Darkshire paints the employees, patrons, and happenstances of the place as an eclectic and eccentric amalgamation of curiosities that come off more like dramatized caricatures than actual people and events. There is something oddly (uncomfortably?) and exhilaratingly confronting to read his descriptions of the categories of people who visit the shop and see aspects of yourself through the eyes and voices of a sarcastic, generally amusingly judgmental bookseller. 

While I certainly did enjoy reading this book and found myself often chuckling from the witty commentary (and seemingly endless contempt for too-small desks), I hesitate to say that I’d read it a second time. The book feels somewhat disorganized with snippets and scenes loosely divided into collections that may or may not have a clear connection among them. The lack of any true narrative arc or point beyond sharing some entertaining anecdotes and commentary relating to book selling would not, in my experience in reading similar books, lend itself well to rereading. 

That being said, I did enjoy reading it the first time and for readers who are fans of Shaun Byshell, this is certainly worth a read!