Finding Myself in The Little Shop of Found Things: A Book Review

Since the troubling news I had received of late in the ASMR community, I threw myself into my artistic projects, one of which was this book review. The book was one I started back in September; it had been calling my name ever since I left it unfinished. At the time, I read half of the first chapter, but it felt depressing. It turns out that now was the right time to read it, and I listened to Adrien von Ziegler's haunting Celtic fantasy composition of Resting by the Fire. It complemented the story perfectly for me.

You Should Read The Little Shop of Found Things if...

• You love antiques 
• You enjoy the new-in-town theme
• You want to be spirited away through time
• You are intrigued by the paranormal

Want a short and spoiler-free version? Check out my review on Reedsy Discovery. 

Summary 

The Little Shop of Found Things by Paula Brackston is a historical fiction and fantasy novel that tells the story of Xanthe Westlake and her mother arriving in Marlborough, Wiltshire to start their new life. Xanthe and Flora busily set up their antique shop where Xanthe puts her rare gift to use to help the daughter of a ghost. At an estate auction, Xanthe is drawn to a mysterious chatelaine that does not tell its story to her as other antiques normally do, which leads Xanthe to travelling back in time to 1605, shortly before The Gunpowder Plot unfolds. The ghost that haunts their antique shop, Mistress Merton, asks Xanthe to save her daughter, Alice, from being hanged for a theft she may not have committed. Because of her own past, Xanthe feels a connection to Alice and, although Mistress Merton leaves her little choice in the matter, Xanthe embarks on a strange adventure to save Alice.

-- SPOILERS AHEAD --

Characters

• Xanthe Westlake: Born with the gift of psychometry, Xanthe is close to her mother with whom she shares a passion for antiques and acts as her caregiver. Xanthe's true love, however, is singing, but she has not sung for a long time since being with her old boyfriend, who was also a musician and her band member. She was arrested for his crime and sent to jail, but released after a short period, thanks to her appeal. The whole situation left her wary of trusting other people and uninterested in singing. Because of her gift, she is able to help Mistress Merton save her daughter, Alice. And because of her past, Xanthe can empathize with Alice. 

• Flora Westlake: Flora is in the middle of a divorce with Xanthe's father, who does everything he can to leave her destitute. Although she is crippled with arthritis, she is determined to get her new antique shop running and start anew with Xanthe. Since Xanthe showed signs of her gift as a child, Flora has accepted her daughter, and consistently encourages Xanthe to take up singing again. 

• Liam: He is the local mechanic with a true love of cars. Although their first meeting was not the best, Liam and Xanthe become good friends where he helps her and Flora with setting up the shop, as well as with Xanthe's time-travel issues, despite Xanthe leaving him in the dark. He is also a musician, which provides a commonality that strengthens his friendship with Xanthe.

• Harley: He is the Scottish barman and owner of The Feathers pub with his wife, Annie. He is also a biker with many tattoos and a love for local history. He provides Xanthe with the opportunity to take up singing at his pub and indirectly assists her with research for her time-travel adventure.

• Mistress Merton: She is the ghost that haunts Xanthe and Flora's antique shop. She is also the mother to Alice. She has a stern and menacing presence, with an appearance that reflects how she died. Mistress Merton was partly burned and then, had her throat cut because she was a Catholic in 1605 and deemed a traitor. She asks Xanthe to save Alice by travelling back in time and is so desperate to save her that she threatens Flora's safety to coerce Xanthe into doing what she wants. Her actions demonstrate that she loves her daughter.

• Alice Merton: Alice is the daughter to Mistress Merton and the maid to Master and Mistress Lovewell in 1605. She is accused by Mistress Lovewell for stealing some of the silver pieces from the Mistress's chatelaine. Alice is a Catholic, but does what she can to hide that fact since she was forced to watch her family die for being Catholics, i.e., traitors to the Crown.

• Master and Mistress Lovewell: Master Lovewell is a kind and jovial man who seeks to flaunt his riches and title wherever possible. He is the complete opposite to his wife, Mistress Lovewell, who is stern, defensive and harsh. They hire Samuel Appleby, his brother and father to construct a screen and make other renovations to their property.

• Samuel Appleby: He is the eldest son of a master builder. He is a gifted draftsman and builder in his own right. He keeps to himself and does not engage in frivolity. However, when he sees that Xanthe, though in the position of kitchen maid, has knowledge of the screen he is designing since she learnt about it in her time, Samuel sees her as a human being. Samuel's feelings for Xanthe deepen and he helps her in her mission to save Alice. He and his family are secretly Catholics, and Samuel supports those who shall be involved in the Gunpowder Plot. 

What I Liked

I am a mood reader and, as I mentioned above, I was in need of an escape, but one that suited my current state of mind. This book starts off quietly as "new-in-town" stories do; Xanthe and Flora begin with an exploration of the area as a way to let the reader settle into the story and acquaint themselves with the protagonist. 

