The Book of Lost Things

Total page-turner that I finished in one day. A fantastical adventure through the eyes of a young boy.

Interesting plot, although easy to unravel for anyone even slightly well read. Even if you do guess all of the book's secrets, it's a great read, with several short breaks for fairy tales betwixt the main story line. At the back of the book is a section devoted to the original tellings of the fairy tales that were used as inspiration as well as discussion of them. The book itself takes many characters and locations everyone knows from classic fairy tales and twists them for it's own devices. A nice, fun read!

Nuori David kohtaa jokaisen lapsen pahimman painajaisen: hänen äitinsä kuolee. Elämää isän kanssa varjostavat paitsi päälle käyvä toinen maailmansota ja isän velvollisuudet, myös isän uusi puoliso Rose ja uusi velipuoli. David pakenee vihaisuuttaan ja yksinäisyyttään kirjoihin.

Jossain vaiheessa kirjat alkavat kuiskutella Davidille. Pian kirjojen maailma alkaa tulla liiankin lähelle. Lopulta David ei voi enää vastustaa, vaan löytää itsensä kummallisesta maailmasta, jossa mielikuvitus on valloillaan ja metsä uhkaavia ja tarunomaisia vaaroja täynnä. Jossain kaukana asuu kuningas, joka saattaa kyetä palauttamaan Davidin takaisin omaan maailmaansa, joten ei auta kuin lähteä matkaan.

Tarinan ainekset ovat kuin sadusta aina pahaa äitipuolta myöten. David kohtaakin matkansa varrella monia saduista tuttuja tarinoita, mutta kummallisesti vääristyneinä, usein aikaisempaa kauhistuttavampaan suuntaan. Huumoriakin sentään riittää. Kirjasta on sellaisiakin painoksia, joissa lopussa Connolly käy läpi lähdemateriaalinsa ja mukana on alkuperäiset versiot kaikista kierrätetyistä saduista; suosittelen sellaista, mikäli sadut ovat päässeet unohtumaan.

Pohjimmiltaan The Book of Lost Things on kasvukertomus, jossa nuori poika kohtaa suuren menetyksen ja surun ja sen kautta kasvaa aikuisuuteen. Kuten sadut usein ovat, tämäkin tarina sisältää paljon symboliikkaa ja vertauskuvia. Samalla se on nopealukuinen, kiehtova ja mukaansatempaava. Ahkeraa lukijaa lämmittää lisäksi aina kirjallisuuden vahva asema tarinassa, niin nytkin.

The Book of Lost Things onkin kaikinpuolin ehdottomasti tutustumisen arvoinen kirja ja olen suorastaan hieman yllättynyt, ettei tätä ole jo suomennettu. (6.6.2009)

Pretty interesting tale especially if you like stories that have a different spin on fairy tales...this was particularly dark. I read that this feels like Over The Garden Wall which was a TV series on cartoon-network, which I agree. (Also if you liked this I super recommend you check out Over The Garden Wall it's about 10 episodes long) It feels very similar with a child protagonist in an unknown world filled with wonder and fear, having a brother, and a great evil figure wanting to extend his life force except I would add a hint of vague familiarity because David recognizes some book characters.
I would recommend the audio book. The narrator is pretty chill sounded and was really pleasant to listen to even surprisingly when things got brutal. I think they made a really good choice with him. ~Ashley

I loved this book. I was on the verge of tears near the end. I don't want to spoil anything but I recommend you read it.

If you arent comfortable with fairy tale retellings where they're darker than the originals, probably skip this. If you're comfortable with that, enjoy the journey this takes you on.

A terrifying retelling of Fairytales. Morbid yet creative. I would would have had nightmares if these were the tales I'd been told as a child.

Darker than I would have expected, but it's great. A bit cliched in parts, but overall an engaging story.

Adult, young adult, it doesn't really matter because its just magical and it will put a smile on your face.

