Helpful Score: 5
This was an intriguing book. It is about a girl, Rosemary, who lives in Australia. Her mother dies, and a family friend buys a plane ticket for Rosemary so she can move to New York. In New York, she goes to work for an eccentric book store owner who constantly refers to himself in third person. All of the employees are a bit odd. When a lost manuscript supposedly surfaces, the whole book store erupts with suspecion and conspiracy. Rosemary has fallen in love with one of the employees, Oscar, but I will let the reader find out what happens in the story. I recommend this book for anyone who likes a good novel full of secrets and mystery.
Helpful Score: 4
In my opinion, The Secret of Lost Things was a satisfying read about a group of folks working in a NY Book shop. I found this to be a well-written interesting read, with a tiny bit of mystery, that held my attention throughout. Hay's characters are well developed and their quirks framed the plot nicely.
Helpful Score: 2
I really enjoyed this book, mostly because it is set in New York City. The descriptions of The Arcade were so reminiscent of The Strand that I got homesick. I loved the story line and the quirky characters. Recommended, especially for book lovers.
Helpful Score: 1
A young girl leaves her native Tasmania after her mother's death and comes to New York City, where she begins to work at a very odd bookstore, owned and staffed by a variety of wounded characters. Along the way, Hay examines the concept of loss -- lost manuscripts, lost innocence, lost love, and lost futures. Layers upon layers of symbolism here. Engaging read.
Helpful Score: 1
A readable but meandering book whose main plot point doesn't show up until 2/3rds of the way through the story, with a protagonist whose naivete and decisions are at times infuriating to read, and with no clear resolution when you've come to the end of the book.
And yet...I still enjoyed reading this novel, because Hay's writing is absolutely gorgeous. At times it treads perilously near being verbose, yet communicates emotions and settings flawlessly and beautifully. Because of the prose, the flaws of the book are annoyances but don't throw the whole thing off course. There's not much mystery in this literary mystery, but the descriptions of bookstores, young adulthood, and life in New York City push it over into a three star rating.
And yet...I still enjoyed reading this novel, because Hay's writing is absolutely gorgeous. At times it treads perilously near being verbose, yet communicates emotions and settings flawlessly and beautifully. Because of the prose, the flaws of the book are annoyances but don't throw the whole thing off course. There's not much mystery in this literary mystery, but the descriptions of bookstores, young adulthood, and life in New York City push it over into a three star rating.
