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rmarcin's review against another edition
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I truly enjoy an epistolary novel, and when it is about a book it makes it even more interesting!
Set primarily in France, a woman finds a manuscript in a hotel nightstand. She returns it to its author, but is surprised when he advises her that he lost the manuscript years earlier, and only wrote to p.156, and the ending was not his. This causes the woman to find out where the manuscript had traveled, and why after all these years did it resurface.
This is a story of relationships, friends, lovers, secrets, and a mystery. I enjoyed the correspondence and the unraveling story of the manuscript and the lives it touched. I look forward to reading more by this author.
Set primarily in France, a woman finds a manuscript in a hotel nightstand. She returns it to its author, but is surprised when he advises her that he lost the manuscript years earlier, and only wrote to p.156, and the ending was not his. This causes the woman to find out where the manuscript had traveled, and why after all these years did it resurface.
This is a story of relationships, friends, lovers, secrets, and a mystery. I enjoyed the correspondence and the unraveling story of the manuscript and the lives it touched. I look forward to reading more by this author.
mormitrani's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
momji's review against another edition
4.0
3 1/2 stars. I did like the story and the letter format. I enjoyed most all of the characters. It just got a little slow in the middle, but overall a very sweet read.
avkesner's review against another edition
3.0
This ended up being a much more exciting book than I thought it would be. This story follows a multitude of characters as Anne-Lise Briard tracks down the author(s) of a lost manuscript found in a hotel room. I loved the characters and the unexpected journey that this manuscript took. It's a sweet, simple story. I listened to this as an audiobook and found the narration charming.
Thanks to #NetGalley for the e-book ARC. #DreamscapeMedia
Thanks to #NetGalley for the e-book ARC. #DreamscapeMedia
marilynw's review against another edition
4.0
The Lost Manuscript by Cathy Bonidan (Author), Élodie Yung (Narrator), Rupert Degas (Narrator), Cecile Delepiere (Narrator), Jean Brassard (Narrator)
The Lost Manuscript is such a touching story and the audio version allows us to hear the written words of this epistolary novel. So often we read a book that gives us the spoken narrative but in this case, we listen to a book of written letters. The experience is lovely and hearing the various voices of the narrators made me feel I was right there with each letter writer.
When Anne-Lise Briard finds a manuscript in a bedside table drawer in a hotel on the Brittany Coast, she embarks on a journey to find the author of the manuscript. She finds that the author wrote the first half of the manuscript thirty years ago but that someone else wrote the second half of the manuscript. Two other people have also added to the pages. Anne-Lise, and the friends she makes along the way, work to find out the author of the second part of the manuscript, over the next six months. As can often happen with the written word, some words are misinterpreted on this journey of discovery, as the various players in this story communicate with each other through letters.
During these six months, people's lives change. Anne-Lise finds that the manuscript affected the lives of others during the thirty years that it has been "missing", just as it is changing the lives of those who are involved with it in the present day. This is a quiet, reflective story and I enjoyed listening to the letters. It did take an effort for me to understand the accents of the narrators but those accents make the book even more interesting. This was a buddy read Jayme and DeAnn and getting to discuss this story seemed to fit well with the story itself.
Published January 12, 2021
Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for this ARC.
The Lost Manuscript is such a touching story and the audio version allows us to hear the written words of this epistolary novel. So often we read a book that gives us the spoken narrative but in this case, we listen to a book of written letters. The experience is lovely and hearing the various voices of the narrators made me feel I was right there with each letter writer.
When Anne-Lise Briard finds a manuscript in a bedside table drawer in a hotel on the Brittany Coast, she embarks on a journey to find the author of the manuscript. She finds that the author wrote the first half of the manuscript thirty years ago but that someone else wrote the second half of the manuscript. Two other people have also added to the pages. Anne-Lise, and the friends she makes along the way, work to find out the author of the second part of the manuscript, over the next six months. As can often happen with the written word, some words are misinterpreted on this journey of discovery, as the various players in this story communicate with each other through letters.
