Product Description
A tender and sharply observant debut novel about a missing young girl—winner of the Costa First Novel Award and long-listed for the Booker Prize, the Orange Prize, and The Guardian First Book Award In the 1980s, Kate Meaney—“Top Secret” notebook and toy monkey in tow—is hard at work as a junior detective. Busy trailing “suspects” and carefully observing everything around her at the newly opened Green Oaks shopping mall, she forms an unlikely friendship with Adrian, the son of a local shopkeeper. But when this curious, independent-spirited young girl disappears, Adrian falls under suspicion and is hounded out of his home by the press. Then, in 2003, Adrian’s sister Lisa—stuck in a dead-end relationship—is working as a manager at Your Music, a discount record store. Every day she tears her hair out at the outrageous behavior of her customers and colleagues. But along with a security guard, Kurt, she becomes entranced by the little girl glimpsed on the mall’s surveillance cameras. As their after-hours friendship intensifies, Lisa and Kurt investigate how these sightings might be connected to the unsettling history of Green Oaks itself. Written with warmth and wit, What Was Lost is a haunting debut from an incredible new talent.
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 Captivating
This book was so different to anything I had read before. Beautifully written with well rounded characters and a haunting tale. Definitely worth the read.
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 Contrived but with decent writing ( rachelphomer )
Interesting story, but it was far too contrived for my taste. Her "voice" as the child was a bit annoying to get through. Some nice writing. Didn't feel too forced. Some good characterization too. But in my opinion it didn't make up for its flaws.
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A mixed bag ( sb-lynn )
When I turned the final page of this book, I thought about how much I liked the story. Saying that, I am giving this 4 stars because I thought there were parts (the middle!) that were a slow-go for me.
Summary, no spoilers:
The book starts out in 1984, and we follow the escapades of 10 year old Kate Meaney. She is a precocious, imaginative, but lonely little girl, who decides that she wants to open up a detective agency with a partner - her toy stuffed animal, a monkey named Mickey. Her only real friends are a rebellious schoolmate, and a young man named Adrian, who lives next door.
Kate decides the best place to scope out the criminals is the local mall, Green Oaks. She spends most of her free time there, trying to spy on the would-be robbers and criminals, copiously taking notes.
The next section of book takes place in 2003, and we know that Kate had disappeared without a trace back in 1984. We learn about the repercussions from that, and we are introduced to Lisa, Adrian's sister who works at the Green Oaks Mall's music store, and Kurt, the security guard there.
I thought the first section of this novel was absolutely riveting, and I just loved Kate. When I got to the second section, I just couldn't get as interested in Lisa and Kurt, and I found myself wanting to hurry on to find out what happened to Kate. I found this whole part of the novel a slow read.
But for that, I would've given this book 5 stars, because the denouement is just fantastic, and poignant. When I was done with the book, I was happy I had read it, and I was very satisfied with the story.
Recommended, and if you find yourself slowing down mid-book, hang in there. There's a big payoff at the end.
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What Was Found ( 30atmospheres )
What a wonderful book. What a truly wonderful book. Moving, funny (actually, f-ing hilarious), beautifully observed and sheer joy to read.
This shouldn't come as a surprise. It has been longlisted or shortlisted for nearly every major literary prize going and has won its fair share as well. Deservedly so.
I really should have read it before now. Not just because of the above plaudits but because much of the story is set in and around a record shop which is based on a branch of HMV. Some of the characters are versions of people I knew during my time at that retailer. Also, everyone I know who has read it, including my other half, told me I would love it.
And I am so glad I did get round to it. This is essential reading for anyone who has ever worked in retail. O'Flynn conveys the weird and wonderful goings on within a record store with alarming accuracy. I laughed out loud in almost every chapter.
The novel is so much more than a witty account of salesfloor life though. The central story, of a young girl that goes missing in the 1980s only to appear to crop up again at a shopping mall in the present day, is completely enthralling and O'Flynn manages to weave together the various curious strands with consumate skill. This is a mystery that keeps you wondering right to the end and then doesn't disappoint you.
I was reminded, for brief seconds and at different points, of Thirteen by Sebastian Beaumont (the spooky bits), Black Swan Green by David Mitchell (the retro 80s stuff) and Tell Me Everything by Sarah Salway (the shop talk and fantasy lives of characters) which are all books I love. If you haven't read What Was Lost yet, what are you waiting for?
(Originally reviewed on the Me And My Big Mouth blog).
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 Why the hell did Douglas Coupland rec this?
I can't see how Douglas Coupland (author-god) could have praised this. Boring, predictable and barely engaging. This book bugged me so much I only finished it to confirm that it sucked.
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