A review by kruu_dao
The Lost Manuscript by Cathy Bonidan

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

What a charming little novel this was! I received it in a subscription box and had very few expectations of it, and that made all of the difference. I had just DNF'd a wildly popular book that I had been particularly looking forward to and then immediately regretted, and this was the perfect way back to a good reading experience. And not just for the novel and the characters, the style or the setting. But just the clear love that it espouses for the beauty of a well-turned phrase, the power of a story, the importance of reading. 

In fact, I even decided fairly early on to pick up a pencil and underline a number of passages that I wanted to share with others. I usually am very picky about keeping my books in pristine condition and so rarely give in to this temptation, but I did so this time, and am very glad that I did. If nothing else, it feels quite in keeping with the novel's themes of healthy alone-ness but also that of coming together as readers to celebrate a manuscript.  

The first quote I underlined was: 'When I read your words, I felt that slight shiver we feel when the lines we're reading seem to have been written just for us.' And the final one was: 'I am one of those people who cannot savour the present unless they have kept a fragment, forever nestled in the heart of their memories.' And as a dedicated keeper of mementos, often in book form, I can agree with another poignant quote, that 'characters on paper can modify our memories and remain forever at our sides.' 

I cannot guarantee that these beautiful reading souls will those that touch me forever, but it was just nice and comforting to be reminded that this is what ink on paper can do for us.