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: Awesomely twisted Fairy Tale
Summary: 5 Stars
Let me just say this. I loved this book. You might think it is a children's book but according to the author, and in my humble opinion, you would be wrong. This book is so much more than a fairy tale, even though it is set with a fairy tale background. The book really hits home so far beyond the basics. Taking on topics of divorce, stepmothers, death, life, challenges and disappointments, this book forces you to think about life while at the same time keeping you entertained within the realm of distorted childhood characters.
David is a young boy whose mother has died, and he sadly had a front row seat for several months while she lay in agony. In addition to his agonizing personal situation, the story is set in England during the beginning of Germany's bombing campaign, while war raged all around the ravaged city. As if this wasn't enough for a young boy to handle, his father gets a girl pregnant not long after his mother passed away and they then uproot their life to go and live with her in the country. David gets placed in a room, filled with books, that was occupied by a long lost former relative who went missing when he was a child, never to be seen again.
Does this sound like a lot to handle for a 12 year old boy? After a rather hard day with the stepmother, David wanders out to the garden late at night only to find himself whisked away to a magical land of bizarre creatures and warped agendas. As an example, Little Red Riding Hood actually hooks up with a wolf, they have babies and low and behold a hybrid being is born who is now threatening to take over the kingdom. Dude, I thought my imagination ran wild, but I am not sure I would have thought of mixing up the classics in quite that way.
David's initial quest is to find his mother, her voice was the one that led him to this land beyond time. After a while he begins to focus on staying alive long enough to return home, and the rumor has it the king is the only guy in the land who can help him out. His trek through the land confronts him with several trials which eventually find David maturing quickly beyond his years. I think if I met a wolf man who was the offspring of Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf, I might have to grow up quickly as well.
Dealing with these enormous issues hits home with me. I am divorced, I have three children and I am currently engaged to be married again. I felt for David on a personal level and John Connolly made it so easy, as he masterfully weaved a tale of life's obstacles and how a child might view them from a four foot perspective. The book keeps you thinking about so many really life aspects, while engaging you in a land of Trolls and deer with human heads. Unlike most books surrounded in make believe, be warned that John does not hold back on the gruesome side of death and torture that can sometimes accompany a real world reality.
If you are going to read this to a younger child, I would suggest filtering out some of the more in your face passages. My eight year old could probably handle the book in its entirety, but I don't think I am quite ready for her to be exposed to a cold dead girl's head rubbing blood up against a captive little boy.
I haven't read a book that I enjoyed this much in a long time. I can't recommend it enough for anyone, of any age but again, be warned before letting a child peruse the passages on their own. It really is a masterfully crafted work of art that should hold it's allure for many years to come.
Summary of The Book of Lost Things
High in his attic bedroom, twelve-year-old David mourns the death of his mother, with only the books on his shelf for company. But those books have begun to whisper to him in the darkness. Angry and alone, he takes refuge in his imagination and soon finds that reality and fantasy have begun to meld. While his family falls apart around him, David is violently propelled into a world that is a strange reflection of his own -- populated by heroes and monsters and ruled by a faded king who keeps his secrets in a mysterious book, The Book of Lost Things.Taking readers on a vivid journey through the loss of innocence into adulthood and beyond, New York Times bestselling author John Connolly tells a dark and compelling tale that reminds us of the enduring power of stories in our lives.
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