A boy lost in the woods; a Woodsman; a beautiful girl in a red cloak; a Crooked-Man; Trickster; Wolves; a ferocious monster; Dwarfs; a lady called Snow White; an enchanted Castle; an Old King; a Warrior; a Knight; a Sleeping Princess; a Ginger Bread House; The Beauty & The Beast; Troll under a bridge; and Werewolves. Do these things sound familiar? Well of course they do. They're the main subjects in most, if not all of our favorite fairy tales, folk stories, and myths that we've read since we were children. Believe it or not though, a reference to all of these can be found in The Book of Lost Things. However, the book is much more than that. In fact, its ongoing reference to our favorite stories is only a small piece of this incredible novel. The real essence of the story is found in the life of a 12 year old boy named David, who in mourning the loss of his dear mother, his first love, completely retreats into the world of his second love; his books.I dare you, even double-dare you, to set your eyes on the pages of The Book of Lost Things by New York Times Bestselling author of The Unquiet, John Connolly, and accompany David, as he takes you far off into the realms of his incredible imagination. Follow David on a voyage to make sense of things that at a young age he still can't comprehend. See as he grows through the teachings he finds within the stories he's read throughout his early years. Be there as he realizes that life, "real-life", is not as sweet as the stories within the books on the shelves of his room, but rather that life brings loss, pain, suffering, and hate, but also gain, comfort, happiness, and love.
"For all that is lost, can be found again".
I can honestly say that this has been one of the coolest and most entertaining, books I've read in a long a while. It allowed me to see the world through the eyes of a young boy, who in many ways suffered through many of the things that worried me as a young child. You will laugh, worry, and at times get squeamish with some of the gory scenes, but in the end, you'll enjoy it all. And don't worry, this is an adult novel. Trust me.
For in every adult dwells the child that was, and in every child lies the adult that will be.
-John Connolly, The Book of Lost Things
