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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
It was a fun listen. I expected fantasy in this one, but it was more of a love story and cozy adventure.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book was exactly what I needed right now! Lovely story. Charming characters. Excellent narration.
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It's good, an easy listen. It gets a little confusing following the 2 stories and it isn't until close to the end that you really figure out how they both tie together. Overall, it's enjoyable and you find yourself invested in the character's lives, however it takes awhile so hence my 3 star rating. It's a slow build but worth the read.
I really enjoyed this book and love the premise... someone who finds lost things, takes them home, catalogs them, and then tries to find the owner. I loved the stories about the lost items and wish there was a companion book full of those wonderfully creative short stories. From puzzle pieces to coat buttons, what are the stories behind the things we see on the sidewalks or in the gutters? I also loved the slight supernatural sprinklings throughout the story. Five stars!
I’ll be honest—I might not have finished this if it weren’t for book club, but I’m glad I did. Though slow, it had a quiet charm, blending mystery, sweetness, and heartwarming moments. A gentle reminder of the meaning in small things.
An idea with some potential, but not very well executed.
The 'show don't tell' rule was fairly comprehensively ignored. I'm not sure we witness a substantial conversation between Laura and Anthony - but we're told about them retrospectively, which is far less engaging to read. The same with everyone's backstory - rather than dropping hints, revealing things naturally and gradually, we're given exposition dumps from the outset.
Also some egregious POV jumping - we're mainly in Laura's POV in her chapters, but then jump to Sunshine's (sidenote - what is with this name?!) or Freddy's for a couple sentences before jumping back to Laura.
Eunice's chapters were more enjoyable, because they were a bit less like this, but only a bit.
The handling of characters with Down's and dementia also felt clunky, and the attempt to include West Indian characters, clichéd speech patterns and all, bothered me.
The 'show don't tell' rule was fairly comprehensively ignored. I'm not sure we witness a substantial conversation between Laura and Anthony - but we're told about them retrospectively, which is far less engaging to read. The same with everyone's backstory - rather than dropping hints, revealing things naturally and gradually, we're given exposition dumps from the outset.
Also some egregious POV jumping - we're mainly in Laura's POV in her chapters, but then jump to Sunshine's (sidenote - what is with this name?!) or Freddy's for a couple sentences before jumping back to Laura.
Eunice's chapters were more enjoyable, because they were a bit less like this, but only a bit.
The handling of characters with Down's and dementia also felt clunky, and the attempt to include West Indian characters, clichéd speech patterns and all, bothered me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Pedophilia
Minor: Miscarriage, Rape, Suicide
The Keeper of Lost Things is kind of a quiet story. It’s a bit sad, a bit hopeful. I’d definitely describe it as a character driven novel without much action, but a lot of interesting details to make up for it.
There are two stories taking place here. The main story is of middle aged Laura, who inherits a home from an elderly writer she took care of. Upon his death, she discovers a room full of lost objects that he had found and cataloged over the years. Turns out these objects were the basis of his short stories. His final wish was for her to somehow reunite as many of the lost objects as possible with their original owners. Her journey takes off with potential love interest Freddy, the gardener, and young Sunshine, a delightful child who has Down syndrome. The other story takes place in the not so distant past, and centers around a young woman named Eunice and her boss and dear friend Bomber. Eventually, the stories tie together.
I liked this story, though it was a bit slow moving at times. I liked the characters and how their stories all wove together. Sunshine was delightful, much like her name, and helped add a touch of humor and innocence to the story. There was a lot of sadness in the background of everything. Anthony, the former “keeper of lost things,” had a very specific reason for collecting these objects, which involved the death of his fiance many years earlier. Laura was also struggling when Anthony “found” and hired her. Relationships prove to be very important in this story — from romantic relationships to close friendships.
The stories are woven together in such an intricate way, from the story of Laura to the story of Eunice, and even Anthony’s short stories about the lost objects, which were interesting and heartbreaking and beautiful. It was definitely a unique and one of a kind book.
All in all, I enjoyed my time with this book. While it won’t go down as one of my favorites, it was a nice, quiet, cozy read for these cold winter nights.
There are two stories taking place here. The main story is of middle aged Laura, who inherits a home from an elderly writer she took care of. Upon his death, she discovers a room full of lost objects that he had found and cataloged over the years. Turns out these objects were the basis of his short stories. His final wish was for her to somehow reunite as many of the lost objects as possible with their original owners. Her journey takes off with potential love interest Freddy, the gardener, and young Sunshine, a delightful child who has Down syndrome. The other story takes place in the not so distant past, and centers around a young woman named Eunice and her boss and dear friend Bomber. Eventually, the stories tie together.
I liked this story, though it was a bit slow moving at times. I liked the characters and how their stories all wove together. Sunshine was delightful, much like her name, and helped add a touch of humor and innocence to the story. There was a lot of sadness in the background of everything. Anthony, the former “keeper of lost things,” had a very specific reason for collecting these objects, which involved the death of his fiance many years earlier. Laura was also struggling when Anthony “found” and hired her. Relationships prove to be very important in this story — from romantic relationships to close friendships.
The stories are woven together in such an intricate way, from the story of Laura to the story of Eunice, and even Anthony’s short stories about the lost objects, which were interesting and heartbreaking and beautiful. It was definitely a unique and one of a kind book.
All in all, I enjoyed my time with this book. While it won’t go down as one of my favorites, it was a nice, quiet, cozy read for these cold winter nights.