How to be Lost
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Product Description
People Magazine
'invites comparison to The Lovely Bones. Ward's depiction of family, with its attendant love and guilt, keeps you turning pages.’
Kirkus
'A voyage of discovery cloaked in suburban ennui: engaging and hard to let go'
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
"Mom it can't really be her," I said though my heart was hammering in my chest.
"But what if it is?"
I shook my head and stared at the picture. The girl looked like me, like Madeline. She looked like my mother."
This was indeed a page turner with many exciting characters. We meet the Winter family in this book; the children about to make an escape from their parents whom, they decided were treating them with indifference and taking them for granted.
They plotted from the day before, and were set to meet after school, but when meeting time came, the smallest sister Ellie did not turn up as expected.
From that time onwards, things go topsy turvy in the Winter family as Caroline and Madeline and their parents look for answers to what could had become of Ellie on this day.
Daughter Caroline, refuses to give up her search, especially when she sees a photograph in a People magazine of someone resembling what her sister would look like at twenty years. She travels far and wide to unravel this mystery, but towards the end the mystery is solved. Get the answers in this exciting drama.
Reviewed by Heather Marshall Negahdar (SUGAR-CANE 30/08/06)
"But what if it is?"
I shook my head and stared at the picture. The girl looked like me, like Madeline. She looked like my mother."
This was indeed a page turner with many exciting characters. We meet the Winter family in this book; the children about to make an escape from their parents whom, they decided were treating them with indifference and taking them for granted.
They plotted from the day before, and were set to meet after school, but when meeting time came, the smallest sister Ellie did not turn up as expected.
From that time onwards, things go topsy turvy in the Winter family as Caroline and Madeline and their parents look for answers to what could had become of Ellie on this day.
Daughter Caroline, refuses to give up her search, especially when she sees a photograph in a People magazine of someone resembling what her sister would look like at twenty years. She travels far and wide to unravel this mystery, but towards the end the mystery is solved. Get the answers in this exciting drama.
Reviewed by Heather Marshall Negahdar (SUGAR-CANE 30/08/06)
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Please don't be fooled by the beautiful and moody woman on the cover of this book. "How To Be Lost" is not just chick-lit. In fact, 'upbeat' would be the last word I'd use to describe this book. This is a book about loss, the different kinds of tragedy and picking up the pieces after your life has been torn apart.
The story is made up of three strands: Caroline's search for her lost sister, who went missing nearly thirty years ago; the diary entries of Agnes Fowler, a sheltered young woman living in the MidWest and rediscovering herself after her father's death; and the story of a man named Bertrand, who was engaged to Caroline's mother. It is a mark of Amanda Eyre Ward's writing that you have no idea how these stories are connected until she wants you to know. She writes with sensitivity and an eye for how family relationships can warp and sustain you at the same time. Best of all, she manages to give an ending that is both open and hopeful. Fans of Melissa Bank will like Caroline's wry voice as she catalogues her failures and her quest to finally resolve the mystery which has haunted her family for years. There is never any self-pity, only honesty.
This book is not a beach read; it is more autumnal, but don't let that put you off buying it now.
The story is made up of three strands: Caroline's search for her lost sister, who went missing nearly thirty years ago; the diary entries of Agnes Fowler, a sheltered young woman living in the MidWest and rediscovering herself after her father's death; and the story of a man named Bertrand, who was engaged to Caroline's mother. It is a mark of Amanda Eyre Ward's writing that you have no idea how these stories are connected until she wants you to know. She writes with sensitivity and an eye for how family relationships can warp and sustain you at the same time. Best of all, she manages to give an ending that is both open and hopeful. Fans of Melissa Bank will like Caroline's wry voice as she catalogues her failures and her quest to finally resolve the mystery which has haunted her family for years. There is never any self-pity, only honesty.
This book is not a beach read; it is more autumnal, but don't let that put you off buying it now.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Amanda Eyre Ward's second novel `HOW TO BE LOST' is about how a family moves on or rather doesn't move on after the loss of a loved one. Sixteen years ago Caroline and Madeline's little sister was kidnapped from her school and was never heard from again. This tragedy tore apart these sisters who used to be so close and almost destroyed their mother. Now the police believe they have captured Ellie's kidnapper and killer and need her mother to declare her legally dead in order for him to be prosecuted. Only Isabelle Winters doesn't believe that her daughter is dead, she is convinced after seeing a photo of a girl in a magazine that this is her long lost daughter. Now after yet another tragedy strikes their family Caroline takes it upon herself to look for this girl in the magazine and find out if it really is her long lost sister Ellie.
`HOW TO BE LOST' is a sometimes tragic and sometimes humorous take on how people cope with life after a tragic loss. Isabelle retreats into memories of her past and "what could have been", Madeline makes a new life for herself with her husband but never stops blaming herself for her sisters disappearance and Caroline disconnects with her family by moving to New Orleans and puts her life on hold completely. This was a quick read and I flew right through it. I was a bit disappointed with the ending, however, not because it wasn't satisfying but because I wanted to know more, there is definitely great sequel potential here! `HOW TO BE LOST' is January's selection for my book club and overall I think the discussion of this book will make for a great meeting!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
gripping read
Found this book in a house I was staying on holiday. I was scouring the shelves as I'd read all the books I had brought. I LOVED this book and have recommended it to friends. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Rebecca
Something missing
I found this book a little disappointing. It is extremely short and did not benefit from this - it felt like the author could have done a lot more with story and taken the themes... Read more
Published on 7 Mar 2010 by Brummiegirl
Terrific
I really enjoyed this book. It combines good sharp writing with an interesting suspense story that kept me reading eagerly to the end. I finished it wanting more. Read more
Published on 14 Aug 2009 by Phil O'Sofa
Something different and keeps you wanting more
You get caught up in this book from the start, it is poignant and you can empthasise with the characters. Read more
Published on 18 May 2009 by Campbell79
I couldn't put this down, I wanted to see Caroline's search through to...
I couldn't turn off my light last night until I finished How to be Lost. I had followed Caroline's erratic and sad life through each chapter and I was eagerly waiting to figure out... Read more
Published on 2 Jan 2009 by EH Heskin
A real page-turner
It's been a while since I read a novel which has made me not want to put the book down so all credit to Ms Ward for her work. Read more
Published on 16 Dec 2008 by KP
Thin plot - bland and predictable
I bought this book to recommend to my book club, because of the high ratings that it received. I was disappointed! Read more
Published on 22 Dec 2007 by JMC
You'll get lost in the pages of this book!!
Amanda Eyre Ward is one of the most talented writers i have ever come across. How to be lost is a fantastic second novel and tells the story of Caroline. Read more
Published on 15 Nov 2007 by Philip Trenfield
Haunting
I read quite a bit and this is one of the best books I have read in the last three years or so - a page turner but so much more. Read more
Published on 9 April 2007 by Mr. G. H. Hitchen
A real page turner
Got this book this morning and have just finished reading it, I just could not put it down. I was so engaged by the story that I didn't even notice I was nearing the end of the... Read more
Published on 24 Sep 2006 by Miss Sunshine
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