The Book of Lost Things
Front Cover of Dust Jacket
|
|
| Author | John Connolly |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Rob Ryan |
| Country | Ireland |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Atria Books |
|
Publication date
|
November 2006 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
| Pages | 339 pp (hardcover edition) |
| ISBN | (hardcover edition) |
| OCLC | 70660377 |
| 823/.914 22 | |
| LC Class | PR6053.O48645 B66 2006 |
The Book of Lost Things is a fantasy novel by John Connolly. The book follows David, a twelve-year-old boy who struggles with his mother's death and his father's remarriage. When a World War II bomber plane crashes into his garden, he finds himself in the fantasy world of his books; he must find the King, who can return him to his home. The novel takes a fresh look at traditional fairy tales, following a child's journey into adulthood.
The title refers to a book kept by King Jonathan which contains many things from "our world" and his past. The title may also be understood as a metaphor for the relationship between David and the loss of his childhood, his plunge into the adult world. The title is also that of the book David writes (as an adult) about his adventures in the other world.
The novel begins in World War II London. The main character, David, is faced with his mother's slow death. David superstitiously believes that he will save his mother's life by living in a strict routine (e.g. getting up on the same foot, avoiding anything related to odd numbers). David thinks that his mother's eventual death occurred on the day that he made a mistake in his routine. His father remarries a woman named Rose; they have a child, Georgie. While David tries to adapt to his new family, he begins to hear his books whispering and has "attacks" during which he sees visions of a strange land. He finds himself lured to another world, hidden in a crack in the sunken garden of the family's new home. While exploring this fantasy world, David has many adventures and lives out his own fairy tale.
Soon after the death of young David's mother, his father remarries and they move into Rose's country home. Rose tries to befriend her stepson, giving him the bedroom of her uncle, Jonathan Tulvey, who disappeared as a boy. After Rose gives birth to David's half-brother, Georgie, David begins to hear his books whispering, and he has fainting spells. When David is in the woods, he looks back towards his house and sees a mysterious figure in his room. His father helps him search the house; all they find is a magpie, which they release. The next day Rose and David argue, and David longs to escape from his new surroundings. As he lies in bed that night, he hears his mother calling him and he follows her voice outside to the sunken garden. While he looks for his mother, he notices lights in the sky and realizes that a German bomber is falling towards the garden. With nowhere else to go, he hides in a crack in the garden wall.
...
Wikipedia