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The Lost Storyteller Hardcover – July 8, 2021
'A powerful novel about the bond between fathers and daughters, and how stories connect us all. I loved it' Jenny Colgan
THE LOST STORYTELLER is the heartwarming and evocative debut novel from a stunning new voice in fiction, Amanda Block. Perfect for fans of Ruth Hogan, Jessie Burton and Diane Setterfield.
Rebecca hasn't seen her father Leo since she was six. Her family never talk about him, and she has long since pushed him firmly to the back of her mind. All she knows is that, once upon a time, he was a well-loved children's TV star.
But when a journalist turns up uninvited at her office, asking questions about her once-famous father, Rebecca starts to wonder whether there is more to Leo's absence than she realised. Then, looking for answers, she unearths a book of fairy tales written by Leo and dedicated to her - but what use are children's stories to her now, all these years later?
Tentatively, Rebecca tries to piece together her father's life, from the people he used to know and her own hazy memories. Yet her mind keeps returning to the magical, melancholic fairy tales, which seem to contain more truth than make-believe. Perhaps they are the key to unlocking the mystery of her father, the lost storyteller; to revealing who he was, what he went through - and even where he might be now...
THE LOST STORYTELLER celebrates the power and resilience of imagination.
'Absolutely beautiful . . . A cleverly wrought tale of fathers and daughters, and a bond buried so deep that it is lost to folklore' Polly Crosby, author of The Illustrated Child
'Captivating, moving and profound. I loved it! A spellbinding novel about the power of the stories we tell both to ourselves and to others' Tracey Emerson, author of She Chose Me
'Incredibly moving . . . A genuinely beautiful must-read' Buki Papillon, author of An Ordinary Wonder
'Completely engaging . . . A lovely reflection on the power and magic of stories' Marianne Cronin, author of The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherHodder Studio
- Publication dateJuly 8, 2021
- Dimensions6.06 x 1.65 x 9.37 inches
- ISBN-101529360781
- ISBN-13978-1529360783
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Product details
- Publisher : Hodder Studio
- Publication date : July 8, 2021
- Language : English
- ISBN-10 : 1529360781
- ISBN-13 : 978-1529360783
- Item Weight : 1.34 pounds
- Dimensions : 6.06 x 1.65 x 9.37 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #5,616,990 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #12,535 in Family Life Fiction (Books)
- #33,693 in Literary Fiction (Books)
- #56,531 in Contemporary Literature & Fiction
- Customer Reviews:
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Customer reviews
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- Reviewed in the United States on August 6, 2024Format: KindleVerified PurchaseWhat a wonderful story! Heartbreaking, wrenching, but redeeming. It took me awhile to suss out the reason for the issues, but the resolution was worth the tears shed along the way.
- Reviewed in the United States on July 12, 2021Format: KindleVerified PurchaseThere was a young girl who didn't know her father & didn't know she missed him, until a young reporter turned up to ask about him... This is the tale of Rebecca & how she uses a book of beautiful but dark & enigmatic fairy tales - a hidden gift from her missing father - to figure out how & why he disappeared so many years ago. Aided by the young reporter, resented by her family, she follows a trail of breadcrumbs both online & from interviews until she finds more than she thought she was looking for. An enthralling & absorbing story about growth, understanding & compassion, this is a tale not to be missed.
- Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2024Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseThis book was excellent! Could not put it down.
- Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2023Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase100 pages in and I found I really didn’t care what happened to the characters. Rebecca is immature and pouty for 30. Her memories from when she was 5 are remarkable (incredulous). This book requires suspension of disbelief. I thought the father’s monologue about his struggle with mental illness and treatment was the most interesting part of the book and probably could have make its own book.
- Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2023Format: KindleFor years, Rebecca has wondered where her father, Leo, is. Her mother refuses to talk about it. So much so that Rebecca no longer asks questions because she gets shut down. Finally, her grandmother gives her a book of fairy tales written by Rebecca's father. But they're nothing but children's stories, and she's not really interested in the book. When Ellis becomes interested in helping her find her father, she accepts his help. It's been so long, and she wants answers.
Rebecca's mother is garbage. There is no reason for her to keep her daughter in the dark. It borders on narcissism because she wants to keep Rebecca to herself. She spends a lot of time gaslighting Rebecca when she makes steps toward finding Leo. I kept waiting for Rebecca to find a backbone in dealing with her mother.
