LOST PROPERTY BY HELEN PARIS | BOOK REVIEW

TITLE : Lost Property

AUTHOR : Helen Paris

GENRE : Women’s Fiction, Chick-Lit, Contemporary Fiction, General Fiction

FR RATING : ⭐⭐⭐⭐(4 Stars)

DATE OF PUBLISHING : 13 May 2021

FR REVIEW

DISCLAIMER : Thank you, Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, Doubleday for providing me with an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Lost Property by Helen Paris is a contemporary story that follows Dot Watson and her life in the London Transport Lost Property office. Her life at the Lost Property office is eventful and exciting, with each day bringing forward the possibility of reuniting an owner with their lost items. Dot finds purpose in her job and is dedicated to the greatest extent, and takes utmost care in cataloging the items. The clear and detailed descriptions of each item and her thoughts on each of them help us form a precise picture of who Dot is as a person. While Dot is dedicated, detail-oriented and makes sure to reunite people with their lost items, she tries to find ways to be not lost in her life. Some past events have led her down a path that was different from her initial plan, and she makes sure to get the best out of it despite the roadblocks they present. One such lost item leads her down a path that is unexpected and helps her heal from her losses and take back her life.

Her thoughtfulness, dedication, and vulnerability make her an interesting character to learn more about. I loved her as a narrator, and her ability to draw people in with stories of her life and day-to-day mundane activities. The simple moments we get to experience with her were precious.

Everything about this story is given to us in snippets/snapshots of Dot’s life, and each moment had something unique to reveal about her as a person. I loved how each of her relationships with people around her developed, and we got the time to see her loss, her grieve, and then make peace with what she has. Seeing her come to terms with her life and her reality was heartbreaking and heartwarming.

The Lost Property Office was a character in and of itself. I loved seeing and hearing about the different items that came through the office and how Dot saw each of them. The love she has for her job and the enthusiasm with which she dealt each item was fascinating. The side characters and other supporting characters were all memorable ones and contributed very well to the progression and development of the story. The pacing is slower at first and takes time to reveal all the secrets associated with the characters. Once it is revealed, things do pick up, and we finally get to understand the motivations for each of these characters’ actions. I would say be patient with the story and take your time to savor the little moments and the layers the author unravels.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read with interesting characters, unusual but a singular setting that sets the story apart, and charming moments to fill your heart up. I gave the book 4 stars and highly recommend checking it out. It’s a great book to get lost in and let Dot take us through her life.

SYNOPSIS

Dot Watson has lost her way.

Twelve years ago her life veered off course, and the guilt over what happened still haunts her. Before then she was living in Paris, forging an exciting career; now her time is spent visiting her mother’s care home, fielding interfering calls from her sister and working at the London Transport Lost Property office, diligently cataloguing items as misplaced as herself.

But when elderly Mr Appleby arrives in search of his late wife’s purse, his grief stirs something in Dot. Determined to help, she sets off on a mission – one that could start to heal Dot’s own loss and let her find where she belongs once more… 

Source : Goodreads