Tome is good for light reading that you can leave and come back to later.
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