Book Review – Lost For Words

Lost For Words by Stephanie Butland (Zaffre) ISBN: 9781785762598

An enthralling, heart-rending, and elegantly written novel, Lost for Words beautifully weaves past and present, creating a colourful portrait of a young woman with a troubled childhood.

Loveday Cardew works in a second-hand bookshop in York, where books offer her a connection to, and an escape from, the world. She prefers books to people and has tattooed some first lines of novels on her skin.

Loveday spent her life in the foster-care system and does not want to get close to anybody, except for Archie, the owner of the bookshop. She has tried a lover, who failed her and now Nathan, a poet who is also a magician, slowly tries to win her over.

Lost for Words is full of poetry, language and literature. It reminded me of The Language of Flowers. It’s about tragedy and domestic abuse and stalking. It’s about trust and growing up and family. Ultimately it’s about love.

It is my favourite book of the year so far. Lost For Words is perfect for a holiday or a winter afternoon in front of the fireplace.

Pauline Vijverberg
4.5/5