i think i've just read one of the most awesome novels ever, and that's saying something, given the rather astonishing amount i read. the book of lost things, by john connolly. i cant summarise the story, wouldnt do it any justice at all. its so moving on a whole other level, and just vastly different from a lot of other stuff i've read.even the little note at the beginning of the book has a depth of meaning to it that made me just know this book was gonna be awesome:
An imaginative tribute to the journey we must all make through the loss of innocence into adulthood, ... a book for every adult who can recall the moment when childhood began to fade, and for every child about to face that moment.
before you dismiss this, no, it is not a kid's book about barbie-ish magic. i think an adult would appreciate this a whole lot more. everything about it is so poignantly moving, and seems to make so much sense. when i first began reading this, i immediately felt like it was a cross between the movie pan's labyrinth, and mark haddon's novel the curious incident of the dog in the night time (written from the point of view of an autistic boy, also a good read).
anyway, im aware of how geeky this makes me sound but i swear to god, one of the most awesome reads ever. the best books are always the ones where everything makes sense in the end, and you get that good feeling in your gut even though it wasnt the classic happy-ending. this is totally that book.