Block included mental health issues, which I greatly appreciate, though I wish Rebecca's family wouldn't have treated it like something utterly shameful. But the thing is, we have come a long way with my generation and younger talking about mental health. Things take time, so the people sweeping it under the rug are, hopefully, the last generation to do so.
This is a leisurely told story. Everything could be deemed a clue, so it had a bit of mystery. Then, with Ellis, there was a bit of romance going on as well. Overall, this is an enjoyable read that I'm glad I stumbled upon.
- Reviewed in the United States on November 12, 2022Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseThis is a lovely, well written book. Very poignant and honest. The characters were so well developed, I could clearly picture them, and the story rang true. I wholeheartedly reccomend.
- Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2022Format: KindleVerified PurchaseWhat a wonderful storyteller. The idea of the fairy stories being woven into the main story and the clues to her father’s life was quite magical. I loved this book and cannot wait to read more from this author in the future.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2022Format: HardcoverThe Lost Storyteller by Amanda Block
Rebecca hasn't seen her father Leo since she was six. All she knows is that, once upon a time, he was a well-loved children's TV star. But when a journalist turns up asking questions about her father, Rebecca starts to wonder whether there is more to Leo's absence. Looking for answers, she unearths a book of fairy tales written by Leo and dedicated to her but what use are children's stories to her now, all these years later?
Tentatively, Rebecca tries to piece together her father's life. Yet her mind keeps returning to the fairy tales. Perhaps they are the key to unlocking the mystery of her father, the lost storyteller; to revealing who he was, what he went through and even where he might be now.
I really enjoyed this story! It takes a deep look into the bonds between a parent and their children and the effects mental illness can take on these relationships. The fairy tales written by Leo were wonderful and probably one of my favorite parts! They are dark, mysterious, magical and full of secrets! The characters have depth and are complex but my favorite was Leo. He really shines in this story. His love and dedication to his daughter was a beautiful thing to read about. It's a heartwarming story of family, love and hope! Thank you Mobius and Amanda Block for sharing this beautiful story with me!
Top reviews from other countries
- Jasmin WilhelmReviewed in Germany on August 18, 2021
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully written
Format: HardcoverVerified PurchaseThe Lost Storyteller is an incredible debut of a very talented author! I loved the whole story and especially how the main character Rebecca pieces together her Childhood and her knowledge about her father like a puzzle including bits of informations from the fairytales, her memories and research. Looking forward to another novel of Amanda Block!
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Mr. NobodyReviewed in Japan on October 25, 2024
4.0 out of 5 stars 後半どんどん引き込まれていく感じ
Amazonでおすすめを何の気なしに買ってしまって長い間そのままになっていたのを、やっと時間ができて読みました。
25歳の女性が生きているかどうかもわからない父親を探す物語です。父親の残したおとぎ話がヒントになって少しずつ答えに近づいていきます。後半は展開が速く、引き込まれいきました。
ところで、主人公の女性がすごく短気で、「そこでキレるか?」という場面が何度もあり、なれるまで疲れました。美人なので許してもらっているという設定なのかな?
英語の難易度ですが、文法的には易しいですが、少し凝った単語を使っているので、全体的には中ぐらいかなと思います。
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ぐるぐるくまさんReviewed in Japan on May 22, 2023
3.0 out of 5 stars 無事に届いて何より
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchaseいつ届くのか不安でしたが、きちんと届きました。海外からの発送のため、梱包は最低限。雨などに濡れなくてよかったです。
- Marisa readsReviewed in the United Kingdom on August 14, 2024
4.0 out of 5 stars Love lost and found
A wonderful story about troubled family relationships wrapped up in a fairytale. A great female lead who is determined to discover the truth about her past.
- PaulineReviewed in the United Kingdom on August 11, 2022
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it
Thoroughly enjoyed reading this book I don't normally go for this type of read but I was intrigued and gave it a go and I'm so glad I did.
It had a real life feeling about it I actually felt I was in the story at times it came alive for me. It was well written and flowed really well I struggled to put it down but loved picking it up again.
The characters each had their own space and individuality it was a lovely story thank you.