I love magical realism, it's one of my favorite genres. And not enough people write it - lots of people do realistic fiction, and lots of people do fantasy, but to do the balance of magical realism is tough. But I'm always willing to give a new to me author a try!

So when I saw The Luster of Lost Things by Sophie Chen Keller, I was excited to read it. Walter Lavender is a shy, lonely boy. He lives with his mother, and spends his time away from school at their bakery, where the baked goods have a life of their own. The Book that gives the bakery it's power is stolen by a greedy new landlord, and all of the baked goods are suddenly just normal baked goods. Without the magic, business quickly dries up.

Walter doesn't speak much, and he doesn't have any friends except for his dog, Milton. But what he does have is a talent for helping people find lost things. Walter's love for his mother and the family they have made for themselves lead him to set out on a journey to recover the book.

Along the way he meets so many different people.. People who are homeless, people who have created world in subway tunnels, and most difficult for him, a girl his own age.

As Walter navigates the outside world (worrying his mother to death), he gains his voice, and his strength. All of the people that he meets are damaged a little in some way, the same as him. And in this, he is found.

I loved this book! I held my breath a little when he was in the subway - I was so sure he was going to be kidnapped! And I was so frustrated when he kept finding the book in pieces. The thought of pages being ripped out of a magic book made me ill. But after I finished it, I realized the best books are the ones that truly make you feel uncomfortable emotions. It means you are really invested in the story.

Current Goodreads Rating 3.93

This book is delicious in more ways than one! The author conjures up vivid images with her beautiful words and weaves a fantastical story about family, friendship (including the furry kind), and overcoming life's obstacles. The book will melt your heart and uplift your soul.

The Luster of Lost things was a gem of a book. Beautifully written, the author's voice beckoned the reader in and left me enraptured. Not only was the writing style gorgeous and the words carefully chosen, the characters were real and well-rounded. Despite the fact that there was magical realism in the book, it all felt totally plausible when told in Sophie Chen Keller's bewitching narrative. I fell in love with Walter Lavender Jr and with his family, both blood and found. In lyrical prose, Keller spins a tale that explores hope, truth, relationships, speech, and magic. A remarkable read, one I have already recommended to several friends.

So I finally managed to finish "The Luster of Lost Things" yet I've put off this review because I think it's going to be a hard one to write. Prior to reading this book, I looked at a few other non-spoiler reviews and a lot of people mentioned liking the first part of the book, which has most of the magical realism elements in it, and feeling the second part, Walter's quest, dragged the book down. I feel pretty much exactly the opposite but what else is new?

Walter Lavender Jr. is a young boy who lives with his mother above their bakery in New York. Walter suffers from a motor speech disorder and pretty much his friends consist of his Lab Milton, his mother and the staff at the bakery. His father disappeared during a flight when Walter was a baby and he waits patiently each day for him to return home. Because of his disability, Walter's life is quite lonely but he does have a knack for finding lost things and hires himself out to people looking for beloved items, which is his main interaction with the world outside the bakery. The bakery itself is "guarded" by a magical book which was given to his mother following his father's disappearance and this book makes the bakery a magical place where the delicious creations often come alive - literally. One day, the book vanishes and knowing that the disappearance spells doom for the bakery and Walter's comforting life, he and Milton go on an excursion to find it. The book ends up getting torn up so he has to find all 7 pages and out it back together within 24 hours if he hopes to save he and his mother's future.

Walter's quest was the most interesting part of this book for me. He meets lots of interesting characters and along the way, finds his own "voice." In fact, it was quite endearing when at the end of the book, Walter is able to return home and verbally tell his mother than he missed her. Walter helps a lot of the people he encounters as much as they help him and he and Milton also make a new best friend in the process which I found beyond cute.

The main reason this book didn't rate higher for me is purely because of the magical realism. I struggle with the genre in general and it took me much longer to read this book than it should have. Also, I wanted more Milton. He and Walter have an awesome bond, and Milton occasionally speaks to Walter and I just would have enjoyed the book more with more Milton. Of course, to those who know me, that's no big surprise.

This book has been quite popular this month since it's release and I've seen many people enjoying it. I'm glad I picked it up and it really is an adorable tale, it just fell a tad short for me. Lovers of magical realism should consider giving this book a chance but may find Walter's journey somewhat mundane.

Everyone underestimates 13 yo Walter Jnr's understanding because of his silence (he has motor a motor speech disorder) and although this contributes to his bullying at school and his feelings of embarrassment, he sees it as a positive. It makes him free to observe and notice things that others don't. As much as I loved this strength of character, I felt sad that as a witness to life, he wasn't really participating in his own life and with so much to give ...

