The Book of Lost Things

By: John Connolly

Narrated by: Steven Crossley

Length: 10 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

High in his attic bedroom, 12-year-old David mourns the loss of his mother. He is angry and he is alone, with only the books on his shelf for company.But those books have begun to whisper to him in the darkness, and as he takes refuge in the myths and fairytales so beloved of his dead mother, he finds that the real world and the fantasy world have begun to meld. The Crooked Man has come, with his mocking smile and his enigmatic words: "Welcome, your majesty. All hail the new king."

With echoes of Gregory Maguire's and C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia, author John Connolly introduces us to a cast of not-quite-familiar characters - like the seven socialist dwarfs who poison an uninvited (and unpleasant) princess and try to peg the crime on her stepmother. Or the Loups, the evil human-canine hybrids spawned long ago by the union of a wolf and a seductive girl in a red cloak.

As war rages across Europe, David is violently propelled into a land that is both a construct of his imagination, yet frighteningly real - a strange reflection of his own world composed of myths and stories, populated by wolves and worse-than-wolves, and ruled over by a faded king who keeps his secrets in a legendary book...The Book of Lost Things.

©2006 John Connolly (P)2006 Recorded Books, LLC.

Adult's fairy tale?

I wasn't sure if this was actually a children's book or not, but I loved it as an adult who remembers fairy tales from my youth fondly.

Wonderful book!!

If you like fairy tales, and coming of age stories, this book is for you. I had to sit and listen to the last half hour because I couldn't wait to hear the end. It brought tears to my eyes. It's a beautiful tale of a boys journey to a foreign country and how his experiences there shape him.

Great Ideas, Missing Dynamic Female Characters

What did you like best about The Book of Lost Things? What did you like least?

I like the twisted fairy tales aspect best. I wish the female characters weren't so stereotypical.

wonderfully written story!

I really was impressed with the story. it was genuinely scary at times, but identifiable in today's society even though the story was written about WW2 timetable

Delightful read!

I read from nearly every category so long as the story told is a good one.. This is categorized as young adult, but I would highly recommend it to nearly everybody. A young boy who's life and flailables lead to one misadventure after another finds his way through a strange and dangerous land making true friends and ruthless enemies along the way. I didn't want the book to end, but in the end, it wasn't as expected, yet quite satisfying nevertheless. Bravo to the author as well as the reader! Well done!

A true heir of CS Lewis ... by way of Clive Barker

Would you consider the audio edition of The Book of Lost Things to be better than the print version?

I haven't read the print version

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Yes - I really enjoyed the twisted fairy tale aspects.

What does Steven Crossley bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He's a fabulous reader, emotive without being over the top and all the characters were distinct in my mind.

Any additional comments?

I kept being reminded of other books as listened to this one, but having just finished it, the comparison to Lewis' "The Last Battle" (and also kind of "The Screwtape Letters") seem inescapable, and almost disappointing. I very much enjoyed both the reader and the writing though and may explore his detective series ...

appeal

I very much enjoyed this book the story in itself was wonderful but I do wish their had been more of a dialogue with different actors.

Was SO into this story until…….

The author equated being gay with feeling dirty, unnatural, wrong, disgusting, recoiling from a gay man’s touch, etc etc etc. The story was SO beautiful up to that point and I continued listening further past that part hoping the author would redeem himself and appreciate what a fantastic learning experience this is to have the protagonist address hi homophobic ideologies and accept that we are not the same, love is love, and loving who love should never be shamed upon. But instead, the author chose to continue digging deeper and deeper into the entire
virtue signaling rabbit hole and at that point I had to stop listening. I will be returning this book as I will never support such gross hatred and disgust and disrespect towards the LGBTQI community. Anyone else who does so can certainly get fucked. Such a let down to what could’ve been a beautiful story of overwhelming ignorance and hatred and working towards inclusion and equality. Bad move, Mr. Author sir, very bad move.

Delightful

David learns wisdom. He overcomes his fears and his enemies. He learns compassion and selflessness. Along the journey,he meets remarkable and kind friends who help him return from a place he unintentionally entered.

For Those Who Enjoy Playing with Fairytales

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This is one of those books that appeal to a specific listener. If I know my friend has a fondness of fairytales and enjoys rather warped retellings, I'd suggest this book.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

The ending was satisfying in its resolution, but it was perhaps a little too "tidy" for a book that was "out there."

What does Steven Crossely bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

His agility with regional accents from the UK is admirable.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

David's delicate state after his mother's death was heartbreaking and disturbing. John Connolly did a great job engendering pity for the boy's plight, particularly in the scene at the psychiatrist's office when David has a meltdown.

Any additional comments?

The Crooked Man stands out as a particularly menacing bad guy. Towards the end of the story, the author pushed a little too hard with an overabundance of gory details and sickening anecdotes about the character's misdeeds. My finger hovered over the fast-forward button because the gratuitous detail became irritating. We already got it: he's a really bad dude.

The Book of Lost Things portrays the healing power of stories and books.