The Book of Lost Things is like The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, because the hero, a child, passes through a secret door into a magical world in which he has an important part to play. It's like Pan's Labyrinth " you're never sure if the hero's world is a real one; the tale is set during the second world war; and one of the themes is a the child coming to terms with the loss of a parent and the birth of a sibling. It's also a little like Labyrinth " complex sibling jealousies, played upon by a supernatural trickster, take centre stage. On top of all that, there's a dollop of Grimm's Fairy Tales, and quite openly so: The Book of Lost Things has a central driving plot, but the main character experiences it through a serious of almost-vignettes, many of them a subtle twisting of traditional fairy tales, from Red Riding Hood to Sleeping Beauty. But for all that, it transcends its inspirations... and manages to be damn good to boot. In fact, I'm being too cautious " this is one of the best books I've read in years.

The Book of Lost Things follows the story of 12 year-old David. His mother dies of a mystery illness. His father mourns, then re-marries, and has a child with his new wife. David is never excluded, but naturally feels a great deal of pain and resentment. When war breaks out, the family moves to a countryside cottage, David become subject to strange fainting spells, and then begins to hear the books in his room talking to him. By the by, he is caught in the explosion of a German bomber which crashes near the cottage, and is plunged into a fantastic world of fairy tales, good and evil, and the machinations of a creature known as the Crooked Man.

The world David finds himself in is a strange one, clearly inspired by the books on his own bookshelf, and often twisted by his imperfect understanding of them. Indeed, it's never clear if the world David adventures in is a real one, or a product of the head-wound he receives in the crash " there's plenty to suggest either option. In the end though, the distinction isn't really important. The book is not about David's adventures as a series of happenings, but rather about his coming to terms with the death of his mother, learning to love his new family, and exploring the sexualities and responsibilities of his coming manhood. Connelly portrays all these complex themes with warmth, subtlety, humour, and tragedy when needed. Of particularly fond memory are the blunt but effective humour of the Marxist Seven Dwarves and the rather moving story of a heroic knight searching for his lost love " who is not a princess but rather another knight. The whole way Connelly deals with sexuality (or rather David's slightly confused sexuality) is excellently done as well. The gay knight is a high point, but the threatening sexualities of the story's women, always tied to David's mother or step-mother are also done well.

The Book of Lost Things moved me. Stunningly written, beautifully characterised, subtle and deep... and there are certainly more depths than I've mentioned here " I think I detected a Christian allegory for example. It's worth pointing out that for all that The Book of Lost Things is never pretentious though. The touch is light, the complexities unobtrusive " it's a novel designed for both children and adults, and it succeeds in both theatres.

I do have one small complaint though. The Book of Lost Things is short, so the publishers clearly felt they had to extend it a little. They did this by putting several hundred pages of essays by the author in the back, all of which discuss his deeper meanings'. It doesn't need to be there, and I've avoided reading it for now at least " I don't care what The Book of Lost Things means to Connelly, I care about what it said to me. And what it said was, I'm fucking brilliant.'