Book: A Song for Lost Things by Michael Ashwood
Reviewed by Anonymous
Rating: 4/5
Our heroine, Valentine, lives in Ballest, an isolated region of Hoppelsigh, a magical castle, never aging and with no memory of how she got there. She and the other residents have simply always existed there, the castle itself providing for all of their needs. She and her best friends, Lyrick and Kith, spend their days adventuring around their home in search of new and interesting (and often magical) objects to relieve the tedium of their happy yet boring lives. Their simple world is turned upside down when the Queen comes to visit. She kidnaps many of Ballest’s residents, but Valentine stands up to her, demanding the release of her friends. The Queen challenges Valentine to cross Hoppelsigh Castle within 7 days and bow to her in her throne room, and Valentine will be granted her wish. The countdown starts, and Valentine, Lyrick, and Kith set out on their journey, magical objects in tow, to try to rescue their friends.
This whimsically absurd book absolutely stole my heart. Valentine is the perfect heroine; she doesn’t have any unusual powers, and she’s not a “chosen one.” She simply has her quiet determination and a strong sense of justice (and of course, a magic piccolo). Piccolo aside, any of us can be a Valentine. Lyrick and Kith are the perfect male leads. Lyrick is both gleefully winsome and frustrating, and Kith is the archetype of a true friend (what else can you expect from a character whose name even means “friend?”). The interactions between Valentine and Lyrick are adorable and somehow charmingly innocent while exemplifying their devotion to each other.