The Keeper of Lost Things

A pleasantly tangled tale of different lives that may or may not be real, Ruth Hogan’s The Keeper of Lost Things invites readers to look through different eyes, at different lives and tragedies, and at the things we leave behind. Is a tiny ruby the reject from a broken engagement? Is the man watching movies related to the woman who dies outside a cake shop? And will the cleaning lady rise to meet the better life she deserves?

The story’s told in an enthralling blend of different times and place, viewpoints and realities, making it truly difficult to put down. It might be moderately confusing at times, but it’s a satisfying sort of confusion, begging the reader to think and rethink answers and ideas. And it all holds together show more beautifully, jigsaw pieces falling into place or lying honorably discarded.

The characters each have hidden depths, pleasantly and gently revealed with no artificial dives into backstory or motivation. Hidden connections are equally smooth and believable. And the whole is an absorbing story that leaves you delighted to have met these people, and maybe even a little changed, a little more open to meeting the strangers who enter our own lives.

Disclosure: I borrowed a copy and now I want to buy my own to keep on my shelf! show less

This is a wonderful story, full of humor and sorrow and redemption. It features a great cast of quirky characters, most of whom are easy to root for. I was a little disappointed in the character of Portia who is just almost too awful to really be believable, but I can forgive that. The author has made several unusual choices with this novel, the most obvious of which is the little stories embedded within the larger. These are lovely and add quite a bit to the overall feel of the novel. I did feel a little cheated a few times when the narrative takes the reader right up to a big scene and then cuts away from it to backfill the details later in the next chapter. This occurs at least three times in the novel. And then there's the choice to show more switch POV frequently and without pattern. Occasionally within the space of a paragraph or two the POV shifts from woman to dog to man and back again. It's a little confusing at times, but somehow it all works. It's a heartwarming book that left me with a sense of gratefulness. And also craving a lovely cup of tea. show less

I really enjoyed the overall storyline, or rather overlapping storylines and mini stories. I did not enjoy some of the author's character choices. Laura, the main character, needs some serious therapy. I am really tired of self-hating women tropes and also fat villains. Folks come in all shapes and sizes. There's no need in this day and age to fall into these negative cultural stereotypes.

‘’Found, sixth carriage from the front, 14:42 train from London Bridge to Brighton. Deceased unknown. God bless and rest in peace.’’

My relationship with this book has been a bit weird from the start. For almost a year, its beautiful cover with the peaceful cobalt blue background and the quiet pink beauty of its flowers has been calling my name from the shelf of my favourite bookshop. And every time, I would take it in my hands, read the blurb, scam and skim through a few paragraphs and return it to its place. When the wonderful Traveling Sisters group decided to have it as our nest read, I thought the time had finally come.

The story is quite interesting and humane. Anthony, an elderly writer who has experienced a serious loss, show more has a strange habit. He finds lost items, discarded in the streets, in trains, in parks. He collects them, meticulously describes the time and place of discovery and then imagines the circumstances that surround the loss of these objects. As a result, the lost things aren’t just bracelets, hairpins, gloves...They become symbols for lives lost and gained. Anthony’s journey is shared by Laura who tries to leave a miserable life behind with the aid of Sunshine, a young woman who is special, unique and the most beautiful character of the novel.

There are many things to appreciate in this story but there are also quite a lot of problems, in my opinion. I found the subplot of Eunice and Bomber interesting and although not closely related to the main story, it added a certain carefree attitude of a past era without wasting our time. The issues of diversity, acceptance and sexual identity were well-handled and approached with respect and tenderness. The stories of the objects collected by Anthony were outstanding. Some were nostalgic, melancholic. Others were sad, bitter. And then, there were stories of courage, perseverance and hope. The stories saved the book from becoming too melodramatic and void. I also appreciated the reference to ‘’Philadelphia’’, the film that gave Tom Hanks his first Academy Award.

And now, the issues I had with the novel. I couldn’t stand Laura’s endless musings on love and sex. I wasn’t a fan of the romantic relationship and thankfully, it wasn’t a main feature in the story. I was much more interested in Anthony and Theresa and I was disappointed with the treatment of their relationship. I didn’t like the magical realism element, the subplot concerning Theresa. I thought it was a gimmick, it dragged, it seemed out of place and made Laura appear even more idiotic than before. I felt it was included just for the sake of it and was done in a sloppy, almost naive way. The dialogue could use some improvement as well. Especially Laura’s line came off as hysteric, copied from a bad movie. They did no favour to her already mediocre, passable character. Furthermore, the comments on a character’s wife were unnecessarily cruel, offending and condescending. They were racist, plain and simple. And just how many times can I read about ‘’the lovely cup of tea’’ and remain sane?

