The Lost (Lost #1) by Sarah Beth Durst

Series: Lost #1
352p.
Publisher: Harlequin MIRA
Published: 5/27/14
Source: From publisher for review

Award-winning author Sarah Beth Durst has been praised for her captivating novels that merge the darkly imagined with very real themes of self-discovery and destiny. In The Lost, we'll discover just what it means to lose one's way.

It was only meant to be a brief detour. But then Lauren finds herself trapped in a town called Lost on the edge of a desert, filled with things abandoned, broken and thrown away. And when she tries to escape, impassible dust storms and something unexplainable lead her back to Lost again and again. The residents she meets there tell her she's going to have to figure out just what she's missing, and what she's running from, before she can leave. So now Lauren's on a new search for a purpose and a destiny. And maybe, just maybe, she'll be found. 

Against the backdrop of this desolate and mystical town, Sarah Beth Durst writes an arresting, fantastical novel of one woman's impossible journey and her quest to find her fate.

My thoughts:
This is a story about a woman who wants to run away from her life and gets her wish. She finds her self in Lost a place where lost things are found. It is also a place where you find what you lost. This is essential since you cannot leave until you find it. In a way this was a retelling of a mix of Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz and Peter Pan. The reference to Peter Pan is quite evident with the Finder being named Peter, but then again, that may just be a personna he adopted.

I really enjoyed these characters. Granted at first it took a bit of getting used to because so many of them seemed crazy. Still, as Lauren starts to find some semblance of sanity within the insanity certain characters start to really grow on you. I was a bit concerned at first since even though Peter really grew on me, you didn't get to know him well. Ms. Durst does not often write series books, but standalones so I thought I wouldn't get more Peter when I realized at the end that this is a series. So relieved since I really want to know more about this character. Luckily, Lauren, our heroine, feels the same way.

I give this book 4 stars. It's a strange turn to a strange town but it holds a lot of promise to what new adventure will come. I personally can't wait for the next installment, The Missing, slated for later this year. I recommend this book to those that enjoy retellings and renewed chances at life. It is an adult book, but can be read by all.