I have read and loved every Charlie Parker novel written by John Connelly. I moved into his non Parker novels with some trepidation. Would they be as rewarding, as well-written as the Parker books?

The answer is not a simple yes or no. At best, its a mixed bag, and frankly, I forced myself to finish the last few chapters. It was not tat the writing was bad, it was simply not good. Granted, there were moments that took my breath away. Connolly writing of man, "...each person's life consists of stories: stories upon stories upon stories. We are not creatures of flesh and blood alone, no more than a book is just pa0er, ink, and card. We are beings of tale and fable. We exist as narrative. This is how we understand the world, and this is how we must be understood." Wow!

Sadly the story itself is not interesting. A young girl lies comatose, following a car accident. Her mother reads the stories the girl loves, in hopes they may bring her back into the world. Something is calling her to enter the land,, however, the land of childhood memories ... the land of lost things.. While it sounds promising, the book implodes, endlessly repeating itself. The first book received great reviews (The Book of Lost Things) and perhaps I should probably give that a try. Maybe. Or I can hope that Connelly writes another one of his masterful Charlie Perker novels.

Another fantastic adventure of atmosphere and engaging storytelling from John Connolly. I love how Connolly takes reality and bends it with a dose of the supernatural. Recommended reading from this author, with a youthful protagonist who readers can relate to across age groups.

I read “The Book of Lost Things” when I realized this was a sequel. I really liked it. I’m not as excited about this one. Good things: I enjoy the lore, the dark fairy tales told throughout the story, and Crooked Man. The idea of Crooked Man as a villain is so good, and maybe the fact he’s not in this book the same way dismissed my enjoyment.

Not good things: while the author did try to include feminist ideas in there, some things snuck through. Like how after she fell, her breasts were still hurting. Some of the non-misogyny seemed a bit forced, and we pulled away from the main character, Ceres, so often to focus on other viewpoints that she didn’t seem as important as the main character from the first book.

I received this from net galley in exchange for a review.

The book of lost things is one of my favorite books of all time, and I never ever expected the story to continue, but this was a PERFECT sequel. It is just as enchanting and spell-binding and unsettling as the first while also being unique. Taking a second trip through Elsewhere with a mother was the perfect mirror to the original. This book absolutely did not disappoint and I'm sad that it's over.

Thank you netgalley and Simon & Schuster for thelis e-arc!

'The Land of Lost Things' is a sequel to 'The Book of Lost Things', a book from 2006 that I had never heard of, let alone read. I did not realize this when I asked NetGalley for an ARC, but I don't believe it's too necessary for understanding 'Land'. However, it's something to keep in mind while reading my review, in case I get any of the lore wrong.

Ceres' daughter, Phoebe, has been in a coma for months. With her hopes of recovery being in a limbo (and with Ceres' financial savings drying up, making her stay in London difficult), Phoebe is moved to a care home in the country. While reading to Phoebe, Ceres discovers that she's been subconsciously writing her own fairy tales--fairy tales that characters from 'The Book of Lost Things' have been creeping into. David, the protagonist of 'The Book of Lost Things' and the author of the in-book book of the same title, is the founder of 'Lantern House', the palliative care home that is taking care of Phoebe. Getting to the root of his mysterious disappearance, (and some spooky coincidences), Ceres investigates his abandoned home and finds herself tumbling into a fantasy world.

After realizing that she's in the body of her sixteen-year-old self, Ceres is poisoned by a dryad and taken in by a kindly woodsman. It turns out that the Crooked Man is back, and the Fae are attacking the humans of this world. Ceres becomes an important player in a man vs fae battle, all while looking for a way to get back to the 'real' world and to Phoebe.

The fantasy turn of this book was fun, especially with the rarity of having a single mother in her thirties as a protagonist (unfortunately age shifted, but at least she still acts like an adult). The beginning of Ceres' otherworldly adventure is a bit episodic, with encounters such as a wicked witch support group and a crossbow-trigger happy Rapunzel that don't have much effect on the overall story (though I did find the former funny). The latter seems to be a reference to 'The Book of Lost Things', where Shrek-esque twisted versions of fairy tale characters populated the pages, including a mean and fat Snow White which was surely funnier in 2006 than in 2023. Rapunzel as an airhead who shoots people from her tower is a little less cringe-worthy, at least.

Another complaint I see about 'Book' that Connolly is attempting to right in 'Land' is the female characters. I don't think they're bad, per se--Ceres is an interesting protagonist and is pretty unique for the genre (and maybe an overdue one--The Ballad of Tam Lin stars a single mother, after all!), though any time she whines about the patriarchy when a man doesn't listen to her feels more like how sexist guys see feminists rather than any sort of analysis of men talking over women. For lack of a better word, it seems 'boomerish'. Same with the Woodsman immediately labeling Calio as 'it' after Ceres refers to them as 'they' and the mostly-black village of Salaama trading cows for brides. I'd knock the rating down a star if there was more of it, but with the exception of some of the Salaama stuff, it seems like it's supposed to be character flaws and not Connolly flaws (but again, I've never read his works before this).

