Not my cup of tea. I didn't enjoy the story, or the narration. The fairytale style wasn't my preference - I prefer more Faerie if that makes sense. It was a bit childish, I guess. Struggled to finish it. ( )

Un canto de amor a la lectura en general y los cuentos de hadas en particular, Si te gusta leer, este libro te encantará.
No es un libro para niños: tiene partes algo oscuras. ( )

I'm still trying to decide what I think this book is about. On the surface, it's sort of in the vein of Maguire's [b:Wicked|37442|Wicked The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (Wicked Years, #1)|Gregory Maguire|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51WuYKK3vEL._SL75_.jpg|1479280]: the reader enters a fairy tale world that is much more sinister and grown-up than the way we imagined it as children. Just from this angle, it's a really interesting, imaginative, sort of disturbing yarn. Snow White becomes this obese menace who roars at the poor dwarves. Sleeping Beauty is your worst nightmare with fangs. Prince Charming seems to be tragically in love with another knight. And within these retellings of familiar stories, there are new, creepy fairy tales told by the characters.

In addition to this, you have a coming-of-age story about a boy who's suffered the death of a beloved parent. His journey is moving and realistic. So I guess this book is a twofer. You get bowled over by the eery imagination of the author and you get that warm tingle from the growth and development of the boy. Maybe they seem contradictory, but that's life: wondrous and scary. ( )

I struggled between giving this book three or four stars. It was inventive and imaginative. The pacing was excellent and I gobbled it up in only a couple of days in spite of having to work my full time job and read around a couple of baseball games. And yet... it was oddly emotionless reading. Entertaining, but not really engaging. This is the first book I've read by this author, so I don't know if this is his normal style or if he was trying to imitate a classic fairytale style, but that's how it worked for me. He tells us that characters are feeling emotions, but I don't feel it or feel a particular empathy with them. For example:

"No!" cried David, and although he was overcome by rage and sadness, he somehow found it in himself to begin running again..."

and

He stood upright in his red trousers and his white shirt, staring at David with undisguised hatred. He raised his head and howled for the lost members of his pack, but he did not leave. Instead, he continued to watch David until the boy at last left the bridge and disappeared over a small rise, crying softly for the Woodsman who had saved his life.

Also, I get the impression that the author doesn't like women very much, as the monstrous characters are almost all women. His version of Snow White and Seven (actually Six) Dwarves was pretty hilarious, though.

First edition hardcover, which is really disappointing, because despite the gorgeous cover art and decorative chapter openings and interesting font choice, it's badly printed. The paper is cheap and thin and there are several pages where the ink is smeared across the page as though someone neglected to clean the rollers. This one will go into my donation pile.

I read this book for the Booklikes Halloween Bingo 2019, for the square Relics and Curiosities: Concerning magical, supernatural or haunted objects, such as spellbooks, talismans or swords. It has whispering books, magic portal trees, and a talismanic beast claw. ( )

4.5⭐️

“Stories were different, though: they came alive in the telling. Without a human voice to read them aloud, or a pair of wide eyes following them by flashlight beneath a blanket, they had no real existence in our world. They were like seeds in the beak of a bird, waiting to fall to earth, or the notes of a song laid out on a sheet, yearning for an instrument to bring their music into being. They lay dormant, hoping for the chance to emerge. Once someone started to read them, they could begin to change. They could take root in the imagination, and transform the reader. Stories wanted to be read, David’s mother would whisper. They needed it. It was the reason they forced themselves from their world into ours. They wanted us to give them life.”

Twelve-year-old David grapples with the loss of his mother and the changes in his life as his father remarries and they move into his stepmother’s old family home where he struggles to adjust to a new life as WWII rages on. David’s father works as a codebreaker and David resents having to spend time with his stepmother and the new baby in the family. David's only solace is the time he spends with his books - the love for reading and tales of knights and folk tales he shared with his late mother. In his new room, he finds an interesting collection of old books – old tales unlike those he has ever read before and as he reads on, he senses strange occurrences around him. One day out in the woods surrounding the house, a series of shocking events cause David’s reality to blur. As the narrative progresses, we follow David as he is thrust into the fantastical world of Elsewhere where meets friends and foes in his journey to find the king who possesses the Book of Lost Things which he hopes will have the key to his returning home. Through stories, adventure and life-changing experiences, David learns much about life, family, friendship, and courage – a journey that will leave an indelible impact on his life.

I absolutely loved The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly! I do not read much fantasy but have always loved fairy tales and particularly enjoyed the author’s take (sinister and twisted for the most part) on the tales and some of our favorite characters from the same. David is an endearing protagonist who will strike a chord in your heart. Masterfully crafted and exceptionally well-written with vivid world-building, this creative, immersive dark fantasy novel kept me engrossed until the very end. I loved how the author has woven the theme of love for reading and the importance of books in our lives throughout this novel. I also loved how the author chose to end the novel (incredibly moving, bittersweet and thoroughly satisfying!). I must mention the enthralling and extensive Author’s Note, where he discusses the tales and fictional characters who inspired the characters in David’s story and a version of each of the tales as well. While I wouldn’t recommend this one for children , I believe adults who enjoy folklore/fairy tales with darker themes would surely enjoy the read!

I paired my reading with the audio narration by Steven Crossley, which truly enhanced my overall experience. ( )