Just before his seventh birthday he realised he could track things and find them so as well as tending his own beacon for his missing father to follow home, he offers a service of finding lost things. Throughout his quest to find the lost pages of the book that define the bakery, Walter shares with us some of his experiences in finding those lost things. With morals, emotions and magic a part of this, I found these reflections as inspiring as the quest itself.

On the quest he meets some very interesting characters. All living on the fringes of society, not wanted or not fitting into expectations, we get to dip into their stories. There are scenes which could have been 'dark' but because of his perceptions are totally the opposite. His innocence and hope are his protection. At each 'stop' Walter Jnr learns a life lesson whilst also giving something back. He confronts fears and tackles some awesome challenges which had me so entangled in the story beside him. To be honest I was emotionally invested in not only Walter Jnr but in every character we meet!

The evil character, poverty, magical numbers, human weaknesses and strengths, wishes and desires, guardians, doors/openings as portals into something subterranean and universal truths are all within these pages. The Luster of Lost Things is a fairy tale for today's world. It's inspiring and uplifting. I loved it! and can't wait to see what the author writes next.

I enjoyed the magical realism. The plot was well constructed, well-woven. At times, it seemed preachy and that took away from the overall impact.

The Luster of Lost Things by Sophie Chen Keller is a very highly recommended whimsical story teeming with feel-good emotions, lyrical writing, and a dash of magical realism.

Walter Lavender Jr. is a twelve-year-old boy who lives with his mother, Lucy, above their bakery, The Lavenders. Walter's ability to find things has been developed because he has been silenced by his motor speech disorder. Because he found it impossible to talk, he observed the world around him. "My whole life, my mouth had been shut and my eyes wide open, and the deeper and darker my silence became, the more I began to sense outside of it - traces of light, shifts in matter, changing undercurrents. As I grew older and it became clear to me that Lucy didn’t perceive what I perceived, it was already just another part of me, and there was nothing so incredible about that. The things I noticed were small and fleeting, easy to miss - scratches or flourishes in reality, clues that pointed the way to the larger truths buried beneath the surface, like the molten ripple along the base of a vase of lilies in danger of tipping over or, when it came to people, the disappointed hiss of something doused before it could be said."

Walter lost his father, an airline pilot, whose plane went missing three days before he was born. While Walter observations of the world have helped him become a master of finding lost things, he is ultimately hoping to find his lost father. Lucy has told him stories about his father and the connection between them and the book that is proudly displayed in the shop. The book brings magic to their bakery, a bakery where the deserts come alive. You can see vol-au-vent mice jump double dutch with licorice ropes and marzipan dragons breathe fire. Walter's life is happy and safe in his limited world - until someone steals the book, causing the bakery to lose its magic. Walter, along with Milton, his golden retriever, must find the missing book and bring the magic back to the bakery.

Walter's search is an archetypal story of a hero on a quest. While seeking the missing book, Walter must leave the safety of his home, go on a long adventure, face adversity, overcome challenges, and return home changed from his journey. As Walter seeks what he has lost, he learns lessons from those he meets. Along with his quest, it also becomes a coming-of-age story for Walter, who makes friends outside of his sheltered home life. This allegorical narrative not only deals with things lost and found, but also deals with our capacity for kindness and how our acts of kindness can ultimately change the lives around us, as well as our own life.

The writing is poetic and expressive, capturing descriptions, emotions, and even humor with grace and beauty. The characters in The Luster of Lost Things are all well-developed. Their descriptions make them all come alive on the page. While I can concede that having twelve-year-old Walter seek out and meet so many strangers on his quest was a bit far-fetched, I must also equally acknowledge that passing many trials is often the case with a hero on a quest. In any event, I liked this story and Walter. I liked Walter's written comments in his notebook along with his observations of the world. The world can always use a good hero story with a touch of magic realism and Sophie Chen Keller has given us just that.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of the Penguin Publishing Group.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2017/08/the-luster-of-lost-things.html
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2091739921

THE LUSTER OF LOST THINGS by Sophie Chen Keller is a coming of age story filled with magical realism. While I loved the illusions to the cozy bakeshop filled with magic at the beginning of the book, I was less enamored with the journey which young Walter Lavender, Jr. took throughout most of this novel. Walter (accompanied by his dog, Milton) certainly meets a number of interesting characters. He is searching for The Book; its loss poses a dire threat to the bakery's magic and the livelihood of Walter and his mother, Lucy. As I read, I found THE LUSTER OF LOST THINGS to be reminiscent of Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer, especially since both works feature young, fatherless boys searching around New York City while dealing with difficulties in communicating.

