The Echo of Old Books: A Novel

As the title suggests, books are an important recurring symbol in the story and point to different things for different characters. For Ashlyn, books and the bookstore have always been a safe space and a source of comfort, especially as they were her only refuge during a troubled childhood. After the Atwaters bequeath the store and their apartment to Ashlyn, books literally provide her with a home and livelihood.

Ashlyn’s strong connection with books, particularly old ones, is also a function of her psychometric abilities. Her gift of reading the echoes of old books is what drives the plot, as it draws her to Hemi and Belle’s story. Their companion books—Regretting Belle and Forever, and Other Lies—are important plot devices, as one of the two timelines in the story unfolds through their chapters. The books also contribute to the overall mystery by presenting two accounts of the same story, but with flipped perspectives and missing details.

In this way, the two books are also an important symbol calling to the theme of Two Sides of the Story. Hemi’s and Belle’s differing accounts, and the conviction that each of them have in their respective feelings of betrayal, show how multiple perspectives on the same situation can coexist.