The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry: A Novel by Gabrielle Zevin

               I’ll be honest, I wasn’t sure about this book when I first started it.  Immediately something put me off.  I don’t know if it was the language or the attitude of the first character we’re introduced to (which is not A.J. Fikry).  Either way, despite my initial reaction, I felt the need to keep going and give the book a better shot than the first few pages.  I am very glad I did.

                A.J. Fikry is a cranky man.  He owns a bookstore, but the types of books he likes and is willing to sell are very limited.  This makes it difficult for Amelia Loman, the new sales rep for a publishing house, to sell him any books.  On a whim, though, Amelia decides to leave A.J. a book she is particularly fond of.  It is the story of a man who found love very late in life.

                Of course, A.J. ignores the book Amelia leaves.  He can’t, however, ignore the rare book that was taken from his shop, or the child that someone leaves behind.  With the cops not sure what happened to the book, and not having any idea who the child belongs to, A.J. decides to accept the cards that have been given to him.  He takes the child, Maya, in and raises her as his own.  A.J. does not have any prior experience with fatherhood, but he is determined to learn everything he can along the way.   

                As A.J. raises his daughter, he starts to think about Amelia and how he treated her so badly upon their first meeting.  He eventually reads the book she gave him and tries to make amends.  As a result, he and Amelia fall in love.  After spending so many years being cranky, A.J. finds that with the aid and love of Amelia and Maya, an old curmudgeon can find happiness, for awhile. 

               It was great to read how A.J. was able to turn from a bitter man over his wife’s death years ago to someone who could love again. This transformation is what makes the ending of this book especially sad. After years of sorrow, A.J. finally found his happiness. Unfortunately, as with so many things in life, it doesn’t last. Despite the sad ending, I think this book is a prime example of how a person can change for the better, whether they want to or not.