REVIEW: The Left-Handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix

Ever since I first heard the title of this book, I have been anxious to read it. The Left-Handed Booksellers of London! What an intriguing title, promising all kinds of delicious adventure, perfect for booklovers. I obviously had some high expectations when I picked this up and they were both wonderfully met and promptly surpassed.

Garth Nix

Garth Nix’s latest book is set in an alternate version of London in 1983 and follows the story of Susan Arkshaw, a young woman whose hunt for her unknown father leads into a dangerous world of mythical monsters and legendary beings, policed by a secret organisation of magical booksellers.

(Side note: Has any description of a book ever filled you with such joy? There is so much to love about this – it just ticks so many boxes. Garth Nix? Tick! Retro ‘80s London? Tick! Mythical monsters and magical booksellers? Tick, tick!)

Susan Arkshaw is a wonderful main character for this captivating tale. Resourceful, brave and instantly likable, she’s the kind of main character you can’t help but imprint on. She is joined by a stellar cast of supporting characters, in particular the effortlessly stylish and wildly eccentric Merlin (favourite character alert!).

Packed full of literary, pop culture, music and art references that will have you compiling a list of authors, musicians and artists to check out once you’ve finished reading, The Left-Handed Booksellers of London is a delightful introduction to a world I hope Garth Nix intends to revisit soon. The story is engaging and fast paced, the characters are charming and fun, the world building is (as always when it comes to Garth Nix) utterly spellbinding. It’s impossible not to wish for entry into this world – the only real question is whether you would choose to be a left-handed, right-handed or even-handed bookseller.

Without question one of my favourite fantasy reads of the year!

—The Left-Handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix (Allen & Unwin) is out now.

This book is part of Booktoberfest, the festival of new books!

The Left-Handed Booksellers of London

by Garth Nix

From the bestselling author of Angel Mage, this new fantasy adventure set in 1980s London follows one girl's quest to find her father, leading her to a secret society of magical fighting booksellers who police the mythical Old World when it disastrously intrudes into the modern world.

Eighteen-year-old art student Susan Arkshaw arrives in London in search of her father. But before she can question crime boss Frank Thringley he's turned to dust by the prick of a silver hatpin in the hands of the outrageously attractive...

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About the Contributor

Sarah McDuling

Sarah McDuling is Booktopia's Category Manager for Children's and Young Adult Books. She has been in the bookselling game for almost a decade and a dedicated booklover since birth (potentially longer). At her happiest when reading a book, Sarah also enjoys talking/writing/tweeting about books. In her spare time, she often likes to buy a lot of books and take photographs of books. You can follow her on Twitter and Instragram @sarahmcduling

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