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3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
Plot
Dot Watson's life is stuck. She wasn't meant to be single at this point, or still working in a temporary job she started over ten years ago. She was supposed to be in Paris, falling madly in love, building an exciting career. Instead, every day in Baker Street's Lost Property office, she diligently catalogues hundreds of lost umbrellas, lone gloves and an alarming number of shoes.
There's a comfort in her routine that Dot has become quite attached to. But then Mr Appleby arrives at her work asking for help to find his late wife's purse.
Dot recognises his desperation and grief - and they stir something unexpected in her: determination. As she resolves to help Mr Appleby, what else might she find along the way?
Review
This is a very well written ad sweet book that deals with some not so sweet issues. What seems like a lighthearted tale about a woman trying to reunite lost items with their owners soon turns a story of heartbreak, loss and some seriously hard topics that need to be talked about.
Dot as a character is complex and you don’t know whether to feel sorry for her or simply take her by the shoulders and give her a good shake and tell her to try and get on with the life she left behind.
There is an interesting dynamic between Dot and her perfect sister, which as the book goes on its explained why this is as they both try to deal with their mothers failing mind and health. There is also somewhat of a love interest which is sweet but doesn’t become the main focus of Dot and her journey.
Like I said there are some topics in this book such as dementia, suicide, physical assault etc. So if those topics are not for you then I would steer clear.
However, if you wish to read a book that’s got more to offer than a simple plot device then I would definitely give this a read.
Rating
4 stars
Recommend
Yes but be aware of triggers
This book was kindly gifted by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Dot Watson's life is stuck. She wasn't meant to be single at this point, or still working in a temporary job she started over ten years ago. She was supposed to be in Paris, falling madly in love, building an exciting career. Instead, every day in Baker Street's Lost Property office, she diligently catalogues hundreds of lost umbrellas, lone gloves and an alarming number of shoes.
There's a comfort in her routine that Dot has become quite attached to. But then Mr Appleby arrives at her work asking for help to find his late wife's purse.
Dot recognises his desperation and grief - and they stir something unexpected in her: determination. As she resolves to help Mr Appleby, what else might she find along the way?
Review
This is a very well written ad sweet book that deals with some not so sweet issues. What seems like a lighthearted tale about a woman trying to reunite lost items with their owners soon turns a story of heartbreak, loss and some seriously hard topics that need to be talked about.
Dot as a character is complex and you don’t know whether to feel sorry for her or simply take her by the shoulders and give her a good shake and tell her to try and get on with the life she left behind.
There is an interesting dynamic between Dot and her perfect sister, which as the book goes on its explained why this is as they both try to deal with their mothers failing mind and health. There is also somewhat of a love interest which is sweet but doesn’t become the main focus of Dot and her journey.
Like I said there are some topics in this book such as dementia, suicide, physical assault etc. So if those topics are not for you then I would steer clear.
However, if you wish to read a book that’s got more to offer than a simple plot device then I would definitely give this a read.
Rating
4 stars
Recommend
Yes but be aware of triggers
This book was kindly gifted by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for the copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Let me start by saying I didn't hate this book but I wasn't overly impressed with it either. This had an extremely slow start and I struggled to push through because Dot seemed like the most boring person in the world. Many unnecessary descriptions were filler and could have significantly cut down the start of this book.
Unfortunately, this wasn't the book for me.
Let me start by saying I didn't hate this book but I wasn't overly impressed with it either. This had an extremely slow start and I struggled to push through because Dot seemed like the most boring person in the world. Many unnecessary descriptions were filler and could have significantly cut down the start of this book.
Unfortunately, this wasn't the book for me.
I was contacted by the publisher to get a Netgalley copy of this book.
I'm very grateful for the opportunity, however, I must admit this wasn't for me, and by chapter 3 I knew I wasn't enjoying my time reading this book, but I kept trying.
I had a hard time getting into the story and decided to not finish the book after 62%. I'm giving it two stars because I thought it had potential, and I enjoyed some aspects of the writing.
I'm very grateful for the opportunity, however, I must admit this wasn't for me, and by chapter 3 I knew I wasn't enjoying my time reading this book, but I kept trying.
