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tmccool86's reviews
282 reviews
The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly
3.0
The Book of Lost Things the story of David, a 12 year old who is mourning the loss of his mother. During this time of grieving, his life is upended in several ways. The world is at war, and London, his home, is a target for German bombs. His father, meanwhile, has married a woman and had a child with her. David is uprooted from his home and swept off to the country to live with a half brother he resents and a step mother he can barely tolerate. And, during all of this turmoil, a crooked man finds his way into David's dreams, calling him a new king and beckoning him to a magical land.
This book has a lot going for it. David, while sympathetic, is vaguely unlikable at the beginning because he is surly and selfish. But his bad qualities never go too far, he is never shown as a bad kid, just a troubled one. It paves the way for his growth throughout the tale. By the end, you are rooting for him completely. He has a strong character arc.
The Book of Lost Things also interacts with fairy tales in an interesting way. They are woven throughout the story. First in the tales David reads to keep himself company, and later he encounters twisted versions of them in the new, magical, land he finds himself in. The tales are all familiar, but none of them remain completely the same as the ones we grew up with. For instance, Snow White is an unbearable pain, and Little Red Riding Hood is the mother of werewolves.
I enjoyed how the fairy tales took on a life of their own in this book, and that many of them became dark reflections of David's own fears. But, it wasn't a flawless use of fairy tales. Because they were so recognizable, I sometimes felt that this story wasn't entirely its own tale. It was just this side of derivative, never quite rising above the source material to become its own, unique and engaging tale.
This book has a lot going for it. David, while sympathetic, is vaguely unlikable at the beginning because he is surly and selfish. But his bad qualities never go too far, he is never shown as a bad kid, just a troubled one. It paves the way for his growth throughout the tale. By the end, you are rooting for him completely. He has a strong character arc.
The Book of Lost Things also interacts with fairy tales in an interesting way. They are woven throughout the story. First in the tales David reads to keep himself company, and later he encounters twisted versions of them in the new, magical, land he finds himself in. The tales are all familiar, but none of them remain completely the same as the ones we grew up with. For instance, Snow White is an unbearable pain, and Little Red Riding Hood is the mother of werewolves.
I enjoyed how the fairy tales took on a life of their own in this book, and that many of them became dark reflections of David's own fears. But, it wasn't a flawless use of fairy tales. Because they were so recognizable, I sometimes felt that this story wasn't entirely its own tale. It was just this side of derivative, never quite rising above the source material to become its own, unique and engaging tale.