The Lost Manuscript - by Cathy Bonidan: Book Review

Title: The Lost Manuscript. A novel
Author: Cathy Bonidan
Pages: 288
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publishing Date: 12.01.2021
Genre: Epistolary Novel
Format: ebook
Rating: 3*

The power of books is captured in this epistolary novel. The same book, in different readers' hands, has a different impact on their lives.

Anne-Lise finds a lost manuscript in a hotel and she decides to find the author of this manuscript. Along the way we, the readers, along with Anne-Lise, get to know all the people who have read the manuscript, besides Anne-Lise. The novel is written solely in letters which tell the story of how Anne-Lise "met" all these strangers and the author of the manuscript. I liked how all these seemingly unconnected readers became friends thanks to a book that hadn't been published.

I didn't like Anne-Lise as a character, nor her personality. She's too pushy and determined to do things her way, ignoring other characters' opinions. There are a lot of other characters, all connected to the manuscript. I liked how we got to learn more about them through the letters. A character's background story is always the best part for me.

There are lucky/ happy coincidences that made the whole events of this novel possible, but not very likely to take place in real life. I liked the idea of the novel and I have a soft spot for epistolary novels. However, this is not a particularly memorable novel. I read a few months ago as an advanced copy, and I've already forgotten the ending! It was an enjoyable read at the time, but it didn't make a lasting impression, unfortunately.

I  received a free e-book copy of this novel from the publisher via Net Galley. All thoughts expressed here are my own.