This book felt like it was written for me. Jiwon-ssi is struggling following the death of her mother and I’m sure I’m one of many who have been through this too.

She happens upon the memory bookshop where the manager offers her a deal to revisit her past…

I don’t want to give any more spoilers on this but want to share how beautifully written this is and how true to life. The characters are so relatable and I love the premise of this story. A must read for those who have experienced grief.

This is a beautifully written emotional story wrapped in magical realism! I adored this book it made me tear up I'd definitely recommend! I've preordered a copy for release

The Memory Bookshop is a heartbreakingly beautiful story about loss and longing to see somebody again.  I was immediately drawn to its premise; time travel and a bookshop.

The protagonist, still struggling with grief years after her loss, finds solace in a magical bookshop surrounded by books that shaped her childhood, as well as notebooks detailing the chapters of her own life to date.

I was infuriated by the scene where a doctor criticises her for not being “over it” after seven years; an opinion that, sadly, still mirrors real attitudes toward grief.

This novel beautifully captures the universal experience of mourning and memory: the desperate wish to go back, even for a few hours, to a time before loss. It asks the poignant question: If you could return to any chapter of your life for a few hours, which would you choose, and what would you do differently?

Though it’s a short novel at around 190 pages, The Memory Bookshop is a deeply compelling read, and I recommend it.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher, and this is my honest review.