A "Book Club Kit" with a map and discussion questions plus more Q&A with the debut author, Sophie Chen Keller, are available from the publisher who describe this book as "a lyrical meditation on why we become lost and how we are found."

http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/539816/the-luster-of-lost-things-by-sophie-chen-keller/9780735210783/

I love the positive vibes generated by this story. Walter Lavender Jr is a sweet, thoughtful kid who sets out on a mission to find a magical Book that has been taken from his mother’s bakery. The Book is responsible for creating magical desserts that keep Walter’s family bakery in business. I really enjoyed the first third of the story. Once Walter heads out on his adventure, the story really slowed down for me. However, overall I did enjoy The Luster of Lost Things. Thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Delightful YA crossover novel that you'll enjoy as a thoughtful, wistful, heartwarming break from all the bad news out there. Walter is a terrific young man. With all his issues- the speech problem, the longing for the father he never met- this could have gone quite differently when he set out to find the Magic Book but it didn't and that's the best part. Keller has done an especially nice job with the people and places in New York which is after all a collection of village. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Try this one no matter your age.

A heartwarming urban fantasy about a young boy, his mom, a missing father, a very special bakery and a homemade book that ties them together. A visitor, rescued from a storm by the owner of a failing bakery, creates a magical book which changes the fortunes of the small shop overnight. When the book disappears and the bakery begins to fail, a young boy and his overweight dog set off on a journey to find the missing book. Luster is a really a simple story elegantly told with memorable characters and lovely writing. It captured my heart quickly, and I found myself thinking about the power of friendship and love. I highly recommend it to even the most cynical of readers.

I received a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Walter Lavender Jr. is a finder. He is exceptional at helping people find things. One thing he isn't great at is communicating. He has a motor speech disorder that makes it really difficult for him to speak to others. Walter and his mom run a bakery. The bakery has a bit of a magical twist, thanks to a very special story they keep in a show case up front.

When the story disappears, Walter and his dog Milton have to go find it.

Walter's small world is forced to grow. As he meets more people on his journey to find the story, they each impart something into Walter's life. I loved the beautiful imagery 0f this story. Keller weaves a story so magical that you can't help but be sucked in.

Seriously a wonderful, beautiful, emotional book.

I should have loved this book, a mixture of interesting themes, fantasy and New York. Walter is a finder, a little boy searching for pages of a book he believes allows magic to occur in his Mom's bakery. Along the way, he meets some people, lost in many ways. I found myself skimming over some of the pages, and felt the book might just have had too much of the fantastical for me.

This book reminded me of Chocolat, Big Fish and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. I loved the beginning of this book, I thought it might be a rare 5 stars. After all, the book started in a magical pastry shop.
When the (presumed) magical book in the shop goes missing, Walter goes in search. His hobby is finding lost objects and this is his most important missing object yet.

The search leads preteen Walter to find an extremely eclectic cast of characters.

I rated this 4 stars as an average, because I loved the first part of the book but was sad to leave that part of the story. This is definitely a story about a journey. And it's not up to me to decide how much of the book is focused on the journey and how much on the magical bakery. But, that being said, my favorite books are magical realism and I could have happily spent the whole book in that bakery.

Sophie Chen Keller has written a delightful piece of art. Her words drew me into Walter's world and the only time I wanted to put the book down was when he went to the scary tunnel! Thank you, Ms. Keller for a fantastic story!

A charming story that is almost dreamlike, magically really. Walter Lavender's search for "The Book" is quest like, with wonderfull characters who all seem to have lost something like him. Along the way he finds friendship, compassion and strength. What is lost can be found even when you aren't really looking.

I really loved Walter and his dog and his mom and his bakery and his outlook on life, especially its lost things. This book was charming and whimsical and heartwarming. I was truly enraptured as I traveled along with him through the wonderfully described streets of New York. And this story has a capital-m Message, without being too in-your-face. I would recommend it for people old and young, including younger readers of a higher reading level. The only reason that I didn't give this at least 4 stars is because one part of Walter's journey just strays a little too farm from realism for me. Aside from this handful of pages that I could have lived without, delightful.

What an enjoyable read for all ages from middle school reader to older adults. Walter and his dog Milton have an adventure trying to locate a lost book that keeps the magic in his mother's chocolate shop. Walter has always been able to locate things that get lost because he is a very observant 12 year old boy who avoids talking because of a language disorder. Along the way he discovers some friends he never realized were lost to him. Just a touch of magic to lure you into this wonderful tale of family and a young man venturing into the real world.

What I liked: This book has a magical dreamlike quality that reminds me Circus Mirandus. Beautifully written with many metaphors and similes related to food, this book makes you want to eat pastry and find hidden and lost things. I adored the MC, Walter, who despite his inability to speak well, does a really good job of understanding the world around him. His journey of finding the book and finding himself is well told and intricately planned.

What I didn't like: Although the premise is fantastic, and the writing lyrical and lovely, I found myself skimming to get to the good parts. I guess it moved a little too slowly for me.

Walter Lavender Jr’s mother is about to lose her lease on her bakery and, convinced that reclaiming a mystical book will right everything, he takes the reader on a journey replete with magical realism.