In this episode of Bound By Books, we’re taking a closer look at Anthony Shapland’s debut novel A Room Above a Shop — a tender, atmospheric story of love, secrecy and two men trying to build a life together in South Wales during a time when their relationship could not safely be lived in public. But first, we catch up on what we’ve been reading, watching and getting up to this summer. Hannah has embraced the English countryside with picnics and hiking, but has also discovered a surprising love of battle re-enactments, falconry and archery. Perhaps there’s a secret fantasy nerd lurking beneath the surface after all… We also find time to discuss the undeniable appeal of hot men jousting. Naturally. Nikki has a full programme of culture to look forward to including: As You Like It, the Duxford Airshow and My Neighbour Totoro on her summer agenda! We’re delighted to announce that Rachel Joyce, author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, will be joining us during September to talk about her novel, The Homemade God. We’ll announce the exact date very soon, so keep an eye out. And if you have a question you’d love us to ask Rachel, send it to hello@bounbybooks.co.uk and we’ll put it to her on the podcast! Set in the South Wales valleys against the backdrop of Section 28, the age of consent debate, and the HIV and AIDS crisis, A Room Above a Shop follows two quiet men whose tentative friendship develops into something deeper. M has inherited his family’s ironmongery business. B, eleven years younger, sees little future in the place where he grew up. When M offers him a job and somewhere to live, the two begin working side by side and sharing a room above the shop — quietly creating a life together that feels both precious and precarious. We both had different reactions to the novel, which makes for plenty to discuss. Hannah was moved by the book’s tenderness, its striking imagery and, particularly, what Shapland leaves unsaid. She loved the emotional restraint and the sense of frustration created by a relationship that could not be openly lived. But she also struggled to distinguish the characters at times, found some elements of the style repetitive, and wasn’t convinced by the ending. Nikki was less convinced overall, although she admired the lyrical, poetic quality of Shapland’s writing. For her, the beautiful language sometimes came at the expense of the story itself, leaving her unsure about what was happening and wanting more character development. From there, we get into the bigger questions raised by the novel: How does the South Wales landscape and setting shape the story? How effectively does the novel convey the historical reality of Section 28 and the AIDS crisis? Should historical fiction teach us about the period it depicts, or can it assume that readers will fill in the gaps themselves? What happens when a novel introduces ideas that are never fully explored or resolved? How does Shapland convey the experience of living a secret life? When does a character become a cipher rather than a fully realised person? Does the novel’s poetic, almost prose-poem-like style enhance the story — or get in its way? Why does Shapland choose to reveal certain events and information when he does? And, most importantly… what on earth did we make of that ending? Was it a cop-out? An easy way out? Or was it actually an honest reflection of the messiness and unpredictability of life? We also reference The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin, The Facts of Life by Patrick Gale, My Policeman by Bethan Roberts, and the 2014 film Pride. Have you read A Room Above a Shop? We’d love to know what you made of the writing, the characters and — yes — that ending. Let us know! Exciting news! We’re chatting to Rachel Joyce!This episode’s Buddy Read: A Room Above a Shop by Anthony ShaplandBooks and films mentioned