At first it seems like The Book of Lost Things is going to be the usual type of ‘portal' fantasy, as I like to call it. Someone from our world being whisked away to another by various means and going on an adventure, like the Narnia books, Harry Potter, Alice in Wonderland, Wizard of Oz, Inkheart, etc. I like those types of fantasy, so The Book of Lost Things sounded right up my alley. What's different about it though, is how dark it is. It's not meant for kids. Not only in the fact of the gore, that although not over the top, is still very present, but also in the tone and themes. This is not a fun adventure, but a true coming-of-age story and all that that entails with the struggles and the uncertain decision making. The realization that the world is not a fair or very pleasant place, but what you do in the world can make all the difference in how you survive and live in it. It is actually quite poignant in its telling.
I didn't fall in love with the characters and that's the reason for the 4 stars. I liked the story, the world-building and the overall message it conveyed, but I had trouble really caring for the characters. The main character was fine, just not a very great or memorable one.
The Book of Lost Things is a really good book, not great, but well worth reading if you like portal fantasy with a dark twist and meaningful things to say.

I need to give this one some thought. I may bump it up to 4 stars. This novel was like an elegant meal from a new culture while on vacation....enjoyable, interesting, different .... But you walk away not sure if you would like to try that again...it needs some time to settle.

I loved this book so much I didn't want it to end. In a novel unlike the Charlie Parker books, Connolly takes some well-loved fairytales and basically re-writes them to create his own epic fantasy. Crammed with lovable characters and villainous baddies The Book of Lost Things appeals to the child in me. It's a beautiful tale that lingers in your memory long after you close it's cover for the final time.
UPDATE: With the publication of The Land of Lost Things imminent, I decided to read this again. My opinion of it still stands. It was my favourite book the first time I read it, and it's my favourite book now.

There's a lot to say about this book and I cannot resist the impulse to bash it to be honest.

The metaphors, as few as they were, were meaningless. They made no sense!
The story was predictable in all its aspects.
the first 60% of the book dragged on and on and on.
The ending was meh.
The story was very disgusting and described disgustingly.
It wasn't dark as much as it was just plain gross.
I cringed inwardly a lot.
After the first 60%, it was nice reading it. I didn't feel as bored or tired as I felt earlier but that is not enough, to be frank. But it made me give it 2 stars instead of one.

This book is lovely, I generally don't like retelling of tales, but this was really well done.

Surprisingly engrossing read, interesting coming of age story.

Interesting take on the traditional coming of age story combined with slightly twisted fairy tale retellings. Loved the “new” versions of Snow White and the 7 dwarfs. Sleeping Beauty on the other hand seemed rather vague and empty.

Still trying to decide between 3 and 4 stars. Going to have to let this one roll around a bit more.

The Book of Lost Things looks like a lot of things it isn't, but it is about those things.

I know that's a strange statement. The Book of Lost Things reads a lot like a children's book, and it reads a lot like a fairy tale, but it isn't really either. It concerns itself with the story of David, a young boy whose mother passes away before the story has begun. Struggling to come to terms with the loss and life as it continues on without her, he finds himself in a fairytale world – not a Disney fairytale world, but a darker, Grimm-esque one.

Without wanting to spoil anything for a new reader, the Book of Lost Things borrows liberally from traditional fairy tales, and assembles a new story using them as ingredients. Readable purely on a narrative level, there is a more complex layer underneath, one that – at least in the Kindle edition that I read – is explored in a lengthy afterword, including an interview with the author, as well as a rundown of the stories and themes from which Connolly borrows, written mostly by Connolly himself.

A smart book, smarter than I think it might get credit for. The afterword is worth reading in full.

One of my favorite books now. It's that enthralling and special and moving!

I am almost tempted to close it, reopen it at the beginning, and immediately re-read it. Almost...but I'd rather make my husband read it instead.

I really enjoyed this book. It is dark and twisted (as in twisted faery tales) and it vears ever so close to things I don't want to read about but it never actually goes there (specifics in child abduction). I thought it was well written and very interesting. I loved the main character and his growth. Highly recommend - it is a twisted so you have been warned... (my fav was the sleeping beauty twist - so intersting!)

Started a little slow and wasn't sure I even wanted to continue reading it but it ended up being entertaining and I enjoyed it.

This was a great book about love and loss and facing one's fears. I liked the way David's wishes and fears influenced the kingdom as well as the interesting twists on the familiar fairy tales, myths and nursery stories. I especially liked the extensive section after the main story in which the author describes the origins of these stories, recommends some variations by other authors and then provides the original story.