Book Review: The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly
by John Connolly
352 pages
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN 0743298853
I have mooched this book some time ago and I like it when an established author takes a chance and writes something very different. John Connolly is a hard-boiled mystery type writer. This book is not.
This book is interesting in several ways. First, I find this book much darker than the surface description. It is a very adult tale when these items get mingled into it, in my opinion. My brother-in-law Scott read this some time ago and remarks on this being a Young Adult novel. I disagree with that. I think of this as a dark fairy-tale, like Neil Gaiman or perhaps some of the selections from “Snow White, Blood Red”. The fairy tales that are “mixed” in with the plot are treated and reflect the original “Brothers Grimm” feel and darkness, while being wholly integrated into the story.
I think the book overall is well written but I cannot help and feel like there are some underlying issues the author has presented. Not sure if it is him, or the story but the chapters on the Huntress are both excessive to the book, really not doing anything, but also seem a very weird take on women and sexuality. She, as a character, can be seen on many levels. 
From her hybrid prey (animals with children’s heads attached - yuck) to the fact that she has a sexuality that is expressed no where else in the book. There is also the knight that is questing for a long lost love. The lost love turns out to be a man, and suddenly the boy should not be around him, even though all his actions have been honorable and dignified. I literally said to my wife, “This author has issues with women and homosexuals”. Am I over reading something there? Not sure and I hate it when people do that, but they seemed so glaring to me.
I think the author’s skill as a wordsmith are excellent though and overall I think this is a great dark fairy tale, even with the “issues” I mention.
