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Summary
A charming, clever, and quietly moving debut novel of of endless possibilities and joyful discoveries that explores the promises we make and break, losing and finding ourselves, the objects that hold magic and meaning for our lives, and the surprising connections that bind us.
I absolutely adored every single minute of this audiobook. It had me completely engrossed to the point where I would come up with excuses just to listen to it. I ended up devouring the entire story within a mere two days.
The narration in 'The Keeper of Lost Things: A Novel' is absolutely uplifting, light, and downright beautiful. I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed diving into this book. It's the kind of story that fills your heart with the belief that there are genuinely good people out there, and maybe even a few friendly ghosts still lingering among us.
I found it quite unsettling to come across such explicit fat-shaming language and perspectives in this novel. In several instances, while describing the characters associated with the lost items, the author portrays individuals we are meant to dislike or those with unpleasant personalities. Unfortunately, in most of these cases, the author unnecessarily emphasizes their weight or uses their physical appearance as evidence of their wickedness.
This approach feels completely unnecessary. Must an American tourist be overweight to be oblivious? Must an abusive husband be fat to mistreat his wife? There are numerous examples, but I won't delve into them further.
The fact that this book was clearly meant to be heartwarming and charming makes the open bias displayed by the author all the more disappointing. Despite wanting to enjoy it, I couldn't overlook this evident prejudice.
The plot of 'The Keeper of Lost Things: A Novel' offers a unique and captivating narrative. The characters, despite their imperfections, are incredibly endearing, making it easy for readers to connect with them. Additionally, the book concludes in a way that is somewhat expected but still leaves readers with a heartwarming sense of satisfaction.
The person reading the book did a solid job narrating. However, the main problem for me was the excessively sluggish development of the story and the uninteresting characters. It was quite a challenge for me to push myself to the end.
This book is absolutely stunning. It had me in stitches and tears throughout. The author's vivid descriptions of the sights and smells made it so easy for me to visualize the scenes and connect with the characters. It's a profoundly touching and heartwarming story that manages to avoid being overly sentimental or melodramatic. I highly recommend it and I'm eagerly looking forward to reading more from this talented author.
I was really excited for The Keeper of Lost Things to come out, but maybe my high expectations were the reason why I felt a little let down. Anthony Peardew not only lost a precious medallion given to him by his beloved Therese, but he also lost her. This tragic event sets him on a mission to collect lost items of any value, catalog them, and store them in his home with the hope of reuniting them with their owners.
"He had the medallion in his pocket while waiting for Therese on Great Russell Street. But she never showed up, and by the time he got home, he had lost them both. He tried searching for the medallion, scouring the streets and gutters, but he knew it was a hopeless task. It felt like he lost her twice. That medallion was the invisible thread that would have kept him connected to her even after she was gone, but now it was shattered, just like his promise to her. And so, he started gathering other people's lost things, keeping them safe, just in case one of them could mend a broken heart and redeem a broken man."
Anthony hires Laura to help him with his mission, and as the story unfolds, various other characters come into play. The story is pleasant enough, but after the first few chapters, the writing and plot became a bit disjointed and meandering. It has a whimsical and lighthearted tone, but for someone like me who was hoping for a deeper exploration of lost things, it felt a bit too much.
I picked up this book during a two-for-one sale, intrigued by the promising premise. Unfortunately, it failed to impress me, barely scraping by with two stars. However, I must commend the narrator for Eunice's character, as she truly captured her essence. If I had the option, I would give her five stars. On the other hand, Laura's narrator (I'm not sure which is which) brought down the overall rating. A word of advice to narrators: if you're voicing a character whose gender is different from your own, please refrain from altering your voice. Men attempting to sound like women come across as unintelligent airheads, while women trying to sound like men diminish the complexity of male love interests. Not a good look for a romance-centered book.
The characters in the story were disappointingly predictable, especially the romance between Laura and Freddie, which felt like an afterthought. I'd recommend watching a Hallmark movie instead.
The plot was not focused on the keeper of lost things, as I had anticipated. Instead, it revolved around one particular item and its retrieval. This aspect intrigued me the most from the synopsis, but it took a backseat to the underwhelming romance and what seemed like Laura's character development, which was ultimately unsatisfying.
The book tends to meander quite a bit, with unnecessary subplots and stories-within-stories that could have been skipped entirely without losing anything. The first 70% of the book felt dull, mainly focused on Laura's divorce, which wasn't surprising at all. Even the introduction of her ex-husband added nothing substantial to the story and could easily be eliminated.
There were two redeeming qualities in this book: Sunshine and Eunice. Sunshine, a character with Down Syndrome, befriends the main characters and brings a lighthearted and humorous element to the story with her straightforward conversations and honesty. She is truly a lovable character. As for Eunice, she stole the show. I wish the book had been primarily told from her perspective, with glimpses of Laura instead. Eunice is a sharp-witted realist who fearlessly speaks her mind. Her romance with Bomber was more to my liking – complex and far from predictable. It was a beautifully heart-wrenching journey. I adored Eunice's dialogue, witnessing her character growth, and feeling the warmth she radiated towards deserving individuals.
Unfortunately, these two captivating characters weren't given enough prominence to salvage the book as a whole. I wouldn't recommend reading this book solely to get to know them, and that truly saddens me. The remaining portion of the book, including the first 70%, is simply not worth trudging through.
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