Scan barcode
katekate_reads_'s review against another edition
I really liked the premise of The Lost Manuscript - a woman finds a manuscript in her hotel room and reaches out to return it to the author. She learns from him that he lost it 30 years ago and has often wondered where it went. So she starts researching how it ended up in the hotel and where it’s been before.
I’m a fan of epistolary novels so enjoyed it was all told through letters. But very quickly it started to feel simplistic and repetitive to me. Ultimately I decided this isn’t for me and I’m going to stop here.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance reading copy.
I’m a fan of epistolary novels so enjoyed it was all told through letters. But very quickly it started to feel simplistic and repetitive to me. Ultimately I decided this isn’t for me and I’m going to stop here.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance reading copy.
khairun_atika's review against another edition
3.0
"I do know that a story can monopolise our summers and our autumns. I know that a novel can transport us far, penetrate and transform us forevermore. I know that characters on paper can modify our memories and remain forever at our sides." - The Lost Manuscript by Cathy Bonidan, translated by Emma Ramadan
If you are a fan of love, literature and letters, then this book would be a prized possession of yours. This book is filled with so much charm and delight, yet also with the despair of tragedy and forbidden romance. There is something whimsical and beguiling about such a story, and it is one that would enchant any reader.
The Lost Manuscript is an epistolary novel which starts with the discovery of a long-lost manuscript that has been read by so many people in so many parts of the world, unbeknownst to the original author. Anne-Lise Briard takes it upon herself to reach out to the author, only to find out that the manuscript was initially incomplete. Yet somewhere through its journey, someone has taken the liberty to finish the story.
What takes place soon after is a wonderful adventure as Anne-Lise and her band of friends, old and new retraced the mysterious manuscript's trail over the past thirty years, to when it first went missing, to the many lives and souls that it touched. The trail reveals the events of every character's past - some romantic, some tragic, yet mostly hopeful and wistful.
Reading this book was a breeze. With every letter written by the different characters, glimpses of the past are revealed quietly and without grandeur, lending an ethereal feel to the charm of the book set primarily amidst the landscape of France. It reminds me a little of The History of Love by Nicole Krauss and The Readers' Room by Antoine Laurain, in its beautiful rendition of literary puzzles. Moving and thoroughly delightful, this is a wonderful ode for fans of love, letters and maybe, those who long for the magic and romantic nature for love letters. For this book is a dazzling love letter to literature.
If you are a fan of love, literature and letters, then this book would be a prized possession of yours. This book is filled with so much charm and delight, yet also with the despair of tragedy and forbidden romance. There is something whimsical and beguiling about such a story, and it is one that would enchant any reader.
The Lost Manuscript is an epistolary novel which starts with the discovery of a long-lost manuscript that has been read by so many people in so many parts of the world, unbeknownst to the original author. Anne-Lise Briard takes it upon herself to reach out to the author, only to find out that the manuscript was initially incomplete. Yet somewhere through its journey, someone has taken the liberty to finish the story.
What takes place soon after is a wonderful adventure as Anne-Lise and her band of friends, old and new retraced the mysterious manuscript's trail over the past thirty years, to when it first went missing, to the many lives and souls that it touched. The trail reveals the events of every character's past - some romantic, some tragic, yet mostly hopeful and wistful.
Reading this book was a breeze. With every letter written by the different characters, glimpses of the past are revealed quietly and without grandeur, lending an ethereal feel to the charm of the book set primarily amidst the landscape of France. It reminds me a little of The History of Love by Nicole Krauss and The Readers' Room by Antoine Laurain, in its beautiful rendition of literary puzzles. Moving and thoroughly delightful, this is a wonderful ode for fans of love, letters and maybe, those who long for the magic and romantic nature for love letters. For this book is a dazzling love letter to literature.
livrad's review against another edition
3.0
I was really drawn to the plot of this book: a woman staying on the Breton coast finds a manuscript in a hotel drawer with an address inside, and it turns out the author had lost it—unfinished—30 years ago in Montreal. She then vows to discover how it came to be in France and who finished writing the book.
I loved the descriptions of Finistère in the book, as it is a region close to my heart. I do wish my French was still strong enough to have read the book in its original format. There was some clunkiness to prose that made me wonder if they were issues with translation.
There are also constraints to writing an entire book in epistolary format. It lends itself to a lot of: “As you know ...” or, “I’m sure you remember....” And there’s a suspension of disbelief that you would have a whole cast of characters in the modern age to who all profess that they don’t use email, especially when it comes to mailing letters that say, “Let’s meet on Tuesday at ...”
