I Needed More Milton! (The Luster of Lost Things Review)

TITLE: The Luster of Lost Things
AUTHOR: Sophie Chen Keller
PUBLISHER: G.P. Putnam's Sons
PUBLISHING DATE: August 8, 2017

FROM GOODREADS: Walter Lavender Jr. is a master of finding. A wearer of high-tops. A maker of croissants. A son keeping vigil, twelve years counting.

But he wouldn’t be able to tell you. Silenced by his motor speech disorder, Walter’s life gets lonely. Fortunately, he has The Lavenders—his mother’s enchanted dessert shop, where marzipan dragons breathe actual fire. He also has a knack for tracking down any missing thing—except for his lost father.

So when the Book at the root of the bakery’s magic vanishes, Walter, accompanied by his overweight golden retriever, journeys through New York City to find it—along the way encountering an unforgettable cast of lost souls.

Steeped in nostalgic wonder, The Luster of Lost Things explores the depths of our capacity for kindness and our ability to heal. A lyrical meditation on why we become lost and how we are found, from the bright, broken heart of a boy who knows where to look for everyone but himself.

MY THOUGHTS: 
So I finally managed to finish "The Luster of Lost Things" yet I've put off this review because I think it's going to be a hard one to write. Prior to reading this book, I looked at a few other non-spoiler reviews and a lot of people mentioned liking the first part of the book, which has most of the magical realism elements in it, and feeling the second part, Walter's quest, dragged the book down. I feel pretty much exactly the opposite but what else is new?

Walter Lavender Jr. is a young boy who lives with his mother above their bakery in New York. Walter suffers from a motor speech disorder and pretty much his friends consist of his Lab Milton, his mother and the staff at the bakery. His father disappeared during a flight when Walter was a baby and he waits patiently each day for him to return home. Because of his disability, Walter's life is quite lonely but he does have a knack for finding lost things and hires himself out to people looking for beloved items, which is his main interaction with the world outside the bakery. The bakery itself is "guarded" by a magical book which was given to his mother following his father's disappearance and this book makes the bakery a magical place where the delicious creations often come alive - literally. One day, the book vanishes and knowing that the disappearance spells doom for the bakery and Walter's comforting life, he and Milton go on an excursion to find it. The book ends up getting torn up so he has to find all 7 pages and out it back together within 24 hours if he hopes to save he and his mother's future.

Walter's quest was the most interesting part of this book for me. He meets lots of interesting characters and along the way, finds his own "voice." In fact, it was quite endearing when at the end of the book, Walter is able to return home and verbally tell his mother than he missed her. Walter helps a lot of the people he encounters as much as they help him and he and Milton also make a new best friend in the process which I found beyond cute.

The main reason this book didn't rate higher for me is purely because of the magical realism. I struggle with the genre in general and it took me much longer to read this book than it should have. Also, I wanted more Milton. He and Walter have an awesome bond, and Milton occasionally speaks to Walter and I just would have enjoyed the book more with more Milton. Of course, to those who know me, that's no big surprise.

This book has been quite popular this month since it's release and I've seen many people enjoying it. I'm glad I picked it up and it really is an adorable tale, it just fell a tad short for me. Lovers of magical realism should consider giving this book a chance but may find Walter's journey somewhat mundane. 

RATING: 3 PAWS

BOOKER T'S THOUGHTS: First of all, Mom and I want to thank La La from over at La La in the Library for the use of her awesome graphic.  As for Milton.  First of all, Milton is a lab which means he is a large dog and I really do love large dog buddies. He is such a perfect friend for Walter, who is often picked on and rather lost because of  his speech disability.  Rude people...no wonder Mom prefers dogs to most people.  Milton slips away to follow Walter on his quest even though Walter tries to leave him at home because he know Walter needs the support and the company - Good Boy Milton.  Plus, Milton clearly loves to eat as evidenced in the book - a dog after my own doggy heart.  Milton clearly gets 5 paws in my book!