BookBrowse Reviews The Last Chance Library by Freya Sampson

BookBrowse:

A heartwarming and feel-good read about a young librarian's self-discovery and the importance of community.

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The Last Chance Library, Freya Sampson's debut novel, was popular with our First Impressions readers, earning an average rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars.

What the book is about:

What is a library and what role does it play within its township? Freya Sampson addresses these questions in The Last Chance Library when a small village library faces permanent closure by vote of the city council. As the local community rallies to show their library is far more than a repository for books, an introverted librarian caught in the shadow of her late mother's former job emerges. Despite her extreme social anxieties, the young librarian discovers her own voice via her pen, and most importantly, finds her friendships amongst the eclectic cast of library patrons are truer and more reliable than the characters in the well-worn pages of her beloved novels (Maryanne).

Readers were captivated by Sampson's unique and believable characters from the start.

This novel is a joy! June Jones is an unlikely but endearing heroine surrounded by a cast of charming, quirky characters. You'll root for them all, all the way through (Madeline M). This book about a library closure in a small town in the UK has some very delightful characters that are so developed that you can almost see them (Carolyn S). The characters are believable and, mostly, likable. I found myself caring and rooting for them, especially June (Loren B).

And they commented that the novel was a quick read with a fast-moving plot.

The fast-paced plot led me to nearly devour the book in one sitting (Grace W). A quick one-day read that has left me smiling and just feeling so completely satisfied (Barbara C). I really enjoyed The Last Chance Library by Freya Sampson, and I read it in one day (Elizabeth D).

Some reviewers thought the book was a bit predictable and clichéd, but still found it charming and enjoyable.

This feel-good book is a bit predictable but that's okay as sometimes we just need to escape from the realities of modern-day life (Barbara C). A charming story, told with humor, that is at times predictable but in a heartwarming way (Joan N). While this book isn't groundbreaking or especially original in its story, it is nicely told and I appreciated the support for libraries (Elizabeth D).

Many cheered Sampson's focus on the importance of libraries.

As a librarian who worked in a library for 36 years this book caught my interest immediately. Our library went through the same crisis as the Chalcot Library. A library is more than shelves of books, as this book helps the reader appreciate (Mary W). Freya Sampson's fiction debut is a heartfelt homage to libraries and the pivotal role they serve in our communities (Ruth C). This will be an enjoyable read for anyone who has fought to save a beloved institution and for anyone who can smell, feel and savor the ambience of a library (Janet O).

Overall, readers considered The Last Chance Library to be a feel-good work of fiction about the power of togetherness.

I loved how this diverse cast of characters found a way to come together to support a cause they all believed in (Betty C). It is both a heartwarming and poignant portrayal of a small-town library and its patrons (Susan M). If you're looking for a feel-good read, this is it. It will do your heart good (Madeline M).

This review first ran in the September 8, 2021 issue of BookBrowse Recommends.