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4.6 out of 5
92.31% of customers are satisfied
5.0 out of 5 stars Like a big warm hug with a mug of tea and a favourite biscuit
This is such a lovely book. The characters are incredibly believable and just jump off the page. When I start casting the parts I know I’m going to love the book. In this instance Sir Ian McKellern plays Malcolm. Haven’t decided on the others yet. The story rolls along at a gentle pace but it’s never boring and the language is just literary enough to give it depth without being wordy or pretentious. It’s a gentle heartwarming read. A tale of friendship, loss and regret but also redemption and as the title suggests new beginnings. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
4.0 out of 5 stars Nice read
Nice characters, feel good book, story line is enjoyable.
5.0 out of 5 stars Better than you expect
I’ve read sally page’s books before so expected this to be a very different read. From the first chapter you are totally immersed and invested in the characters you meet. Beautifully written and researched. A very imaginative thought provoking book. I loved it and have given several copies as gifts. ❤️
5.0 out of 5 stars such a wonderful story.
I really loved this book. A beautiful story with plenty of fantastic characters and a love story. Sally is a wonderful writer.
3.0 out of 5 stars Not bad, I did finish it
I enjoyed parts of this book but found it a bit lacking in interesting content. Having said that I did finish it so it must have held my attention to a degree, I did skip some pages, reading them very quickly to keep the thread. The ending is pleasant enough.
4.0 out of 5 stars thoughtful
A rather thought provoking novel and with humorous moments. Lovely descriptions of both the characters' emotions and of their surroundings. I thought the 'ghost' scene near the end could have been omitted but it would probably work well in a film as visual humour. The epilogue - short and sweet, was delightful.
5.0 out of 5 stars A gorgeous read full of warmth and hope
The book tells the story of Jo Sorsby who has gratefully taken up the challenge to run her elderly uncle’s stationery shop at a time when she really wants to disappear from her old life. The relationship she thought was going well has ended and, as well as being devastated by the end of the relationship, she is also grieving the possibilities which might have come from it.At the heart of this book is friendship and finding it when you perhaps least expect it. Jo becomes friends with customers of the shop, in particular Ruth ‘the runaway vicar’ and elderly Malcolm who is just beginning to become the person who he always wanted to, especially with the encouragement of his new friends. There’s a lot about love in the book too and I thought what Ruth says at one point is just wonderful “…a best friend can be a lifelong love. There is a fundamental truth, comfort and joy in having a best friend…. All over the earth there are unacknowledged love stories, making the world a better place.”All three main characters are to some extent still trying the find their place in the world and find out just what they want from life. The author writes so beautifully about the yearnings, fears, worries and dreams of her characters and imbues her story with hope. Faith and belief is an important theme too with Ruth obviously living her life according to her faith, Malcolm lost his when younger and Jo just isn’t sure. I appreciated that Ruth never tries to convert her friends but quietly shows how everything she did was influenced by her beliefs. As Jo comes to realise, when Ruth works with those who are sick, scared or bereaved what she really brings to them is hope.I particularly enjoyed the part of the story revolving around Highgate cemetery ghosts. Malcolm has a great interest in those buried in the cemetery whether famous or just an average person. The three friends imagine the ghosts of two of the ‘residents’ meeting and what they would say to each other. It was fascinating to read about the people they had chosen and despite being so different, they all taught Jo, Malcom and Ruth something important about themselves.I loved getting to know Jo, Ruth and Malcolm and seeing how they blossomed as their friendship developed. The Book of Beginnings ends with one of the shortest epilogues I’ve ever seen and it was absolutely perfect!I just adored The Book of Beginnings from beginning to end. It is a gorgeous book full of warmth, emotion, hope and new beginnings. I’m really pleased to hear that Sally Page has another novel due out in August this year and I can’t wait to read that one too.
