A review by cwerber
The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan

lighthearted relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

I cannot ignore that the plot of this book is similar to the plot The Messy Lives of Book People. Both have a secondary character who is a writer, older, and dies about a third of the way through. Both have a main character who is a housekeeper, married young, and feels like the best years of her life are behind her. (Naturally, I took offense to this since I was about the main character's age.) And both must take on tasks that feel Herculean in nature. Oh, and both are British. 

I could not ignore the similarities. I really, really couldn't. 

I also wanted to shake the main characters to try and make them see sense. 

Though, in this book we have a parallel story about a woman who finds something that is central to the book. There's also a young woman with Down's Syndrome, a suitor who just can't see to express his interest in the main character, and a ghost. 

I caught myself rolling my eyes at the main character often at what she says and does. I was tempted a few times to throw it across the room, but since I was reading it on a laptop, I opted not to. 

Look, it obviously not what I was hoping it would be. But perhaps it may be for you.
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