63 pages • 2 hours read
Evie WoodsThe Lost Bookshop
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2023A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
What is magical realism? What specific elements of The Lost Bookshop make it a part of this tradition? How would you fit the novel into William Spindler’s conception of magical realism? Reference the text (and any other sources used) in crafting a response.
How do the symbols and motifs throughout the book relate to and inform the novel’s themes? Cite passages from the book that reflect this relationship.
Compare and contrast the three primary characters, Opaline, Martha, and Henry. In what ways do they mirror each other in personality or development, and in what ways do they differ? How do their interactions highlight these traits?
What is the purpose of the two parallel timelines, one set in the present and the other beginning in the 1920s? How does the alternating of chapters between these timelines influence the impact and reception of the story?
What are the possible problems and benefits of including historical events and figures in the fictional narrative, particularly in Opaline’s story? Cite specific events and figures in crafting a response.
What is the purpose of opening and closing the narrative with a framing device? What does it add to the narrative, and would it be the same without it? Why or why not?
Who (or what) is Madame Bowden? How do you interpret the character, and do you agree or disagree with Martha or Henry’s assessments? Provide evidence from the text.
How do the three major themes of the novel connect and influence each other? What other possible themes does the text suggest, and how might they connect?
The narrative often provides clues for the reader just as a mystery novel might. How does this help reveal the full picture in real time along with the characters? Is this strategy effective for the story? Why or why not?
How does the novel portray the dual searches for purpose and love? How do these two needs interact? Is one possible without the other? Why or why not? Provide evidence from the text.
