4.0
The Lost
ByPublisher Description
From Sarah Beth Durst, the New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop and The Enchanted Greenhouse, comes a fully updated and expanded edition of The Lost, with a brand-new ending.
Against the backdrop of a desolate and mystical town, this arresting, fantastical novel explores one woman’s impossible journey—and her quest to find her fate.
"A slow-brewing, increasingly exciting, and deeply provocative fantasy world." —Booklist
Lost your way?
Your dreams?
Yourself?
Welcome to Lost.
It was supposed to be a small escape. A few hours' driving before turning around and heading home. But once you arrive in Lost…well, it's a place you really can't leave. Not until you're Found. Only the Missing Man can send you home. And he took one look at Lauren Chase and disappeared.
So Lauren is now trapped in the town where all lost things go—luggage, keys, dreams, lives—where nothing is permanent, where the locals go feral and where the only people who don't want to kill her are a handsome wild man called the Finder and a knife-wielding six-year-old girl. The only road out of town is engulfed in an impassable dust storm, and escape is impossible…
Until Lauren decides nothing—and no one—is going to keep her here anymore.
Against the backdrop of a desolate and mystical town, this arresting, fantastical novel explores one woman’s impossible journey—and her quest to find her fate.
"A slow-brewing, increasingly exciting, and deeply provocative fantasy world." —Booklist
Lost your way?
Your dreams?
Yourself?
Welcome to Lost.
It was supposed to be a small escape. A few hours' driving before turning around and heading home. But once you arrive in Lost…well, it's a place you really can't leave. Not until you're Found. Only the Missing Man can send you home. And he took one look at Lauren Chase and disappeared.
So Lauren is now trapped in the town where all lost things go—luggage, keys, dreams, lives—where nothing is permanent, where the locals go feral and where the only people who don't want to kill her are a handsome wild man called the Finder and a knife-wielding six-year-old girl. The only road out of town is engulfed in an impassable dust storm, and escape is impossible…
Until Lauren decides nothing—and no one—is going to keep her here anymore.
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Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communitiesThe Lost Reviews
4.0
Katie Barner
Created about 7 hours agoShare
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Cait Greens
Created 4 days agoShare
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aprilkslittlelibrary
Created 5 days agoShare
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“I loved The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst, so I was super excited to dive into this story. This book definitely veers away from Sarah’s cozy fantasy works, but I liked that it was something different, and the overall concept stood out from the typical books I read.
Faced with a tragic reality, Lauren feels like her life is falling apart and decides to go for a drive to clear her mind. At a crossroads, she chooses to miss her turn and finds herself stranded in a town called Lost. Desperate to get back to her life, Lauren must learn to accept her situation while also fighting to get home. Little does she know, home might not be so far away.
The characters in this story were super quirky, which added a dose of humour, and I definitely saw a lot of myself in our FMC, Lauren. I was rooting for her happy ending. However, there was an overall darker vibe to this book as well. The setting of Lost, while magical, was harsh as well, as we witness these characters struggling to return to their lives before they were “lost” - in one way, shape, or form.
The romantic relationship that develops in this story erred on the fantasy side, and I personally would have liked it to feel more believable, with tension and buildup. The MMC frustrated me at times, and I found him to be a bit selfish. There were also quite a few pop culture references that I didn’t always understand, which occasionally pulled me out of the story.
Overall though, I did enjoy this book! It was easy to read, had great side characters, a heartwarming found family trope, and kept me guessing as it wasn’t always clear what was real and what wasn’t. A thought-provoking and emotional read, "The Lost" takes readers on a journey of discovering one’s fate and begs the question: What would you do if faced with a hopeless situation? Would you succumb to the inevitable or strive to find a solution?”
bdubs605
Created 6 days agoShare
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“There’s always one red balloon floating over the town of Lost — a place where the forgotten things of our world collect like driftwood on a strange shore. Piles of gym clothes, half-eaten sandwiches, and abandoned teddy bears mark the streets. Feral pigs wander. The people trade what’s left behind: a granola bar might buy you a suitcase. Everything and everyone in this town has been lost, and is waiting to be found.