I cared about the procession of the manuscript in the book but not the characters. The letters don’t allow for investment in what happens to them or any of their arcs, but the resolution of the mystery and following the oath of the manuscript as it transferred hands around the world was satisfying.
Final verdict: This was a sweet scenario in a very quick book. It was a pleasant read but not noteworthy.
I loved the descriptions of Finistère in the book, as it is a region close to my heart. I do wish my French was still strong enough to have read the book in its original format. There was some clunkiness to prose that made me wonder if they were issues with translation.
There are also constraints to writing an entire book in epistolary format. It lends itself to a lot of: “As you know ...” or, “I’m sure you remember....” And there’s a suspension of disbelief that you would have a whole cast of characters in the modern age to who all profess that they don’t use email, especially when it comes to mailing letters that say, “Let’s meet on Tuesday at ...”
I cared about the procession of the manuscript in the book but not the characters. The letters don’t allow for investment in what happens to them or any of their arcs, but the resolution of the mystery and following the oath of the manuscript as it transferred hands around the world was satisfying.
Final verdict: This was a sweet scenario in a very quick book. It was a pleasant read but not noteworthy.
amandag0515's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Didn’t want to put it down. Made my English major heart happy with the letter-writing, an intriguing plot and very lovable characters you want to root on until the end.
theycallmegoose's review against another edition
3.0
This book was a quick read. I rented it from my local library on a whim, and it was a nice change from my normally dark history/mystery preferences.
However, I found the writing to be a tad pretentious and unrealistic… I can’t imagine meeting a ton of random strangers via letter correspondence and each one being capable of crafting beautifully poetic letters. The constant beautiful imagery and prose grew a bit stale 3/4 of the through the book. I found myself rushing to finish just to be done with it. But again, it wasn’t a bad book. It had a nice story and kept me interested to the end.
I did find it interesting that the author chose to say this was a “true story” with just names and locations changed, but if you read the publishing notes it states this was a work of fiction from the people and locations all the way to the actual story itself. Probably intentional to keep you wanting to read and think this was a rare beautiful love story in a world that can be not so beautiful sometimes.
However, I found the writing to be a tad pretentious and unrealistic… I can’t imagine meeting a ton of random strangers via letter correspondence and each one being capable of crafting beautifully poetic letters. The constant beautiful imagery and prose grew a bit stale 3/4 of the through the book. I found myself rushing to finish just to be done with it. But again, it wasn’t a bad book. It had a nice story and kept me interested to the end.
I did find it interesting that the author chose to say this was a “true story” with just names and locations changed, but if you read the publishing notes it states this was a work of fiction from the people and locations all the way to the actual story itself. Probably intentional to keep you wanting to read and think this was a rare beautiful love story in a world that can be not so beautiful sometimes.
bet27's review against another edition
3.0
The idea of the story intrigued me. However, the amount of characters paired with the epistolary form of the book made it hard to keep track of things, which hindered my ability to care about the characters. Part of this may be due to listening rather than reading, but I've listened to multi-character epistolary books before that I was very engaged with, so I think this book just maybe didn't hit its stride or dig deep enough early enough or perhaps overall.
spillie's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This novel is a delightful read that totally captivated me. I enjoyed the unique approach to the storytelling and found it engaged me almost as much as reading old correspondence. The characters, locations, and circumstances had me cheering as the story progressed. Strongly recommended.
kbaj's review against another edition
3.0
Coincidences abound! That's not a good start to base your plot on. Honestly, the amount of blatant "How lucky is that?" in this book is enough to make my eyes roll. And there's not even some grand narrative that explains why everything just lines up perfectly- literally just because the plot needs it to move along. Also, I recognize that most of the characters are literature lovers, but that doesn't mean they have to talk like Mr. Collins. Why on earth are they rhapsodizing about the "blue sky [appearing] like an impostor that dazzles us with its violent and inappropriate contrasts that halo the South" (88) and the "ray of sun [piercing] the heart of the clouds" (71)? These are supposed to be letters sent between old friends, not nineteenth-century poetry. And every character has the same voice. They ALL talk like each other! If it weren't for the letter headers, I would have no idea who was speaking. Please let your characters talk like real people.
But the story was okay, and it was interesting to see how different people's lives connected to the manuscript in question. I suppose that a book can change people's lives, and connect people all over the world. It's a worthy message, if a tad bland.
But the story was okay, and it was interesting to see how different people's lives connected to the manuscript in question. I suppose that a book can change people's lives, and connect people all over the world. It's a worthy message, if a tad bland.