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Interesting,
Dramatic,
Addictive

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The Bookseller: A Novel
by Cynthia Swanson

Published: 2015-03-03
Hardcover : 352 pages
1 member reading this now
16 clubs reading this now
4 members have read this book
Recommended to book clubs by 1 of 1 members

A provocative and hauntingly powerful debut novel reminiscent of Sliding Doors, The Bookseller follows a woman in the 1960s who must reconcile her reality with the tantalizing alternate world of her dreams.

Nothing is as permanent as it appears . . .

Denver, 1962: Kitty Miller has come to ...

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Introduction

A provocative and hauntingly powerful debut novel reminiscent of Sliding Doors, The Bookseller follows a woman in the 1960s who must reconcile her reality with the tantalizing alternate world of her dreams.

Nothing is as permanent as it appears . . .

Denver, 1962: Kitty Miller has come to terms with her unconventional single life. She loves the bookshop she runs with her best friend, Frieda, and enjoys complete control over her day-to-day existence. She can come and go as she pleases, answering to no one. There was a man once, a doctor named Kevin, but it didn’t quite work out the way Kitty had hoped.

Then the dreams begin.

Denver, 1963: Katharyn Andersson is married to Lars, the love of her life. They have beautiful children, an elegant home, and good friends. It’s everything Kitty Miller once believed she wanted—but it only exists when she sleeps.

Convinced that these dreams are simply due to her overactive imagination, Kitty enjoys her nighttime forays into this alternate world. But with each visit, the more irresistibly real Katharyn’s life becomes. Can she choose which life she wants? If so, what is the cost of staying Kitty, or becoming Katharyn?

As the lines between her worlds begin to blur, Kitty must figure out what is real and what is imagined. And how do we know where that boundary lies in our own lives?

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Discussion Questions

Suggested by Members

The novel begins with two BFFs. Did you relate to how their relationship unfolded in the story? Have you had friendships that lasted over time, or somehow ended prematurely?
The story is set in the 1960s, talk about gender roles during that time, and how expectations set the direction for womens lives.
by ccroft78248 (see profile) 03/13/16

Notes From the Author to the Bookclub

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Member Reviews

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by bridget c. (see profile) 02/07/20

 
  "Kept my attention for sure"by Sandi H. (see profile) 04/18/16

Just finished this book and will be reviewing with our Book club at the end of the month. Really enjoyed the fashion that it was written and kept me thinking about it and couldn't wait to get back to... (read more)

 
  "The other life you think about"by Carolyn C. (see profile) 03/13/16

Have you ever wondered, What If? This story looks at what could have happened if Kitty had made different choices. It explores how loss can change our lives and how unexpected events can alter our dreamed... (read more)

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