The Book of Lost Things
by John Connolly
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Book Summary Information
Author: John ConnollyEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-10-16
ISBN: 074329890X
Number of pages: 480
Publisher: Washington Square Press
Accessories:
- The Killing Kind: A Thriller
- Bad Men: A Thriller
- The Black Angel: A Thriller (Charlie Parker Mysteries)
Book Reviews of The Book of Lost Things
Book Review: "So I'm going to stay 'ere with this lot until me prince returns"
Summary: 4 Stars
The first time that I read a John Connolly book, I found it messy but really interesting. I was intrigued by him as a writer, but felt that he had perhaps not quite found his groove with the Charlie Parker mysteries. I actually wondered what it would be like if he wrote an openly fantasy-based or supernatural novel.
The answer is: pretty great. I really enjoyed The Book of Lost Things. It joins the venerable ranks of coming-of-age stories that are wrapped up in fractured fairy tales. It reminded me (in a good way) of Good People by Steve Cockayne. It also has echos of older books like Faerie Tale by Raymond Feist or even The Talisman by Steven King and Peter Straub. Please note that the fact that it follows in a genre tradition does not make the book less original or compelling. Like Cockayne, Connolly took the genre and stood it on its head. There is as much here that is original as there is that is familiar.
I have noticed that many reviews focus on the head-shaking no-no-no not-for-young-adults thread. This surprises me a little bit. I found the book much more redemptive than the relentlessly bitter The Good People, which was explicitly marketed to young adults. There are some adult themes, and these wolves have teeth, but the nature of fairy is dark. Have we forgotten that so completely? I wouldn't necessarily hand the book to a 10 year old, but I wouldn't have any real problems giving it to a young teenager. Connolly explores classic Brothers Grimm territory. Young people struggle with issues of jealousy and abandonment. They have a hard time understanding the sexuality and emotional priorities of adults. Although the book can be very violent, I think that what the objection really is to the work is that it accepts death as an option and suffering as an inevitability. There are happy endings here, but they are tempered: "life was filled with great grief as well as great happiness". That seems to me an important lesson.
In any case, these are lessons that speak loudly to adults regardless of where you stand on the novel's suitability for children. I found the book moving and sad and often very beautiful-- a real cut above what I might have expected from a supermarket mystery writer. It may not be perfect-- some of the plot points around the title object felt a little bit stretched, a little too much like filler. But this is a minor quibble. Recommended.
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