The characters of Anthony, Sunshine, Eunice and Bomber were very interesting. Anthony and Sunshine provided an aura of mystery, melancholy and quirkiness in the story. Laura did very little to make me appreciate her. Yes, she had the courage to walk away from a cruel life but again, she wanted a man to define herself. Her self-pity and romantic troubles with the entirely indifferent, average Freddy made me cringe. Portia ended up being a caricature. You can't have clown characters if you want your book to be taken seriously, I’m sorry to say.

So, in my opinion, this is a novel where the driving force is the story and the characters are given a supporting role. In this sense, one may consider it successful. It won’t find a place among my memorable reads but it retained a fairly nice balance between being light-hearted and quirky and meaningful. I know it would have been much better if it had been graced with a well-written main character.

*This was a Traveling Sister read and my first review as a member of this amazing fellowship of magnificent ladies with a deep love for books. Discussing the novel with them was pure joy.*

My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com/ show less

When I lose something and cannot find it no matter how long I look, when I finally give up on it and consign it to memory only, it has always comforted me a little to think that the Borrowers, from Mary Norton's classic children's tale, have found it and are using it lovingly. But what if there was a person out there who collected and catalogued lost items with the aim of one day reuniting them with their owners and that person had my own lost object in his or her safe keeping? It would be comforting to think that my things were still out there, found and cared for, their stories preserved, until the time came for me to find them again. In a sense, that's the lovely premise of Ruth Hogan's novel, The Keeper of Lost Things. From a hair show more bobble to a single glove, a puzzle piece to a small, painted wooden house, these things and more are found and carefully kept, awaiting the day they can be returned to their rightful owners.

Anthony Peardew is an older man, once a celebrated author, who has lived alone for forty years in a magical sort of house, having lost Therese, the love of his life shortly before their wedding. After Therese's death he realized he'd lost the small communion medallion she gave him to always keep them connected and although he didn't find the small and meaningful charm, it inspired him to collect and safeguard other people's lost treasures. In his twilight years, he hires Laura, damaged and adrift after her divorce, to be his housekeeper and personal assistant, warning her to never go into his locked study. Never tempted to defy this order, she works contentedly for him for a handful of years. After his death, she is surprised to discover that he's left the house and all of his possessions to her. His major request accompanying this bequest is that she now go into the study, behold the immense, carefully catalogued collection of lost items he's found over the years and attempt to return them to their owners because if even one item's return will ease a broken heart, it will all have been worth it. As Laura slowly ventures out of her self-imposed isolation and befriends first Sunshine, a young woman in the neighborhood with Down's Syndrome and a special sensitivity to the things and vibrations around us that others never feel, and then Freddy, Anthony's gardener, she has to figure out how best to find the lovingly kept items' original owners, how to placate the ghost of Therese, who still haunts the house, and how to open her own heart to all the possibilities of living life to the fullest. In a parallel narrative, a young woman named Eunice applies for a job at a small publisher and promptly falls for her handsome boss, Bomber, becoming his best friend and confidante but never anything more. She devotes her life to loving Bomber knowing that he loves her back only Platonically.

The vast majority of the story is focused on Anthony, the past that led him to be the keeper of lost things, and then on Laura, who is herself very clearly one of Anthony's lost things. Each of the inanimate items highlighted in the book is given its own short story, but whether it is one written by Anthony or one contained in the item itself is left to the reader to decide. In order to cut some of the sweetness of the premise of the novel as a whole, these object stories veer from heartwarming to serious to desperately sad. There is a fair bit of humor woven into the novel to leaven it too. My favorite being after Laura hears neighborhood gossips in a local pub speculating on why Anthony left her the house. As she walks past their table leaving the pub, she informs them it was because of "Fellatio on Fridays." The fact that one of these nasty Nellys doesn't even know what this means makes it that much more entertaining. There are only very light touches (and a few hidden clues) almost connecting the story of Anthony with the story of Eunice and Bomber for the majority of the story and although they come together well in the end, a little more explicitness might not have been amiss so that the reader wasn't confused as to why these very different tales were together from the start. Both are thematically similar though, focused as they are on caring for and supporting those around you, accepting them for who they are and the struggles they face, and loving people, dogs, and the important bits and bobs of their life to the very end. Although there is a wistful sort of quality to the novel, it would be a perfect novel for those who are looking for a book to counter the dysfunction and unhappiness of so much of current literature. In the end, it is that elusive book that leaves a warm glow in its wake without resorting to sappiness or cliche. Very much a novel of love and loss, compassion and redemption, this is a gentle, charming, and thoroughly worthwhile read. show less

On some days, you don't want an adrenaline-increasing book, but just something mellowing and calming, not something full of action-packed adventures but something full of bittersweet moments, something that won't cause you to bite your nails in anticipation but that would tug at your heartstrings.... That is a day you ought to pick up "The Keeper of Lost Things" by Ruth Hogan.

The book narrates two stories across two different time frames. The first story playing out in the present time frame tells of Anthony Peardew, an ex-writer, who is the eponymous "keeper of lost things". After having lost something precious, he begins collecting lost things and meticulously maintains a record of how and where he came by them. Laura, his housekeeper show more and friend, needs to take over this task after a change in certain circumstances.

