A sapphic dystopian, The Last Bookstore on Earth has two young loves trying to wait out the deadly storm in a local bookstore.

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The Last Bookstore on Earth is a debut with a lot of promise that, unfortunately, blacks, pacing, and tension.

A Bit Bland

I had high hopes for this novel, drawn in by the intriguing premise of a love story set against the backdrop of a natural disaster in a bookstore. Unfortunately, I found it to be a struggle to get through, not due to poor writing but because it felt rather boring. The story centers on the relationship between two girls, Liz and Maeve, who are trying to survive a storm, but I felt that the characterization was lacking.

Liz, the protagonist, is a character with potential depth, as she lives alone in a bookstore and has a mysterious past hinted at through flashbacks involving her family. However, these glimpses are brief and insufficient for building her character fully. I wished the author had dedicated more time to exploring Liz’s backstory to create a richer narrative, as understanding her past might have fostered a deeper emotional connection with her journey. Despite recognizing Liz’s complexity, I wasn’t invested in her survival early on.

On the other hand, Maeve felt like a generic character, offering little insight into her past, which hindered any emotional connection for me as a reader. Her role as Liz’s love interest lacked chemistry, and I found myself more interested in Liz’s individual struggle rather than their relationship.

While the flashback scenes provided some insight into the devastating natural disaster and its impact on Liz’s life, they were too short. I felt that if the author had expanded on these moments and developed both Liz and Maeve’s characters more fully, it could have enriched the narrative and allowed me to become more emotionally invested in their stories.

Final Thoughts

The Last Bookstore on Earth isn’t a bad book by any means. However it was a bit bland which is unfortunate.