The Book of Lost Things - John Connelly

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Title: The Book of Lost Things Author: John Connelly Genre: Fantasy Rating: 8/10 # pages: 302 Date read: September, 2007

Summary: 12-year-old David is thrust into a realm where eternal stories and fairy tales assume an often gruesome reality. Books are the magic that speak to David, whose mother has died at the start of WWII after a long debilitating illness. His father remarries, and soon his stepmother is pregnant with yet another interloper who will threaten David's place in his father's life. When a portal to another world opens in time-honored fashion, David enters a land of beasts and monsters where he must undertake a quest if he is to earn his way back out. Connolly echoes many great fairy tales and legends (Little Red Riding Hood, Roland, Hansel and Gretel), but cleverly twists them to his own purposes. Despite horrific elements, this tale is never truly frightening, but is consistently entertaining as David learns lessons of bravery, loyalty and honor that all of us should learn.

Review: In many ways this book reminded me a lot of both "The Eyre Affair" and "The Never-Ending Story" even though it's not a book David disappears into this time. Still the atmosphere is the same. It's a pretty good book but not one that will (I don't think) leave any lasting impression on me.

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