Reviews

The Book of Lost Things by Cynthia Voigt, Iacopo Bruno

geisttull's review against another edition

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4.0

A fun story that is apparently the first in a new series. Lots of interesting characters. I look forward to
the next one.

beastreader's review against another edition

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3.0

Max and his parents are part of the Starling Theatrical Company. Max's father receives a letter. It is from the Maharajah in India. He wants the Starling Theatrical Company to help put together a theatrical group for him. He has sent ship tickets. Max makes a plan to meet his parents before the ship sets sail. When Max arrives, he learns that there is no Maharajah and his parents have disappeared, It is up to Max to find them.

I picked up this book with the intent of giving it to my nephews to read afterwards. First off I have to comment on the packaging with the book arrived. I don't normally comment on this but this time I have to. It came in its own box and then inside the book was wrapped in brown paper with twine and a postcard listing all of the three books and their release dates. I felt like I was in for a grand adventure and could not wait to read this book.

While I did enjoy the book, I did feel like it was long. Almost too long. The reason is that I was expecting mystery and action and the adventure. I was missing all three of these. It seemed that Max was not that worried about his parents and their disappearance. He was too busy trying to act older and work a job. Clues to Max's parents whereabouts were revealed in the last third of the story. Of course the ending is suppose to leave the reader anxious for the next book. I am not sure if I am one of those readers. However my nephews will probably like Max.

lisawreading's review against another edition

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4.0

Mister Max has a nostalgic feel to it -- a warm-hearted book about a boy with a predicament. Left alone by his parents due to mysterious circumstances, 12-year-old Max has to fend for himself, figure out how to get by, and try to find out where his parents are and whether they're in danger. Meanwhile, he falls into a new career as a "solutioneer" -- not a detective, but simply a resourceful person helping people figure out their problems and how to make them better. Max is a smart boy who, inspired by his actor parents, uses costuming and acting to take on a variety of personas in order to carry out his business and investigate the odd jobs that come his way. The writing is matter-of-fact and easily accessible, although it lacks a sense of urgency in a way that's a bit puzzling, given that Max's parents have disappeared and may have met with foul play.

I enjoyed Mister Max, although I wonder whether the target age group (ages 8 - 12) will take to a 400 page book that's not as fast-paced as the adventure and fantasy stories that seem to be popular now. Mister Max is the first in a series, and I'd like to read more and see where the story goes.

My full review is up at Bookshelf Fantasies.

I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley and the publisher.

pacifickle's review against another edition

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5.0

"Catch Me If You Can" meets "Encyclopedia Brown" in 1900. Great male protagonist with theatrical parents, who jump on an ocean liner, India-bound, and leave him behind. Chameleon-like in dress & manner, Mister Max uses his unremarkable looks to portray various characters and support himself as a detective. Stellar start to a great series. Rich characterization, lots of interesting hobbies & characters (bakers, librarians, artists, kitchen maids, teachers, tutors) make this a fascinating read. I can't wait for the sequel.

My two caveats - the plot "twist" is predictable to an adult, 200 pages before it's "revealed," and a special needs person is treated fairly but referred to as "simpleminded" towards the end- not sure how I feel about that. Kind of wish his last case was just eliminated in general.

sparklingreader's review against another edition

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3.0

The story takes place in England at the turn of the century. When Max Starling's theatrical parents receive an invitation to visit India, Max is excited at the thought of an adventure overseas. But when his parents suddenly disappear, leaving behind a mysterious note, he is confused and a little scared. But he then realizes there is an advantage to being left alone - independence - and if he doesn't want to lose it, he'll need to find a job. But Max is only 12 years old. It turns out that Max is good at finding solutions to people's problems and thus he becomes Mister Max, Solutioneer! Using tricks-of-the-trade learned from his parents, Max as Mister Max dons various disguises to interview suspects, follow leads, and sniff out the best solution.

Of course there are bad guys. Heading up the list of baddies are Madame Olenka, her uncle, and her cousin, known collectively as the Long-ears. Unfortunately, there didn’t seem to be much reason for them beyond having villains in the story.

While I enjoyed Mister Max immensely, I wondered why Max didn't use his skills to attempt to discover what happened to his parents. Instead, his grandmother did all of the research there while Max was only concerned with making money to maintain his independence.

Overall, the idea is a good one, but not very well done, especially for a middle-grade book. The vocabulary would upset younger readers and the lack of consistency would turn off older ones. The problems Max solves are easily taken care of, with the exception of where his parents are. Still, it is a cute book. Recommended with caveats.

arielml's review against another edition

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5.0

I loved this book! Cynthia Voigt is one of my favorite YA authors, and it was so fun to see how masterfully she handled a fantastical setting - equally as good as her Tillerman books, which have a much more realistic tone. The characters are rich and nuanced, her descriptive powers are impressive, and the plot is clever and engaging. Overall, I'd say the best word for this book is "delightful." Really looking forward to reading the next in the series.

holly_117's review against another edition

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3.0

3.5 stars

Mister Max was well written and fun for middle grade children (8+). The mysteries are interesting without being too easy or obvious or too hard for kids to follow.

The only caution I'd have about this book is for younger kids - it might be kind of scary for them because the parents disappear and we have no idea if they've been kidnapped or have run off and abandoned Max, both of which I think could scare a younger kid if they have separation anxiety with their parents already.

meganstreb's review against another edition

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4.0

I liked the overall story, the mini stories within it. The book has a hint of magical realism to it. It feels like a YA book, much more than other YA novels I've read.
I'd be interested to hear what younger readers thought.

mmz's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

heather4994's review against another edition

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5.0

I have been reading some fabulous Middle Grade fiction and this book continues that trend! I don't even remember requesting this book but it was in my NetGalley books so if it's still available and you read Middle Grade fiction, this is a great book! It even had illustrations in it and even on my old Kindle they were amazing. The chapters were all titled, some with funny names like "In which Max doesn't want to get out of bed, Grammie is bossy, and Madame Olenka enters the scene". And the chapters were manageable so that even a reader that isn't that comfortable with chapter books could easily read a chapter and come back to it later or mom or dad could read it at night, a chapter or two before bedtime.

Max is on the verge of being independent or so his dad has always said he is at the age of twelve. He doesn't feel that way, at least not as Max. But then he adopts the personnas of some of the characters in the plays he's seen his parents act in. Thankfully Max is a bit unremarkable and is able to pull off the chameleon like attitude and looks he needs to, and he's tall for his age. He becomes a detective of sorts, though he's quick to say he isn't one. He's a substitute teacher. A dog catcher. A gardener. A painter. But deep down, he's a very worried twelve year old boy.

His Grammie lives in a house right behind him and she wants him to live with her, but he can't stand that. He doesn't want to give up his independence and is very creative, resourceful and lucky in finding ways to make money to stay independent. He even gets an unwanted partner in his business, finder of lost things or "solutioneer" as he decides to call himself. But he isn't able to solve the biggest question. Where are his parents and why did they leave without him? What do his father's cryptic notes mean? And what's with that picture in the newspaper? And a very small part worries that they left him behind on purpose.

The characters in this novel are wonderful from the lost heir, to the stern but lovable Grammie to the annoying Pia. Their personalities are distinctive and you come to know them well. The setting is in the past as Max doesn't have a telephone and automobiles are scarce. I think it takes place in England. Max rides everywhere on his bike and you'll applaud Max for his fair decision making and his attempts to make life better for those around him.

I can't wait for the next book in this series and I think I'll buy my own copy of this novel. I believe it will become a favorite that I will read to future generations.

Thanks to the publishers who provided a copy for review through NetGalley for review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own. I was not compensated for my review.