I had a hard time getting into the story and decided to not finish the book after 62%. I'm giving it two stars because I thought it had potential, and I enjoyed some aspects of the writing.
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Randomhouse/Transworld books for my ARC of this wonderful book.
Lost Property is not the book I was expecting.
I gained so much from reading this novel.
This is a story that is poignant and purposeful.
In this tale we follow Dot, this is a woman who cares deeply for her family, for her friends and in fact for anyone who should have the luck to cross paths with her.
She works for TFL in lost property, carefully sorting out and looking after items that have unfortunately been parted from their owners. I instantly felt warmth when reading about Dot, her nature was so gentle and giving.
What started out as quite a slow yet witty story turned into something a lot more necessary (in my opinion) as we get more detail about Dot's own personal life, the moments in time in which she's experienced. From her mum's gradual change with dementia, to the mental health issues that her late dad suffered so silently with.
I got the sense that this novel is disguised as something simpler but wrapped within those more carefree moments are deep, meaningful memories. And what I learnt as I read was that how each of us remember things is entirely different, what one person could deem as a good memory, another could have captured moments that were perhaps not quite as positive.
But however we see our past, it doesn't make any of those feelings less important or significant.
Dot inspired me.
Her attitude towards life was refreshing and it was a joy to see her feelings of guilt and grief being transformed into something more hopeful. The journey she takes herself on is one of self discovery and what she discovers is something that money can't buy. clarity and forgiveness (to herself).
A uniquely, compelling debut read that left me wonderfully satisfied.
Lost Property is not the book I was expecting.
I gained so much from reading this novel.
This is a story that is poignant and purposeful.
In this tale we follow Dot, this is a woman who cares deeply for her family, for her friends and in fact for anyone who should have the luck to cross paths with her.
She works for TFL in lost property, carefully sorting out and looking after items that have unfortunately been parted from their owners. I instantly felt warmth when reading about Dot, her nature was so gentle and giving.
What started out as quite a slow yet witty story turned into something a lot more necessary (in my opinion) as we get more detail about Dot's own personal life, the moments in time in which she's experienced. From her mum's gradual change with dementia, to the mental health issues that her late dad suffered so silently with.
I got the sense that this novel is disguised as something simpler but wrapped within those more carefree moments are deep, meaningful memories. And what I learnt as I read was that how each of us remember things is entirely different, what one person could deem as a good memory, another could have captured moments that were perhaps not quite as positive.
But however we see our past, it doesn't make any of those feelings less important or significant.
Dot inspired me.
Her attitude towards life was refreshing and it was a joy to see her feelings of guilt and grief being transformed into something more hopeful. The journey she takes herself on is one of self discovery and what she discovers is something that money can't buy. clarity and forgiveness (to herself).
A uniquely, compelling debut read that left me wonderfully satisfied.
Dot Watson has lost her way.
Twelve years ago her life veered off course, and the guilt over what happened still haunts her. Before then she was living in Paris, forging an exciting career; now her time is spent visiting her mother's care home, fielding interfering calls from her sister and working at the London Transport Lost Property office, diligently cataloguing items as misplaced as herself.
But when elderly Mr Appleby arrives in search of his late wife's purse, his grief stirs something in Dot. Determined to help, she sets off on a mission - one that could start to heal Dot's own loss and let her find where she belongs once more...
Dot Watson works in the TfL Lost Property office, meticulously labelling items found on London’s public transport in the hope of reuniting them with their owner. However, it soon becomes apparent that it is Dot who is lost, grieving the loss of her father to suicide, her mother to dementia and her ever-deteriorating relationship with her sister.
What isn’t initially clear is why Dot feels guilt-ridden by her father’s suicide but Paris carefully peels back the layers of Dot and her family’s lives to expose their loss, their love and their vulnerability.
Dot herself is fastidious in details, finding safety in rules, routine and order. Her safe words (Sellotape, safety pin, superglue) echo through the novel with no real context except to calm Dot, to allow her to keep everything together and in place. In contrast to this, Dot is clearly falling apart.
