The Book of Lost Things
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| The Book of Lost Things | |
 Front Cover of Dust Jacket |
|
| Author | John Connolly |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Robert Ryan (artist) |
| Country | United States of America |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Fiction |
| Publisher | Atria Books |
| Publication date | November 2006 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
| Pages | 339 (hardcover edition) |
| ISBN | 0743298853(hardcover edition) |
The Book of Lost Things is a fiction novel by John Connolly. The book follows the story of young boy named David who struggles with his mother's death and father's remarriage. When a World War II bomber plane crashes into his garden, he ends up in the fantasy world of his books and must find the king in the hopes that he can return him to his home. The novel takes a different look at traditional fairy tales and follows every child's journey into adulthood.
Contents |
[edit] Plot introduction
The story begins in London, England, during the second World War. The main character, David, is introduced during his mother's slow death. His father remarries to a woman named Rose and the two have another child whom they name Georgie. While David tries to adapt to this new family situation, he begins to hear his books whispering to him and he often faints. He soon finds himself lured to another world hidden in a crack in the sunken garden of the family's new home. While exploring this new fantasy world, David has many adventures and lives out his own fairy tale.
[edit] Explanation of the novel's title
The title refers to a book that King Jonathan keeps which holds many things from "our world."
[edit] Plot summary
The novel begins by introducing David during the loss of his mother due to an illness. Approximately six months later, his father remarries a woman named Rose. David and his father move into Rose's grand house in the country. Rose tries to befriend David and even gives him her uncle's old room that has not been disturbed since his strange disappearance long ago. But after Rose gives birth to David's stepbrother Georgie, David begins to hear his books whisper to him and he begins having fainting spells.
When David is outside playing in the woods, he looks back towards his house and sees a mysterious figure in his room. His father helps him search the house, but all they find is a magpie bird which is released outside. The next day, Rose and David have a big fight and David longs to escape from his new surroundings. As he lays in bed that night, he hears his mother calling to him and he follows her voice outside to the sunken garden. While he explores the garden for his mother, he notices lights in the sky and realizes that a German bomber is falling straight towards the garden. With no where else to go, he climbs into a crack in the walls of the garden.
By climbing into the wall, David is somehow magically transported into a fantasy world where he meets the Woodsman. The two begin walking towards the Woodsman's home, but end up in a mad dash to safety from wolves and loups. After a brief show-down and entering the safety of the Woodsman's home, it is explained the there are certain wolves who have begun to transform partially into humans and are called loups. The first loup was named Leroi and under his leadership the wolves and loups have grown into large packs. But there is not enough food in the forest to feed them all, which is why they were trying to attack David.
It is soon decided that the best thing for David to do is to seek out the king and his book of lost things.
(to be updated later)
[edit] Characters in The Book of Lost Things
- David - The protagonist boy of twelve.
- David's Mother - She dies at the beginning of the novel and serves as inspiration for David to enter into the "other world."
- David's Father - Has two sons.
- Rose - David's stepmother.
- Georgie - David's stepbrother, son of Rose.
- Dr. Moberley - David's psychiatrist.
- The Crooked Man - The antagonist of the story.
- Jonathan Tulvey - Rose's Uncle, the king of the other world.
- Anna - Jonathan's "adopted" sister.
- The Crooked Man
- The Woodsman
- Leroi & the Loups
(etc.)
[edit] Major themes
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[edit] Literary significance and reception
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[edit] References or Allusions
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[edit] References to other works
~description of how this novel mentions other works or their characters~
[edit] References to actual history, geography and current science
~description of how this novel mentions other incidents and subject matter outside the world of literature and criticism~
[edit] References in other works
~description of works that mention this novel or its characters, if applicable~
[edit] Awards and nominations
~lists awards the work received, and significant nominations, if applicable~
[edit] Film, TV or theatrical adaptations
The Book of Lost Things - under development by Irish director John Moore.
[edit] Publication history
~*year, country, publisher ISBN 1234567890, Pub date DD Month Year, binding~
[edit] Sources, references, external links, quotations
~references to sources etc~ ~include quotes or links to Wikiquote here~
