Fresh out of library school, Sylvia Blackwell takes a job as a children's librarian in a small market town. The library is pretty run down, but she is determined to get the youngsters of East Mole not only reading, but to be enthusiastic about reading. It doesn't take long for her to befriend some of the local children, including the incredibly smart son of her neighbour, her landlady's neglected grandchild and the daughter of the local doctor. Just as it seems her efforts are starting to be rewarded, she falls for the doctor and beings an affair, even though he is married. This begins to impact on her life and work, which, together with her unpopularity with certain members of the community - including her boss at the library who doesn't like change - leads her to spinning out of control. Alongside this, the children she has become close to become embroiled in some serious mischief, which has a lifelong impact on their lives. I found The Librarian, by Salley Vickers, easy to read and enjoyable for the most part, although I became frustrated with Sylvia as I just couldn't understand why she fell for the doctor who seemed to have almost no redeeming features. However, I enjoyed the interaction between Sylvia and the children and felt that these sections were particularly well observed. Full of nostalgia and tinged with heartbreak, the unfairness and small mindedness of the time it's set in (1958) is hard to take. Strangely relevant for today, where libraries are being decimated at an alarming rate of knots and the value of reading and expanding one's mind on something other than celebrities does not seem to be recognised. All hail the library!
My STAR rating: FOUR.
Formats available: print; unabridged audio download; ebook.
Length: 400 print pages.
Price I paid: free, borrowed from my mum.
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