This book and Secret Life of Bees were both recommended to me with great enthusiasm by my lovely gf. I obliged.

At first, Helene’s well-spoken, yet gruff sense of humor charmed me. The style of telling a story via postal correspondences also drew me in. The growing relationship between this N.Y. apartment-bound writer and an antiquarian bookstore in London endeared.

And I did enjoy the melancholy ending, however, despite its petite length, I think the repetition of mailed letters, the “Thank you for your generosities,” the brief yet similar book descriptions, began to distance me from the meat. Also, the accolade on the back, “A real-life love story” does a disservice to the reader’s expectations.

But that’s just me, my gf loved the book because of the London connection, because it made her fantasize about being in London, on 84 Charing cross road itself roaming thru the bookstores, and because she enjoyed pretending to be a penpal of Helene's. Or, perhaps you’re into antiquarian books, you’ll no doubt have a greater appreciation for "84 Charing" as well.

“From where I sit, London’s a lot closer than 17th Street.”

Read more Book Reviews by Author/Illustrator Ross Anthony.