Dot’s life is already poles apart from what she envisioned for herself but circumstances cause her to fall further and start looking for an escape: an escape that she finds amongst the stacks of unclaimed items, with a little help from a bottle of absinthe!
Dot’s hallucinations do cause moments of humour but more than this they portray her raw grief and her depression. Dot tries to find a story behind every item in the stacks, to give the item an identity, an owner, a purpose. But what she is really looking for is her identity, her purpose. She passionately fights for these items, believing that their worth surpasses monetary value, but she cannot apply this to herself until it is almost too late.
The characters surrounding Dot serve to reflect how isolated she has made herself.
Our protagonist has few friends in her social circle and those that she does have seem to be work friends, in whom she often finds criticism. I really appreciated the roles of characters such as Anita, she never stopped inviting Dot to events even when Dot had refused several times before. Anita is the perfect model for a friend of someone with depression: keep showing up, keep listening and never give up.
Dot’s mother, Gail, has dementia and has recently moved out of the maisonette she shared with Dot and into a care home. The relationship between mother and daughter has never been as close as the bond Dot had with her father but Dot’s memories of her mother slowly unfurl into the recognition and acceptance of her as a person and a protector, rather than the background character she has always assumed her mother to be.
Dot’s sister Philippa seems to be a bit of a steamroller of a character at first, bossy and controlling in that she plans to sell the maisonette and thus make Dot homeless. However, Philippa finds her spotlight in the final few chapters, perhaps because Dot allows herself to see her sister properly and acknowledge the life and pain that they both shared. The resulting love between the two sisters is heart-warming.
Lost Property is heart-breakingly honest and open. I laughed and, as someone coming to terms with a dementia diagnosis within the family, I cried my little heart out. I frankly couldn’t believe Lost Property is Helen Paris’ debut novel. This is the most emotive book I have read this year.
Thank you to Bookstagrammers.com, Helen Paris and Penguin Random House UK for gifting me a hard copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Trigger Warnings:
• Dementia
• Suicide/suicidal thoughts
• Hiding sexuality
• Sexual abuse
‘Books are your friends,’ I say. He shrugs, bites a piece of skin from his thumb and swallows. ‘Without books where would we be?’ I persist. ‘They take us to all sorts of places.’ – Dot Watson
Dot Watson works for the London Transport Lost Property office cataloguing meticulously lost property that is handed in by members of the public. It’s a job that she has been doing for many years and one that she truly enjoys. She sees herself as the custodian of lost property, looking after it until the owner arrives to claim their item. But Dot’s life changes when she meets Mr Appleby who is looking for his holdall that he left on the bus. In particular he would like to be reunited with his late wife’s purse which was in the holdall. So starts Dot’s mission to try and locate the holdall. During her journey Dot has to face her traumatic past, the death of her father, her mother succumbing to dementia, her unlived life in Paris with Emile and the fact that she herself is also truly lost.
I received a copy of this book as part of the Tandem Collective readalong. By the time I’d finished this book I was speechless. The first thing that attracted me to the book was Dot as a character and because she worked with lost property, but as I stated to read I learned there was so much more to this story. I read this book as part of a readalong, but had I not been involved in one it’s a book I would have read continuously especially because at times it was hard to stop at the next prompt. The storyline was original, unique and pulled at my heartstrings. As a character it was hard not to like Dot and when she was going through a tough time it felt like the reader was going through this with her. I loved that she adored collecting travel guides. There were also some sensitive topics covered in this book which the author wrote about and dealt with in a sensitive way.
This is Dot’s story of finding herself, finding meaning to her life and coming to peace with events that were outside of her control.
A book I would highly recommend to all.
I received a gifted copy for an honest review
Dot Watson works for the London Transport Lost Property office cataloguing meticulously lost property that is handed in by members of the public. It’s a job that she has been doing for many years and one that she truly enjoys. She sees herself as the custodian of lost property, looking after it until the owner arrives to claim their item. But Dot’s life changes when she meets Mr Appleby who is looking for his holdall that he left on the bus. In particular he would like to be reunited with his late wife’s purse which was in the holdall. So starts Dot’s mission to try and locate the holdall. During her journey Dot has to face her traumatic past, the death of her father, her mother succumbing to dementia, her unlived life in Paris with Emile and the fact that she herself is also truly lost.
