The Luster of Lost Things

By: Sophie Chen Keller

Narrated by: Kirby Heyborne

Length: 10 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

A fablelike debut for fans of Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and Fredrik Backman's A Man Called Ove, in which a boy with an uncanny ability to find lost objects must embark on his most important search yet in order to save his mother's enchanted dessert shop, the only place he's ever called home.

There's only one place in the world that lonely 12-year-old Walter Lavender Jr. feels at home: The Lavenders, his mother's unusual West Village dessert shop, where meringues scud through displays like clouds, marzipan dragons breathe actual fire, and the airy angel food cake can make customers pounds lighter.

When the mysterious and magical Book at the heart of the shop vanishes and a landlord threatens closure, it's up to Walter to find the Book and save the shop. Despite - or because of - a communication disorder that renders him speechless and friendless, Walter has a special ability to find lost things. In fact the only thing he's failed to find is his father, a pilot lost in a presumed plane crash at sea before Walter was born.

Accompanied by Milton, his best friend and overweight golden retriever, Walter's quest will take him around and under New York City, into subway tunnels and soaring over Central Park, from bottle collecting in Chinatown to racing through the Met, and introduce him to the extraordinary and forgotten people of this fantastical city. Along the way he will discover his voice and learn what it means to truly be found.

©2017 Sophie Chen Keller (P)2017 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“A book of rare elegance.... Keller understands the magic of New York City...and how sometimes listening to those most people hurry past make us find something we did not know we were missing. This book is one of those things: Take the time to find it.” (Newark Star-Ledger)

“[R]ewards those willing to savor the linguistic riches and quirky characters, artfully provided by the author. With its strong story line and magic realism, this will appeal to readers of Joanne Harris’ Chocolat and the works of Alice Hoffman.” (Booklist)

“A buoyant, surprising, deeply human novel that underscores how easy it is to become lost in this great big world, and how affecting it is to be found. It's no small bit of irony that I completely lost myself in these pages. The Luster of Lost Things is every bit as delicious as the magical treats from the family bakery at the heart of this charming debut.” (Steven Rowley, author of Lily and the Octopus)

a jubilant story about human connection

If, like me, you are desperately seeking a sweet escape from the appalling, unpredictable, scary place our world is fast deteriorating into, look no further: you have found your story. Young Walter Lavender, with his trusty retriever companion, Milton, is on a quest to find a lost treasure. Overcoming his fears and a speech impediment, he journeys through and beneath the streets of NYC connecting with memorable characters along the way. Though this is a contemporary novel, there is a timelessness to this tale which lends it a fable-like quality. Keller's luscious descriptions lean towards the fantastical (especially when describing the sweet treats to be found in Lucy Lavender's shop) but feel like they could germinate from any 12-year old's imagination. Make no mistake though, this is a tale for adults to savor and is so much more than the fantasy it is being marketed as. The true magic in this book is the joy it engenders as Walter comes out of his shell, makes unexpected friends and discovers how small acts of kindness can change a life, especially his own.

Kirby Heyborne breathes life into Walter and the other characters with pitch perfect narration. I think this would be an enjoyable book to read but I'm glad I listened instead. In fact, I actually discovered this audiobook through my local library and when I was done and realized Audible had no reviews yet, I bought the book which I know I'll enjoy re-listening to so I could encourage fellow audiophiles to take a listen and hopefully bring this novel to the attention of Audible editors so they might highlight it and help others find this treasure.

Some magical, meaningful sections

I loved the beginning chapters of this book, but the story gets bogged down and tedious midway through. There is some kind-hearted wisdom dispersed in the pages, but the plot is contrived.

Great narration of a touching story

Very well written story of a boy and the challenges he faces in life. Narrator did an excellent job of bringing the characters to life.

Delicate and Beautiful Story of Loss and Love

This book is a journey, the hero's journey, of a young man and all those who enter his world as he finds his path and spreads kindness.

A delightful and delicious read

Impeccable. Stellar vocal performance, and riveting modern twist on the coming-of-age genre. Would happily re-read.

good book to read

It is a good book. Both my son and me enjoy reading it. it is worth to buy it .

Favorite!

This truly will remain one of my favorite books for many years to come. Lovely!!!

Interminable

This book starts off well and has a satisfying finish. The characters are interesting and the plot -- fantasy aimed at youth, I imagine -- was intriguing enough to keep me listening through to the end. But about half way through I was tempted to skip to the last chapter. It would have been worth at least 3 stars to me had the middle not dragged on and on and on and on. The author had a point to make and she made it hours before she let the protagonist articulate it for himself. I found it an extremely annoying listen.

I was bored

I was bored by the story.. I kept reading because I thought it would get exciting but never did. I think it may be a story that should be marketed for pre-teens.