During these six months, people's lives change. Anne-Lise finds that the manuscript affected the lives of others during the thirty years that it has been "missing", just as it is changing the lives of those who are involved with it in the present day. This is a quiet, reflective story and I enjoyed listening to the letters. It did take an effort for me to understand the accents of the narrators but those accents make the book even more interesting. This was a buddy read Jayme and DeAnn and getting to discuss this story seemed to fit well with the story itself.
Published January 12, 2021
Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for this ARC.
lillyofthenally's review against another edition
3.0
Un roman épistolaire qui a lieu majoritairement en France but I read it in English, which ruined it a bit for me.
It was funny at times but way too dramatic with too many stories, but this is how epistolary novels work.
At the end I thought we’d have all the readers in Lozere and the second writer will be revealed, very Poirot style – a nod to the Belgian detective. I’d say I was rather disappointed with the ending.
What about Lisou’s own affair? We don’t read about it other than that one time. All of those readers – de passage – who were so greatly affected by the story … doesn’t seem plausible to me.
It’s an unfinished love story and this book is mediocre at best – plot wise. But the beginning was fun, and it was a short easy read. I’ll give it 3 stars since I’m being nice this year.
It was funny at times but way too dramatic with too many stories, but this is how epistolary novels work.
At the end I thought we’d have all the readers in Lozere and the second writer will be revealed, very Poirot style – a nod to the Belgian detective. I’d say I was rather disappointed with the ending.
What about Lisou’s own affair? We don’t read about it other than that one time. All of those readers – de passage – who were so greatly affected by the story … doesn’t seem plausible to me.
It’s an unfinished love story and this book is mediocre at best – plot wise. But the beginning was fun, and it was a short easy read. I’ll give it 3 stars since I’m being nice this year.
drlisak's review against another edition
5.0
A delightful read for anyone who understands how books can change lives and bring people together.
jennie_cole's review against another edition
4.0
The Lost Manuscript is the story of a woman named Anne-Lise who finds an unpublished book in a hotel desk drawer. After reading it she sent the book to the address on the envelope. It turns out that the address belongs to someone who knows the writer (Sylvestre) and that this manuscript has been lost for thirty years. Over the next several months Anne-Lise traces the journey this manuscript went through to find out how it was originally lost. What she finds is a series of people who were profoundly effected by the love story a young man wrote including the person who decided to finish the story that Sylvestre never had the chance to finish.
This is a lovely story about the power of a story and some good strangers. Bonidan tells the story through a series of letters between all of the readers. I think this is the perfect way to tell this story because it is all about finding the next link and how each of the characters has and still is being effected by the manuscript. The individual letters are really short so the pace of the story if fast and keeps you reading. If you love literary fiction then you might enjoy this one.
This is a lovely story about the power of a story and some good strangers. Bonidan tells the story through a series of letters between all of the readers. I think this is the perfect way to tell this story because it is all about finding the next link and how each of the characters has and still is being effected by the manuscript. The individual letters are really short so the pace of the story if fast and keeps you reading. If you love literary fiction then you might enjoy this one.
broncoannee's review against another edition
5.0
This was lovely. Told entirely through letters (and a few emails), a woman finds a manuscript in her hotel dresser finds the author only to learn it was lost 30 years ago. She starts an adventure to learn where it’s been and who wrote the ending, making penpals along the way.
tmleblanc's review against another edition
3.0
This book stretched me a bit. I'm still not 100% certain I liked it as a whole. I love the idea of authors connecting with readers and readers connecting with other fans of the same book. However, the way this story was told (through letters) didn't entirely work for me. It was hard to get to know the characters as you skip from letter to letter and eventually email to email. There was a lack of emotional connection I was craving before the big reveals at the end which were somewhat of a letdown based on how the story was told.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.