5.0 out of 5 stars Friendship and new starts
This warm, slow-moving story set in a quiet stationery shop in North London features three people whose lives need purpose. Jo’s relationship of 6 years has broken down, so time spent in a different location taking care of her uncle’s stationery shop while he is ill, is a welcome change. Despite her reticent nature she begins to make friends with some of her customers and the people in the neighbouring shops. As she orders new fountain pens and interesting notebooks she gets to know Malcolm, an older man who is still in mourning for his mother with whom he has always lived, and then they both become acquainted with Ruth, the “runaway vicar,” who has featured in the news after leaving her parish suddenly. Gradually the three very different characters spend more time together and following Malcolm’s interest in the nearby Highgate cemetery they research some of those who were buried there, imagining their conversations if they met as ghosts.These new friendships cause Jo to attempt mending her broken friendship with her childhood friend, Lucy. As her friend is still in their home in Yorkshire it is difficult to overcome their disagreements but gradually peace is achieved. Meanwhile Jo’s personal relationship with one of her new neighbours goes wrong but Ruth and Malcolm keep her spirits up and we learn a great deal about the lives of people such as George Eliot whose comment, “It is never too late to be what you might have been,” is taken to heart by the three of them.This lovely book has introduced me to Sally Page and I have already ordered her first book, “The Secrets of Flowers.” An amusing, delightful story, “The Book of Beginnings” was a wonderful holiday read.
Thoroughly enjoyed this book!
Sally Page is a an excellent writer; her first novel, The Keeper of Stories, has become a favorite of mine, and her second novel, The Book of Beginnings, did not disappoint. Her characters are clever, charming, easy to identify with, and her narrative is honest and compelling.
Book
Good
My new favorite comfort reading author
The book has this warm fuzzy feeling. Characters are deep and well developed. I immediately read her other book also - The keeper of stories and I loved it.
A Cosy read
I did like this book though I found it a bit slow in places, I wanted it to get to the nitty gritty bits faster than it did.There are several related stories within the story so it had to follow each to certain conclusions in order to keep track of the reasons for many of the choices made by our protagonist Jo Sorsby…that said, it was a nice undemanding read.When Jo finds herself at a crossroads in her life after a sudden and unexpected breakup with her partner of six years, and a possible fall out with her best friend (since childhood). Then the news that her favourite uncle has been hospitalised…she makes some decisions which set her life on a whole different course to what she has come to believe was her fate.Jo decides to move to London to mind her uncle’s stationery and hardware shop while he is recovering from his recent confinement.At first she thinks it will be a short term stay giving her time to think and recover, but as the days go by she comes to the realization that he may never recover enough to return to his shop.Jo loves the shop and has fond memories of spending time with her uncle there as a child, so as well as her grief over her recent breakup and her falling out with her best friend Lucy, Jo’s stay brings with it a lot of sentimental feelings and sadness.As days turn to weeks Jo begins to recognize several regular customers who seem to loiter rather than peruse the stock, usually just buying a token item before leaving.These customers were not necessarily friends of her uncle but have started to become trusting of Jo…and her of them…so that they begin to share snippets of their stories with her, forming a sort of bond with Jo that surprises her also. Jo being a fairly reticent sort of person doesn’t usually attract or encourage such encounters, so she is both surprised and a bit encouraged, feeling like this might be helping her heal from her grief and low self esteem.She starts to settle into a routine and even though she knows she won’t stay here indefinitely, she even makes a few changes to the store to encourage more customers.She also develops a good rapport with her neighbouring storekeepers, an Optometrist and a Tattoo artist.All of these newfound friends are very different from each other and from the people Jo would normally click with…yet, they have much in common and as their friendships grow they all find a common thread that may just be the antidote they all need.A cosy read.4.5⭐️s
Easy page turning story
A gentle meandering story that is still an easy page turner about one of life's doors closing and a new chapter that is still to start. A book that shines a light on how there is extraordinary in an ordinary life.
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The Book of Beginnings: The charming and uplifting novel for 2024 from the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Keeper of Stories
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Product origin: United Kingdom
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