No Man Is an Island; Every Book Is a World.
-- Sign above Island Books (Chapter 1 paragraph Page 8, paragraph 7)

Importance: This quote is part of the facade for Island Books, the bookstore owned by A.J. Fikry and which serves as the setting of most of "The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry." The quote sets the tone for the novel, since the love of books is a major theme throughout the novel, and a major sentiment of its characters. What's ironic about the quote, however, is A.J. is so incredibly particular about the books he holds in his store and the people he lets into his life, that he sometimes acts as though he wishes he were an island, an island where he wouldn't have to deal with other people and he could read only the books that he prefers. The quote also matches the geographic setting of the novel, which is Alice Island, an island near Cape...