The Lost by Sarah Beth Durst is an inventive, melancholy fairy tale about grief, second chances, and the uncertain road home. When Lauren can’t face her mother’s terminal diagnosis, she keeps driving instead of turning left for work and somehow slips into the strange town of Lost. There she meets Peter, the Finder, who helps new arrivals survive, and the Missing Man, who helps them move on. But when the Missing Man vanishes upon hearing Lauren’s name, the fragile order of the town begins to unravel — and Lauren becomes the scapegoat. With the help of Claire, a fierce and wonderful eight-year-old, and Peter’s reluctant guidance, Lauren must learn the rules of this peculiar place and uncover why she might hold the key to saving it.
At its heart, this is a story of connection — part romance, part found-family fantasy. For me, the whimsical tone that works so well for the world sometimes undercuts the emotional pull of the romance. Peter’s riddles and half-answers make him feel more like the Cheshire Cat or a wistful Willy Wonka than a believable love interest. However, the bond between Lauren and Claire shines with genuine warmth and tenderness; I wish that relationship had been the true focus of the story.
Overall, The Lost is a wistful and imaginative read, full of charm and quiet sorrow. It’s a lovely meditation on grief and belonging — I just wanted a bit more depth to make the romance feel as real as the world Durst so beautifully builds.
Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | MIRA for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.”
Of Paper & Planes
Created 6 days agoShare
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““Unfortunately, I seem to have packed all my emotional baggage for this impromptu road trip.”
Coming to “The Lost” years after its initial publication, I can’t speak to how the new ending reshapes the story, but even taken on its own, this is a novel that feels startlingly fresh and wholly original. Sarah Beth Durst’s genre-bending narrative is an imaginative journey that is equal parts fantasy, existential exploration, and emotional odyssey. With an unpredictable plot and layered emotional stakes, it’s the kind of story that keeps you teetering on the edge of comprehension—part mystery, part fever dream—and it works beautifully.
The atmosphere is evocative and immersive. Lost is a place that feels alive: haunting, uncanny, and strangely comforting all at once. Durst crafts a world that feels both decayed and luminous, serving as a mirror for the human tendency to wander when we’ve misplaced ourselves. The plot is twisty and exhilarating with emotional beats to keep readers engaged throughout. The pacing effectively balances tension and introspection.
The main cast is memorable and uniquely whimsical, while FMC Lauren anchors the surreal environment with compelling emotional realism. The secondary characters were intriguing, full of glimpses into their own griefs and disappearances. However, I longed to see their individual journeys explored more fully. The ambiguity is impactful but occasionally unsatisfying.
Perhaps obvious from the title, the central theme of this book is loss, both literal and metaphorical. The novel explores what it means to let go, to remember, to grieve, and to find meaning amid uncertainty. I never quite grasped the metaphysics of death in Lost—how the town interacts with mortality—but perhaps that mystery is intentional, an echo of the unknowable nature of loss itself.
Even with some mysteries unresolved, “The Lost” stands as a vivid, emotionally intelligent work that takes up residence in the imagination. This book succeeds in every way that matters; it makes you feel the ache of what’s missing and the beauty of finding your way through the aching. Strange, beautiful, and utterly unforgettable, I’m truly thankful to MIRA Books via NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.”
LikeableLimited character growthMinor characters stand outMultilayeredOriginalRelatableStrong relationshipsAddictivePredictable but satisfyingSatisfying conclusionSlow start, strong finishSuspensefulTwistyBleakDystopianEerieEvocative imageryExpansiveGrittyHarshInnovativeMysteriousRusticSetting fits the storySurrealUnique location
About Sarah Beth Durst
Sarah Beth Durst is the author of YA novels Conjured, Vessel, Drink Slay Love, Enchanted Ivy, and Ice, as well as middle grade novels Into the Wild and Out of the Wild. She was awarded the 2013 Mythopoeic Fantasy Award and has been a finalist for SFWA's Andre Norton Award three times. Sarah lives in Stony Brook, New York, with her husband and children. The Lost, The Missing, and The Found are Sarah's first novels for adults.
Visit her at sarahbethdurst.com.
Visit her at sarahbethdurst.com.
Other books by Sarah Beth Durst
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