The Land of Lost Things

I have been a huge fan of John Connolly since I read his debut novel Every Dead Thing, over 20 years ago. The Charlie Parker series is one of the best series around.
The Land of Lost Things is not a Charlie Parker book however, but it is definitely one of the best books I have read this year.
If the title sounds a little familiar, it's because in 2006 the author sent a book called The Book of Lost Things out into the world. The Book of Lost Things was a poignant fairytale of sorts, set in the land of Elsewhere. The central character of the story was David, a boy who had lost his mother and traveled to the land of Elsewhere in the hope of finding her again. There, he met many fairytale characters and strange creatures.
The Land of Lost Things is the sequel to The Book of Lost Things, the sequel we didn't know we needed, but wanted just the same. It is a return to Elsewhere, in the company of Ceres, a mother who fears she is losing her child and hopes to find her in this strange land.
It is a beautiful book. It would be unfair to compare it to its predecessor. They share a land and some characters, but each tale is different. They are both poignant, beautiful stories and the one thing that stands out in both of them is the author's love of books and stories.