#a reviews

[messybookreviews]

How do i tell people to read THE STATIONERY SHOP by MARJAN KAMALI calmly without SCREAMING AND SCREECHING BECAUSE I CANT STOP SCREAMING AND SCREECHING AND PUNCHING AIR EVER SINCE I STARTED THIS BOOK HOLY!!!!

—A

[notsissannis]

What a refreshing read!

Like, holy shit?? I'm so in love with this book! As if the cover wasn't enough to woo me; then the story took me by surprise with its simplicity and its typical fairytale storyline. Which is not a bad thing, mind you—or at least for me.

If you're expecting a heavy themed fairytale, this ain't it. This one is very straightforward. A fae and a human fall in love—very forbidden, you see—and fighting for their love and I just... awwwwwwwwww!

Romantic and fluffy and very refreshing to read a new kinda fairytale story.

5/5 from my very romantic and sappy heart!!!

[messybookreviews]

"The minute I heard my first love story, I started looking for you, not knowing how blind that was. Lovers don’t finally meet somewhere. They’re in each other all along."

—Marjan Kamali, The Stationery Shop

[messybookreviews]

I'M SCREAMINGGGHHHHH

—A

[messybookreviews]

Oh my god I cried I cried I FUCKING CRIED!!!!

Should've read this before Circe but it's better than not reading it at all because fuck! That ending just ripped my heart off, rolled it in fragments of glasses, then dipped it in alcohol so I could feel all the cuts!! The pain!!! THE AGONY!!!!!!!!

Honestly what else did I expect? We all know the ending of Achilles and Patroclus. We all know what's gonna happen to them. Yet we love torturing our mortal hearts and sanity because deep inside we are all sad bitches!

I'm a sucker for mythology, fairytales, and classics retelling. I could read thousands of retelling and will still be amazed. It's the execution of the story that I after. How each of author executes one same story that could capture the reader's attention. And Madeline Miller, bless her soul, I've said this before when I reviewed Circe and I'll say it again: She could write all myths out there and I'll read them all.

There's really nothing much to say bout this book except that it's beautifully told. It's Patroclus' POV and you follow his inner battles since day 1 till the day he dies.

———

I conjure the boy I knew. Achilles, grinning as the figs blur in his hands. His green eyes laughing into mine. Catch, he says. Achilles, outlined against the sky, hanging from a branch over the river. The thick warmth of his sleepy breath against my ear. If you have to go, I will go with you. My fears forgotten in the golden harbor of his arms.

The memories come, and come. She listens, staring into the grain of the stone. We are all there, goddess and mortal and the boy who was both.

———

My tears are pooling again!! Gah! I've reread the ending more than twice and I have no regrets!!!

—A, the bitch that has no regrets.

[messybookreviews]

His eyes opened. “Name one hero who was happy.”

I considered. Heracles went mad and killed his family; Theseus lost his bride and father; Jason’s children and new wife were murdered by his old; Bellerophon killed the Chimera but was crippled by the fall from Pegasus’ back.

“You can’t.” He was sitting up now, leaning forward.

“I can’t.”

“I know. They never let you be famous and happy.” He lifted an eyebrow. “I’ll tell you a secret.”

“Tell me.” I loved it when he was like this.

“I’m going to be the first.” He took my palm and held it to his. “Swear it.”

“Why me?”

“Because you’re the reason. Swear it.”

“I swear it,” I said, lost in the high color of his cheeks, the flame in his eyes.

“I swear it,” he echoed.

—Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles

————

You know what pain me the most? We all knew the story of Achilles and Patrolus no matter how many retelling of it we've read.

And here, this pure, beautifully written excerpt right here, had me bawling.

—A

[messybookreviews]

For all you Six of Crows lover, I'm joining in soon.

—A