Tuesday 3 March 2015

Lost Lake - Sarah Addison Allen

It happens one morning - Kate finally wakes up from the slumber she's been in since her husband's death a year ago. Feeling a fresh sense of desire to take control of her and her young daughter's life, she decides to visit Suley, Georgia - home to Lost Lake. It's where Kate spent one of the happiest summers of her life as a child. She's not sure what she expects to find there, but it's not a rundown place full of ghosts and other curious oddities. Kate's Aunt Eby, Lost Lake's owner, wants to sell the old place and move on. Lost Lake's magic is gone. As Kate discovers that time has a way of standing still at Lost Lake, can she bring the cottages - as well as her heart and the hearts of all the guests - back to life? Because sometimes lost loves aren't really lost. They're just waiting for you to find them again. 

My thoughts:
You know these words by now; It was good BUT it was not as good as previous books. It did not have that comfort feeling, that awww magical realism feeling. It felt rather bland to be honest. It was a good fiction book, but it was not a good magical realism book.

So yes that was the main issues. What magical realism? A crocodile? No. I want the magical realism to be felt, to really feel it and think yes, there is magic in the south. Here I never felt that. There was no real magic in this book.

But that does not make it a bad book. She is still a great author, and wrote a good fiction book. Just not a great magical realism book.

The story is about Eby who owns Lost lake, but the place is dying. No new guests are coming. She wants to sell and then her niece Kate turns up. Kate who will learn to love again and her daughter who will find a home to love. And Eby will find peace again. It's also the story of 2 guests, and the cook. Everyone finding what they need.

Conclusion:
But yes, disappointing that the Allen feeling was not there. Though, still good.

Cover
eh

Paperback, 296 pages
Published February 13th 2014 by Hodder & Stoughton
Fiction
Own

44 comments:

  1. I picked this one up recently. Good to know it's lacking in magical realism.

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  2. Aw, too bad. I really do need to try one of her books.

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  3. Yep, I felt the same way. I so wanted to slip away into a sweet feel good story. This was good but not up to her usual standards and the whole alligator thing was weird.

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    1. I am so happy I am not alone in feeling this! It was different :/

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  4. The cover is very green. I wish it was that green here. Instead it is very white and grey.

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  5. I've heard that this isn't among her best work, neither is her latest IMO, so thanks for the honesty. I might skip this or pick it up with lowered expectations.

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    1. What? Nooooo. I was looking forward to Frost, sigh

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  6. I liked this one a little more I think. Loved all the relationships which always draws me to a book.

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    1. I think I would have liked it more if I had not expected her usual style

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  7. It's kind of hard to write Southern magical realism without magic.

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  8. I missed this somehow. And I cant help but LOL on crocodile. I agree with BookSwarm Mary too!

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  9. I liked Lost Lake more than First Frost ... lots of old world charm and I loved the quirky female relationships.

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  10. Magical realism is tricky to do, there are only a few books I really like that have done it well. Seems like balancing the "magic" and the "realism" could be the issue here.

    ~Mogsy @ BiblioSanctum

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    1. She usually does it so well, but here I could never believe and therefore, no magic

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  11. I've always wanted to read a book by this author. Any recommendations?

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  12. Sounds a bit of a letdown!

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  13. I adore Allen but love her Garden Spell books the best ..they are magical

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  14. It's sad when a book isn't as good as the others...

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  15. Thanks to you I discovered Allen's books. I have read only couple of her books, but I loved both of them. I'm sad this one was missing that magical realism that make her books so special.

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  16. Too bad you missed the magic in this one

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  17. I really like her covers. Bummer it wasn't quite there like the others for ya.

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  18. Glad you enjoyed this overall even if it didn't fit the magical realism label as much as you'd hoped!

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  19. *waves* Sorry for late comment! Damn work!

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  20. Nothing worse than a sequel that doesn't live up to its precursor, right? Sadly, it happens all the time... Another lovely review :)

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  21. mah. Sounds kinda boring. Maybe better as a movie? lol. Thank you.

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  22. I keep hearing this one is good but not great. I think I'll pick up one of her other books first. Thanks for the honest review!

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