The second storyline spans a time of forty years and tells of two close friends, Eunice and Bomber, both of whom work together in a publishing company. How this story connects to Anthony's and Laura's is visible to us readers right at the beginning and creates a curiosity about how the twain shall meet and how the stories shall merge.

I went for this book mainly for its colourful & attractive cover, its intriguing title and the blurb. Its
Goodreads rating of 3.8 did create some apprehension in me but something in my gut told me that I'd enjoy this book. And I'm glad I trusted that feeling.

The Keeper of Lost Things unfolds slowly yet brilliantly. For a debut novel, I found it really up to the mark. The parallel storylines are handled adeptly and the characters are well sketched out. The book contains within its narrative some mini-stories and each of these tales is brilliant.

Ruth Hogan's vocabulary left me mesmerised. After Gail Honeyman had set such a high benchmark for vocabulary for a debut work (Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine), I hadn't expected to find so soon another debutante author with an equal prowess over the language. (On an aside, I found that she has written two more books after this one, so I'm definitely going to check those out too.)

Yes, the book has some minor flaws and dips a bit in the middle. But considering the inexperienced author, I can easily overlook these points. I must mention that the book contains a slight element of the supernatural but nothing scary. So it isn't your typical romantic drama. There are some things that are beyond practical belief, so you do need to be mentally prepared to accept the "out of the world" part of the narrative.

Overall, it is a book that warms the cockles of your heart with its extraordinary storyline and its happy ending. Recommended, but not a must-read. If you are looking for a feel-good book that just leaves you satisfied and sighing at the end, check it out. Rating: 4/5

Btw, I'm not much of a quotes person but this book has some fabulous lines for all quote lovers. Here are a few:

* One could blame ugliness on one's genes and ignorance on one's education, but there was absolutely no excuse whatsoever for being dull.

* The wonderful thing about books was that they were films that played inside your head.

* If you never get sadness, how do you know what happy is like?

* Nothing wrong doesn’t make him Mr Right.

********************************************
Join me on the Facebook group, "Readers Forever!", for more reviews and other book-related discussions and fun. show less

On some days, you don't want an adrenaline-increasing book, but just something mellowing and calming, not something full of action-packed adventures but something full of bittersweet moments, something that won't cause you to bite your nails in anticipation but that would tug at your heartstrings.... That is a day you ought to pick up "The Keeper of Lost Things" by Ruth Hogan.

The book narrates two stories across two different time frames. The first story playing out in the present time frame tells of Anthony Peardew, an ex-writer, who is the eponymous "keeper of lost things". After having lost something precious, he begins collecting lost things and meticulously maintains a record of how and where he came by them. Laura, his housekeeper show more and friend, needs to take over this task after a change in certain circumstances.

The second storyline spans a time of forty years and tells of two close friends, Eunice and Bomber, both of whom work together in a publishing company. How this story connects to Anthony's and Laura's is visible to us readers right at the beginning and creates a curiosity about how the twain shall meet and how the stories shall merge.

I went for this book mainly for its colourful & attractive cover, its intriguing title and the blurb. Its
Goodreads rating of 3.8 did create some apprehension in me but something in my gut told me that I'd enjoy this book. And I'm glad I trusted that feeling.

The Keeper of Lost Things unfolds slowly yet brilliantly. For a debut novel, I found it really up to the mark. The parallel storylines are handled adeptly and the characters are well sketched out. The book contains within its narrative some mini-stories and each of these tales is brilliant.

Ruth Hogan's vocabulary left me mesmerised. After Gail Honeyman had set such a high benchmark for vocabulary for a debut work (Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine), I hadn't expected to find so soon another debutante author with an equal prowess over the language. (On an aside, I found that she has written two more books after this one, so I'm definitely going to check those out too.)

Yes, the book has some minor flaws and dips a bit in the middle. But considering the inexperienced author, I can easily overlook these points. I must mention that the book contains a slight element of the supernatural but nothing scary. So it isn't your typical romantic drama. There are some things that are beyond practical belief, so you do need to be mentally prepared to accept the "out of the world" part of the narrative.

Overall, it is a book that warms the cockles of your heart with its extraordinary storyline and its happy ending. Recommended, but not a must-read. If you are looking for a feel-good book that just leaves you satisfied and sighing at the end, check it out. Rating: 4/5

Btw, I'm not much of a quotes person but this book has some fabulous lines for all quote lovers. Here are a few:

* One could blame ugliness on one's genes and ignorance on one's education, but there was absolutely no excuse whatsoever for being dull.

* The wonderful thing about books was that they were films that played inside your head.

* If you never get sadness, how do you know what happy is like?

* Nothing wrong doesn’t make him Mr Right.

********************************************
Join me on the Facebook group, "Readers Forever!", for more reviews and other book-related discussions and fun. show less