Release date: 13/03/25
A Room Above a Shop is an atmospheric and intimate story about two men entering a relationship during the AIDS crisis. This is one of the most difficult reviews I have had to write and despite receiving an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC), I have struggled to eloquently put together my thoughts until now.
On the one hand, the entire book is poetry. Shapland’s style is unique, flowery yet understated. Every word has a purpose, there’s no room for fluff. I found myself re-reading the same lines repeatedly, finding more hidden depth in each review and building up the narrative far more slowly than the short word count would suggest.
The tale is so evocative. It is the saddest love story I have ever read despite not having the same level of trauma as many. The characters are vulnerable, their situation bleak. It feels immersive, gritty and real.
And yet, the very things which make this book successful are the ones which harm it too. The pace is slow and in places, it is hard going. The book took less than two hours to read but I put it down six times. It is a beautiful literary creation but reading it feels like work. The analysis required to really understand is likely to put off many readers. For the less academic, the full context is lost and for the busy intellectual, this may take more mental effort than it is worth. Most of us are looking to read for pleasure after a long working day.
If you want a book to unwind with, you may be disappointed with what Shapland can offer. At 160 pages, the current RRP of £15 is off-putting too. However, if you can find this at the local library then I would check it out. If nothing else, it is very different to anything you will have read before.
All in all, I would read more of Shapland’s work. I would definitely recommend to those in my poetry circle. For the rest of the world, there are less intense reads.
Written By: ivetafox
Favourite Game – Long Live the Queen || Favourite Film – Sweeney Todd || Favourite Book – Wuthering Heights
About: Ivy is a disabled, autistic writer from the UK, passionate about inclusive gaming. When not reviewing, she can be found writing short stories and micro fiction or reading the latest gothic novel.
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