The Lost Bookshop

1. General Impressions

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• What were your overall impressions of the book? What aspects did you like most and least?
• Discuss the possible reasons that the author, Evie Gaughan, used the pseudonym Evie Woods for The Lost Bookshop, and compare this novel to others by Evie Gaughan (released under her real name), which include The Heirloom, The Story Collector, and The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris.

2. Personal Reflection and Connection

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

• Reflect on any aspect of the book that evoked a strong emotional response and whether it reminded you of an experience in your own life. The plotlines provide many possibilities, like Lyndon’s actions toward Opaline’s life and Martha’s revelation that her grandmother Rose was Opaline’s missing daughter.
• Discuss how the book’s major themes (The Power of Books, The Search for Purpose and Belonging, and The Human Need for Love) relate to your personal views or experiences. Which one do you most connect with? Why?
• The characters have magical experiences relating to literature. Has a book ever made you feel magical or powerful?
• Explore connections between your life and the experiences of the characters. Which of them most resonates with you? Why?

3. Societal and Cultural Context

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

• The Lost Bookshop is set in two time periods: the 1920s (often called the “Roaring Twenties”) and contemporary times (roughly a decade later given the book’s publication date) and several locations (primarily three European capital cities: Dublin, Ireland; London, England; and Paris, France). Discuss how these settings and eras help shape the narrative.
• Historical references (such as to famous books and authors, to other important figures, and to significant places) abound in The Lost Bookshop. Select one of these to briefly research and discuss its relevance to the novel (see Background: Historical Context for examples).
• Lyndon’s actions to control Opaline’s life (trying to force her into an arranged marriage, placing her in a mental health facility against her will, and selling the daughter she gives birth to while there) are deeply disturbing. The revelation that as a World War I commander, he unjustly executed many soldiers for cowardice underscores his malicious nature. Opaline then discovers that he’s her father, not (as he led her to believe) her much older brother. Examine Lyndon’s actions toward Opaline. While nothing could excuse them, are they more understandable given their true relationship and in the context of the 1920s timeline?

4. Literary Analysis

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

• The book’s chapters alternate among the first-person perspectives of Martha, Henry, and Opaline. How does this narrative structure impact or enhance the story?
• Discuss the character development and relatability of Martha, Henry, and Opaline. How do they connect to the book’s themes? What links them literally and/or figuratively?
• How do the book’s settings (primarily Dublin, London, and Paris) contribute to the book’s tone?
• Discuss the novel’s major themes: The Power of Books, The Search for Purpose and Belonging, and The Human Need for Love. How do these themes (and any others you identified) connect the various storylines?
• The novel’s symbols and motifs include books, tree roots, and parental relationships. How do these symbols work in the story? Where do you see them show up, and what might they mean? Did you notice any other symbols or motifs in the novel?

5. Creative Engagement

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

• Imagine that your book club group was given creative control of adapting this book into a movie or series. Which format would you choose and why? Who would you cast in the lead roles? How would you approach scripting? How would you scout filming locations? Would you use computer-generated imagery (CGI) to heighten the impact of the story’s magic elements?
• Create a playlist that captures the mood or themes of the book, an aspect of the historical settings (both time and place), or the main characters’ personalities.

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