Antiques

I love the color palette of the cover. It contains the perfect balance of magic with its orbs and energy swirls combined with the tantalizing look of a British storefront that contains cool treasures to find.

The descriptions of antiques and the shop itself provided the perfect atmosphere. Much like when I explored new and used bookshops before COVID, I had the same feeling of unearthing special stories that were whispering my name. Antiques have their own stories and history, so it's no wonder that I loved these parts. I had previously watched Hallmark's Garage Sale Mysteries. The promise of what you can find is seductive. It's why I could rarely prevent myself from browsing in book stores, knowing that the chances of me finding at least one book were high.

Characters

Xanthe is portrayed as a human being, somewhat grey. Although she is empathetic when it comes to Alice's situation, she is only helping her because Mistress Merton threatens Flora. Xanthe makes it clear that her own mother needs her, but Mistress Merton makes the comparison that she herself is a mother and the only help with which she can provide her child is by asking another for help. During Xanthe's third trip to 1605, and every trip after this, her inner thoughts repeatedly return to her worries about Mistress Merton hurting her mother if she fails to save Alice. That is her motivation and she knows it. By the end when Samuel's father remarks upon Xanthe's kindness to help Alice, she knows it was not out of kindness:

"'...The girl has you to thank for her freedom. For her life.'

 [Xanthe] looked at him, trying to see in his face what he truly made of her. 'It was what I came here to do.'"

Xanthe is a relatable character because she is grey and because she often doubts she can save Alice. It is with the help of the people around her, like Samuel, that she is able to achieve her mission. Though she is the driving force, she does not save Alice by herself. I like that Xanthe has strong and weak moments, like we all do. 

I'm glad that Brackston didn't make her love interest the first male character Xanthe encounters. Televisions shows do that, making it easy to predict who will end up with who and what will happen. However, as the story progressed, I thought Liam would be the one she connects with, especially since they are both musicians and she is consciously aware that she doesn't want to give him the wrong impression. After their encounter at the estate auction, I expected Liam to show up while Xanthe and Flora are browsing the wares, but since he did not, I started to think that 1) Brackston had another love interest in mind for Xanthe or 2) was giving them space since Xanthe had not been in town long enough; it would seem too convenient. Because she is so wrapped up with her time-travelling capability and saving Alice to protect her mother from Mistress Merton, Xanthe never has time to prevent herself from falling for Samuel. It just happens the more they spend time with each other.  

I found it ironic that Xanthe's second instance of time-travelling is described as a fall or descent into the deep centuries to save a girl named Alice. A little like falling through a rabbit hole?

What I Didn't Like

When Xanthe and Flora meet Harley, the owner and barman of The Feathers pub, they give their names, but Harley does not. It is only a few pages later when Xanthe encounters him in a bookshop that we suddenly know his name, so I feel that his initial introduction was forgotten.

There are a few aspects about the story that I didn't not agree with or struck me as odd:

Time-Travel  

I was frustrated that Xanthe did not do enough research about the era she was in upon her return from her time in 1605 after having met Willis and Peter, the groom and stable boy of the Lovewells. Peter outright tells Xanthe the date and she never bothers to research what was happening at that time. Instead, she focuses her research on seventeenth century songs and uses the internet to find out what the small building is in their backyard. Since she's planning on returning to the past, I would have thought she'd want to be fully prepared. At one point, Xanthe chides herself about not looking into seventeenth century etiquette while back in 1605, which I agreed with. In fact, we only see her delve into a full-on internet search towards the end when the stakes are at their highest. 

Characters

Xanthe and Mistress Merton: I also found that Xanthe and Mistress Merton did not communicate well. Xanthe never asks her about how she died or about Alice's situation. She doesn't even think about asking; we get descriptions of Mistress Merton's appearance, which gives us clues, but I just found their interactions unrealistic. For someone who works in antiques, I would have thought Xanthe had more curiosity. The back of my book has a testimonial that this story reminded the person as having a hint of Nancy Drew. As an avid Nancy Drew fan, I agree with that. It is very much a hint. 

Mistress Merton and Mistress Lovewell: I found that Mistress Merton and Mistress Lovewell were too similar. From the way they are described, very little is different since they are both Catholics, and both are reserved and stern in their manner. I saw both of them as female versions of Severus Snape. Additionally, I found that Mistress Merton was two-dimensional since the few interactions she has with Xanthe are so empty of any meaningful conversation other than threatening Flora's safety. As I mentioned above, Xanthe only finds out about Mistress Merton's death from other people in 1605, making it seem that Mistress Merton lacks personality. But then again, perhaps that is what Brackston wants since Mistress Merton is a ghost and her unfinished business is to see that Alice is saved.  

Liam: Speaking of two-dimensional characters, Liam seemed to be more of a tool for Xanthe and Flora. In fact, Xanthe even says when he drives her to his favorite thinking spot that she was only with him to gain knowledge of the area for her time-travel research. So little of his own background is given. We don't even have a last name! I was hoping he'd turn out to be a descendant of Samuel, and Xanthe discovers his last name somehow, but alas, that is not the case. He helps Xanthe and Flora at every turn, even when Xanthe does not explain why she is dressed for the 1600s or needs him to drive her out to estate once owned by the Lovewells. It makes Liam seem too good to be true. 

