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3.59 AVERAGE
3.59 AVERAGE
A delightful read for anyone who understands how books can change lives and bring people together.
The Lost Manuscript is the story of a woman named Anne-Lise who finds an unpublished book in a hotel desk drawer.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.
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.
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.
30 years ago a half-finished manuscript was left on a plane and today it is found in the nightstand of a hotel and returned to the author. Told through letters, The Lost Manuscript discovers the journey of this manuscript during its 30 year absence and the lives of the people it touched.
This book is absolute magic and I finished it one day because I couldn't wait to hear what happened next. I loved the epistolary style, the depth of the relationships formed throughout the book and the tenacity and heart of the main character Anne-Lise. It makes me want to write letters again.
The narrators are wonderful and bring depth and distinction to each character. The voices and personalities really helped me keep the characters and relationships straight throughout the book.
I can't recommend The Lost Manuscript enough.
This book is absolute magic and I finished it one day because I couldn't wait to hear what happened next. I loved the epistolary style, the depth of the relationships formed throughout the book and the tenacity and heart of the main character Anne-Lise. It makes me want to write letters again.
The narrators are wonderful and bring depth and distinction to each character. The voices and personalities really helped me keep the characters and relationships straight throughout the book.
I can't recommend The Lost Manuscript enough.
The novel told in a series of letters revolving around the love of books that bring people together…SO good!! I will be thinking about these characters and the adventure they went on together forever!
This book is cute and creative. A romance. A bit of a mystery (lost persons) thrown in for good measure. To write a book mostly of letters set in 2016 required some quirky characters and situations. Maybe due to the letters (and some long-hand style emails), you truly get a sense of the characters. Letter writing is a communication format so nearly gone.
"I felt that slight shiver we feel when the lines we’re reading seem to have been written just for us."
The Lost Manuscript is a short, sweet, and charming tale of a 30-year-old abandoned, unpublished novel manuscript that makes its way across the world, passing through different sets of hands and touching several hearts along the way.
An epistolary tale (told entirely in letters), The Lost Manuscript offers varying perspectives from multiple characters, and the full audiobook cast offers a unique voice for each, which was a nice touch.
I struggled a bit with the heavy French accents on the audiobook - not necessarily a bad thing, as it did add a layer of authenticity and charm to the story; it just took some getting used to. I ultimately decided to slow down the listening speed, and that made it easier for me to understand what I was hearing.
I also felt that there was a lot more “tell” than “show,” which seems to be a common thread in epistolary novels. If you’re expecting it, I suppose it works.
Ultimately, though, I thought that The Lost Manuscript was a sweet ode to the transformative power of stories, and how the right words, spoken to a reader from the page, can motivate us to action, encourage life change, spark new relationships, and ultimately transform a life.
A 3.5-star read/listen!
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A huge thank-you to Cathy Bonidan, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
—-
Follow @letteredlibrary on Instagram!
The Lost Manuscript is a short, sweet, and charming tale of a 30-year-old abandoned, unpublished novel manuscript that makes its way across the world, passing through different sets of hands and touching several hearts along the way.
An epistolary tale (told entirely in letters), The Lost Manuscript offers varying perspectives from multiple characters, and the full audiobook cast offers a unique voice for each, which was a nice touch.
I struggled a bit with the heavy French accents on the audiobook - not necessarily a bad thing, as it did add a layer of authenticity and charm to the story; it just took some getting used to. I ultimately decided to slow down the listening speed, and that made it easier for me to understand what I was hearing.
I also felt that there was a lot more “tell” than “show,” which seems to be a common thread in epistolary novels. If you’re expecting it, I suppose it works.
Ultimately, though, I thought that The Lost Manuscript was a sweet ode to the transformative power of stories, and how the right words, spoken to a reader from the page, can motivate us to action, encourage life change, spark new relationships, and ultimately transform a life.
A 3.5-star read/listen!
—-
A huge thank-you to Cathy Bonidan, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
—-
Follow @letteredlibrary on Instagram!