Lost & Found; Brooke Davis
Dutton - 2015
In Lost & Found, three unlikely characters forge an unexpected bond.
Intro -- Millie Bird
"Millie's
dog, Rambo was her Very First Dead Thing. She found him by the side of
the road on a morning when the sky seemed to be falling, fog circling
his broken shape like ghost. His jaw and eyes were wide open, as if in
mid-bark. His left leg pointed in a direction it normally didn't. The
fog lifted around them, the clouds gathered in the sky, and she wondered
if he was turning into rain."
It was only when she dragged Rambo up to the house in her schoolbag that her mother thought to tell her how the world worked."
So
begins the sad tale of seven year old Millie Bird whose mother left her in
the Big Ladies Underwear department, telling her she would be right
back, shortly after the death of Millie's dad. This was a lie of course.
Millie
meets eighty-seven year-old Karl, The Touch Typist, who has just escaped from the
nursing home his son left him at, a place he probably didn't really
need to be just yet. Karl deeply misses his wife Evie, the love of his
life, who has passed on. Karl, meets Millie at the department store
coffee shop where he is hanging out.
Millie's
neighbor, Agatha Pantha, eighty-two, is a miserable, bitter, old woman who became
a recluse after her husband Ron, who she never seemed to care
about, dies. When Millie later returns home, and comes to Agatha's
house hungry, Agatha ventures outdoors for the first time in months to
bring Millie some cookies and tea.
There are
many touching things about this story of lonely people who are brought
together. Millie, for example keeps, "a book of dead things", her dog is
#1 and her dad is #28. Wherever she goes, she leaves signs for her
mother, hoping she comes back: "in here mum" or "be right back, mum".
The
story takes place in Australia and I thought that the writing style, a bit choppy at times, took some getting used to. The story is told from the third
person POV and, the author does a wonderful job getting
deep into the heads of the characters. When I was finished reading, I felt like I really knew each character. Lost & Found is story will pull at your heartstrings, as well as
make you laugh. Readers who enjoy stories of love, loss, loneliness and
abandonment, should give this quirky debut novel a try. The cover is just
perfect, IMO, as well.
4/5 stars
(review copy)
It sounds rather heartbreaking but good.
ReplyDeleteI really liked the beginning of this book, but the last half was not as enjoyable. I felt that the characters became so whacky as to make the story kind of unbelievable.
ReplyDeleteNope. Anything with dead animals is not for me.
ReplyDeleteQuirky debut is right up my alley. Will keep my eye out for this novel.
ReplyDeleteThe premise is sad (and gets sadder, I think) but the book sounds very touching. Thanks for sharing your thoughts about this book, Diane.
ReplyDeleteI had an eGalley of this book, but it expired before I had a chance to read it. Bummer. I like touching and quirky!
ReplyDeleteI like the sound of this one! It sounds like a fun and charming story. I will have to look for this one.
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard of this one - but think I would like it - thanks!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a story with lot of quirky characters and I like that!
ReplyDeleteI've not heard of this book before, but it sounds a little different and definitely worth giving a go. :)
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