Saturday, March 30, 2019

The Lost Girl by Anne Ursu

Identical twins Iris and Lark are always together. So, when they get their fifth-grade classroom assignment, they are sure that there has been some mistake: for the first time ever, they will be in different classes at school. Lark, always the more shy and quiet of the two, retreats into herself in the face of bullies and a teacher who wants her to be more assertive. And Iris, who has always made it her mission to defend her sister, is unmoored and feels out of control without Lark to anchor her. Meanwhile, strange things are happening around them: crows leave small, shiny gifts for Lark. A strange antique store with an even stranger sign opens nearby. Small items start disappearing from the girls' house, and large items start disappearing from nearby museums. What do all of these things have to do with Iris and Lark? And will they ever find their way in their new situation?

I wanted to love this book, because I love Breadcrumbs. But, ultimately, I just liked it fairly well. The plot didn't pull together as cohesively as I would have liked (though there was one unexpected plot twist that I appreciated), and I found it difficult to relate to Iris, who is the main perspective character of the story. I would have liked to have seen more of Lark's point of view. I would still recommend this book, especially to young readers who enjoy stories about sibling relationships, and books set in our world but with touches of magic. The occasional illustrations by Erin McGuire are charming. It's just that my expectations for this book were very high, and it didn't quite rise to meet them.

(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)

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