The Storytellers

Hattie´s husband recently passed away and now is the time for her to change her live. She moved into a small flat and when she saw information that you can go online in the local library she decided now is the perfect time to try finding an old friend. So she is meeting Will who helps out there after moving back home to take care of his dad and putting off his dream of an own bookshop. When a writing contest is announced in the library Hattie wants to join in and as the idea is that not only one person shall write the story, instead a group shall wok on it and each person shall write chapters in it, she decides that the young woman passing by is perfect as an additional member and for sure Will has to help her building a writing group. Unexpectedly another person using the library to read his news paper and to have something to do wants also to join the group and soon all four of these so different characters get to know each other better while creating a story. None of them would have anticipated how their lives change during this course. What a wonderful story! I really like the authors writing style, how she creates this wonderful setting and the story is for me wonderfully written. Right from the start these wonderful characters, which are so totally different - not only in age, and become such a wonderful group captivated me. I really like that we have 2 stories in here. One is about the four characters and the other one is the story they write together. That this story has bits and pieces’ reflecting their own lives is wonderfully worked into it. The four main characters have different ages, all have their own problems and burdens but to read how all of them meat in the library, join the competition and due to this they get to know each other, become friends, help and support each other is for me perfectly worked out. Hattie is for me the star of this book. This elderly lady, who brings all of them together, thought she knew all about her passed away husband and their live together is wonderfully worked out and how she is opening up, trying out new things. Avril as the youngest one is in search what she wants to do in future and is still terribly missing her mother and in search of more details about her. It is so wonderful to read her journey. Stuart struggles to adapt to his early retirement and holds himself responsible for an incident at work. Will who work part time in the library and only came back home to take care of his dad and whose past is haunting him. For me a wonderful book! It made me feel cosy and warmed my heart. You could say it is a simple story but getting to know the secrets, the despair of our characters and how they work on in while creating a story together, finding new friends, new meaning in live is for me perfectly written. We don´t have action in it, no huge and big revealing, no huge fights and conflicts. All this is for this wonderful story not needed at all. The author is captivating us with great characters and a well told story. Less is often more is perfect for this book in my opinion.