Read at least 6 books about art this year:
Feb 1 - July 31
Gone missing
How many avid readers just like us have used books as a retreat from life’s difficulties? That’s exactly what David does, when his mother dies, his father remarries, and a new little half brother enters the scene. WWII is heating up, and when a German bomber goes down in flames, landing in the family garden, David finds that the weirdest characters and places from his adventure tales are real. And dangerous. His life will never be the same, not even if he manages to escape with his life and return to his family.
An allegory on war and on conquering one’s fears, The Book of Lost Things is anything but didactic. On the contrary, it’s a perilous quest in the classic sense, full of the stuff of nightmares and horror stories. No cute little elves or fairies in David’s new world, only plenty of slavering werewolves, terrible trolls, and horrific monsters which take shape in accordance with his own deepest dreads. The way in which he handles these unimaginable challenges forms the core of this story, which is magical in content but realistic in its truths.
Recommended highly to readers of skillfully written fantasy, especially if interested in “the uses of enchantment”.
Filed under: book review | Tagged: England, folklore, historical fiction, supernatural
I’m so glad you enjoyed this one…it presently resides in Mt. TBR (the closet version…yes, I now have “versions” of the tbr pile).
This does sound wonderful! I haven’t got it in my mountain yet; maybe I’ll have to do something about that. “…magical in content but realistic in its truths” — that’s beautifully expressed.
Excellent review! This one is on my TBR.
Great review! I’m not a fantasy fan, but I have to admit this one keeps calling to me!
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