Despite my complaints, I enjoyed my time with 'The Land of Lost Things', and I would recommend it. While I'd give some warnings to fellow sensitive millennials, I think the good outweighs the bad. At the least, it sounds like it's an improved worldview than 'Book', which is a good thing to come with a sequel that's nearly twenty years younger than its predecessor.

I read The Book of Lost Things maybe 15 years ago? So when I saw that there is a sequel, my interested was immediately piqued! Ahhhh to return to that world! Now I might have to reread Book of Lost Things after this read. Connolly’s writing is *chefs kiss* and I ask myself why I haven’t read more of his books. Soon to be remedied.

The Land of Lost Things was dark, but it was also beautiful as it was about the grief and suffering that we may go through as adults and how we can process it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for allowing me to read this ARC!

This was absolutely unputdownable. I read until my eyes hurt! I absolutely loved this book so much. I simply adore fantasy books that are good and this wine is amazing! This is a must read!!
I just reviewed The Land of Lost Things by John Connolly. #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

Disclaimer: I received an ARC via Netgalley
There is always a risk when an author (or any artist to be honest) returns to a book that was written as one and done. In some cases, like say Atwood returning to Handmaid’s Tale with The Testaments, it can appear to be that of marketing or money. This doesn’t mean that the book in question is bad – The Testaments is a great book, in my opinion – but it can make readers hesitate when buying. In other cases where money may be involved, say like Weis and Hickman returning to Dragonlance, it can ruin the memories that readers had of the series and even of the authors.
I don’t know why Connelly decided to return to The Book of Lost Things. He mentions working on a screenplay of the novel and then Covid in his afterword. What is clear, however, is that he returns with love in his heart. It is a sequel, but it can stand on its own. Reading the first novel will give the back story for new readers to what is now a duology, but it isn’t really needed.
My guilty secret is I think I like this one better.
It’s true that the first book concerns a boy’s quest for his mother, but this one is even more mother oriented. We start with Ceres whose daughter Phoebe (note the names. Names are important in these books) is injured after a traffic accident. Ceres eventually finds herself in the Land of Lost Things, changed since the adventures of David in book one, and she struggles to find her way back to her daughter.
As in the first novel, this one is also about grief and struggling with that grief, though Ceres’ grief has the possibility of hope. It is also about temptation, and the price of things.
In many ways, this book, book ends (pardon me) the first. If David’s journey is about coming to terms with a loss of parent, this book is about the losses that one suffers after one reaches adulthood. Yes, part of that for some adults is the loss of a child, but unlike some writers, Connelly remembers that not everyone has a child. Loss here is more than simply loss of a relative.
It is nice too that Connelly adjusts the reasons for the journey – Ceres would do anything to help her daughter but as an adult she also knows more about what we would do and what we would give is different than what can happen. She also knows that “hope is the thing with feathers” as Dickinson said.
There are many allusions and characters taken from history and folktales/fairy tales/legends that make appearances. There are also some wonderful touches of humor – the bit with the witches stands out. The book also widens itself from David’s journey. It feels like a bigger and larger world, not surprising considering who Ceres is, and her experiences as opposed to young David’s.
My only criticism, and it isn’t really a criticism, is that in the ARC at least, there isn’t a section at the end that gives details about the characters and figures used as appeared in The Book of Lost Things. While many readers will not need it (as they may not have needed it in the first book), it gives a nice touch.
But then again, if this book is more about adult grief and processing, we know that we must find answers ourselves, don’t we?

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this sequel so much. Felt like returning to a beloved children’s book except with some blood and gore and creepiness. A very solid follow-up to one of my favorite books. 4.5/5 stars.

Full disclosure. I’m a John Connolly fanatic, and have been so since reading his first Charlie Parker novel. For me, each book has been hugely anticipated, and each book has never failed to deliver. And so it is with his new novel, The Land of Lost Things, the sequel to The Book of Lost Things. It’s a wondrous work, imbued with both the original spirit of the Grimm fairy tales, and modern environmental sensibilities.

Phoebe, an eight year old girl, has been severely injured in a car accident, and has been left in a comatose state. Her mother, Ceres, constantly reads to her, especially fairy tales. When the hospital can no longer help her, Phoebe is transferred to a chronic care facility, funded by the legacy of the missing author of The Book of Lost Things, and located very close to his crumbling and deserted home. When Ceres explores the house, she somehow finds herself transported into the world of The Book of Lost Things. What then transpires is a joy to read, filled with both wonderful characters, and ones that are pure evil. As always, Connolly’s writing just blows me away, especially when he talks about the importance and the meaning of books and stories. While there are references to environmental pollution, the reader isn’t hit over the head with them, yet the concerns are made very clear.

While there are references made to the prior novel, I don’t believe that it’s necessary to read The Book of Lost Things to be able to enjoy the new novel..

My thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for allowing me to read an ARC of this wonderful book.

John Connolly never let's me down. Every one of his books that I've read is magical and mysterious and fun. This book did not disappoint. I highly recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the amazing publisher for the ARC of this title! I am so grateful to be auto-approved for this title!
I look forward to reading and reviewing. More to come!