I received a copy of this book as part of the Tandem Collective readalong. By the time I’d finished this book I was speechless. The first thing that attracted me to the book was Dot as a character and because she worked with lost property, but as I stated to read I learned there was so much more to this story. I read this book as part of a readalong, but had I not been involved in one it’s a book I would have read continuously especially because at times it was hard to stop at the next prompt. The storyline was original, unique and pulled at my heartstrings. As a character it was hard not to like Dot and when she was going through a tough time it felt like the reader was going through this with her. I loved that she adored collecting travel guides. There were also some sensitive topics covered in this book which the author wrote about and dealt with in a sensitive way.
This is Dot’s story of finding herself, finding meaning to her life and coming to peace with events that were outside of her control.
A book I would highly recommend to all.
I received a gifted copy for an honest review
emotional
funny
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Dot Watson has lost her way. She was living the high life in Paris with a great job and a great boyfriend. Now, over 10 years later, she is dividing all her time between her job at the London Transport Lost Property office and visiting her mum in a care home. That is until elderly Mr Appleby arrives at lost property looking for his late wife's purse. She is determined to help and, in so doing, sets her life on a different path...
.
I read this as part of the #LostPropertyReadalong with @tandemcollectiveuk and I am so glad I had that chance. With a lively DM group, fun challenges, and a Q and A with the author, the readalong really added to my reading experience and helped me to appreciate this lovely book so much more than I think I would have done otherwise. This would be a great buddy read option!
.
I didn't get into it straight away, partly because it just isn't my usual type of read. That said, I was soon a bit more invested in Dot and wanted the best for her!
.
I loved the writing. Helen Paris has delivered an incredibly emotive exploration of loss in all its forms, with the lost property office working well as a symbol for this. There were also some really immersive scenes where I truly felt like I was feeling Dot's joy, sadness, panic or fear right alongside her.
.
I also appreciated the many links to music, literature, and travel. These things served to solidify connections between characters as well as encourage the reader to consider what is important in life - how we can live life to the full!
.
There were some aspects of the plot that didn't quite work for me, and a few chapters that went on longer than I felt was necessary. At these points, I briefly lost interest. This book is based more around chararacter and reflection, and that is where its strengths lie.
.
Overall, this was a great read with a lot of layers that I didn't quite expect. It was very emotional with some difficult themes (eg. dementia, suicide, grief⚠️) but also quite beautiful and, in the end, life-affirming. Contemporary fans will like this a lot, I think!
.
I read this as part of the #LostPropertyReadalong with @tandemcollectiveuk and I am so glad I had that chance. With a lively DM group, fun challenges, and a Q and A with the author, the readalong really added to my reading experience and helped me to appreciate this lovely book so much more than I think I would have done otherwise. This would be a great buddy read option!
.
I didn't get into it straight away, partly because it just isn't my usual type of read. That said, I was soon a bit more invested in Dot and wanted the best for her!
.
I loved the writing. Helen Paris has delivered an incredibly emotive exploration of loss in all its forms, with the lost property office working well as a symbol for this. There were also some really immersive scenes where I truly felt like I was feeling Dot's joy, sadness, panic or fear right alongside her.
.
I also appreciated the many links to music, literature, and travel. These things served to solidify connections between characters as well as encourage the reader to consider what is important in life - how we can live life to the full!
.
There were some aspects of the plot that didn't quite work for me, and a few chapters that went on longer than I felt was necessary. At these points, I briefly lost interest. This book is based more around chararacter and reflection, and that is where its strengths lie.
.
Overall, this was a great read with a lot of layers that I didn't quite expect. It was very emotional with some difficult themes (eg. dementia, suicide, grief⚠️) but also quite beautiful and, in the end, life-affirming. Contemporary fans will like this a lot, I think!
emotional
funny
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Dementia, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Vomit