The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly is the story of a young boy named David who loses his mother at an early age after a long struggle with disease. When his father remarries, David takes his anger out on their new family. At the same time, David’s family moves to a new house in the English countryside, where David begins to see and hear strange things, including his mother’s voice. Before realizing it, David becomes trapped in another world, full of strange creatures and stories. Many of the stories are alternate versions of those he loved to read back home. As David navigates his way through this treacherous world, he learns about himself and the world he left behind.
Connolly’s writing is great and the story is enchanting. One of the most interesting things is that the last third of the book is dedicated to Connolly’s review of the various fairy tales found in the book. He includes a brief analysis of what each fairy tale represents in the book and how and why they became altered in the story. He also includes a traditional telling of each for reference. These analyses added an intellectual element to the book that complimented the story quite nicely.
4/5