Flora and Xanthe: With the way their relationship is presented and how they interact with one another, I believe that Flora would have understood and accepted what was going on with the chatelaine and Mistress Merton. If she believes Xanthe and her gift of psychometry, why wouldn't she believe her about the ghost and time-travelling? When Xanthe spends a horrendous amount of money to get the chatelaine in the auction, Flora understands that it is something Xanthe must do, even though money is tight. When Xanthe learns that Flora did not tell her about inviting another antique dealer to the shop, Xanthe is hurt that Flora made the decision without consulting her since they are both working so hard to start their business. Xanthe repeatedly mentions that she feels guilty for lying to her mother when she intentionally travels back to 1605 for a longer period of time. The dynamic between mother and daughter felt as though they were open with each other more than with anyone else after all of their hardships.

Outside Influences

The overall time-travel experience reminds me of the show Quantum Leap and the novelette The Fire Watch by Connie Willis:

• Firstly, Brackston writes the story with a focus on a single life that is impacted by the political issue of the day. So, while readers are given dates every now and again, so they know that November 5th is approaching, The Gunpowder Plot does not have any bearing on Alice and Xanthe's story. Like in Quantum Leap, Sam makes a difference in someone's life and in changing their personal history, they go on to make a difference in other people's lives and sometimes, in History itself. Xanthe's presence and actions in 1605 affect these people in the little town of Marlborough, changing some people's perspectives, like Samuel's. Xanthe ponders many questions, wondering if she should actually be changing the past because her actions would have disastrous consequences further down the line. Towards the end of her mission, Xanthe starts to understand and think like a seventeenth century woman, contemplating the then modern fears of whether the harvest would be good or what to do if fever should come upon the household. Additionally, when Xanthe and Mistress Lovewell have their final conversation about how the Mistress could have Alice arrested when they are both Catholics, Xanthe realizes that she cannot judge Mistress Lovewell with her 21st century thinking because it was a different time where the monarchy had an invasive presence and caused fear in its subjects. Xanthe shares many of the same questions that Sam and his friend, Al, think about in the show. 

• Secondly, I love the The Fire Watch because its truth is so powerful. I am fuzzy on the details, so forgive me. What stayed with me is the protagonist must time travel as part of a test to become a certified professional. After experiencing first-hand the events of a fire watch, the protagonist returns to his present and when he is given a test to answer questions about unimportant details, he is outraged, explaining that "They were real people!".  I got that sense from Xanthe when she thinks about what could happen if she failed in saving Alice and when a thief snatches her necklace, which is her ticket to travelling back to home. The gravity of her situation hits her with force in these instances. It's easy to forget when we're in school or reading a textbook about history that it did happen with living, breathing people of flesh and blood. I remember entering high school and hearing students, for the first time, asking if we needed to know the dates. It struck me as odd and still does. Our whole world is constructed with Time and there is a reason we have dates. They are important. Without them, we won't know when we are. It's as important as knowing where we are, what we are and who we are. Without this information, we are lost. 

Having a behind-the-scenes look at the staff of the Lovewells reminded me of Downtown Abbey. It was a nice atmospheric touch to see the layout of the kitchen with the characters busily performing their tasks: a fire in the hearth with hanging pots and pans, men carrying stoneware jugs of beer, the baking of bread, a shouting cook, scurrying maidservants. Time moves on, but not everything changes from era to era.  

Ending

The method in which Xanthe can return to her own time reminds me of Somewhere in Time since Xanthe can hold the locket her mother gave her, think about home and be whisked away, although Xanthe seems to have more control than Christopher Reeves' character in the movie. Brackston's story contains the same pain and anguish as Somewhere in Time with the separation of Xanthe and Samuel. I honestly wasn't sure which way Brackston would end the story. Having watched Doctor Who, I was hoping there would be some architectural hint left by Samuel that Xanthe finds in her time, but this didn't happen, and we are left to just hope she can find another antique to return to him one day. 

*Not too long before I published this post, I discovered that this is actually Book 1 of a series, which now makes sense and I will definitely be getting the other three books that are out at the time this post was written!

Conclusion

There are a few things I would change in the story, but overall, it was incredibly enjoyable with fun characters and a nice romantic twist I did not expect amid a wonderful tale of time-travel. It was truly a book I needed to read. 

Check out my other book reviews in the library and my review of the other books in the series:

• Secrets of the Chocolate House
• The Garden of Promises and Lies (Coming Soon!)
• City of Time and Magic (Book not yet launched: Nov 16, 2021)

Services

Need an editor, beta reader or book reviewer for your novel or short story? Check out my website to learn more about my services or email me about your project at smurphy.writer1@gmail.com!