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Book of Lost Threads
Tender, funny and memorable, Book of Lost Threads is a story about love and loss, parents and children, hope, faith and the value of simple kindness.
Moss has run away from Melbourne to Opportunity on the trail of a man she knows only by name. But her arrival sets in train events that disturb the long-held secrets of three of the town' s inhabitants: Finn, a brilliant mathematician, who has become a recluse; Lily Pargetter, eighty-three-year-old knitter of tea cosies; and Sandy, the town buffoon, who dreams of a Great Galah.
It is only as Moss, Finn, Lily and Sandy develop unlikely friendships that they find a way to lay their sorrows to rest and knit together the threads that will restore them to life.
Running time: 9 hours 40 minutes
Moss has run away from Melbourne to Opportunity on the trail of a man she knows only by name. But her arrival sets in train events that disturb the long-held secrets of three of the town' s inhabitants: Finn, a brilliant mathematician, who has become a recluse; Lily Pargetter, eighty-three-year-old knitter of tea cosies; and Sandy, the town buffoon, who dreams of a Great Galah.
It is only as Moss, Finn, Lily and Sandy develop unlikely friendships that they find a way to lay their sorrows to rest and knit together the threads that will restore them to life.
Running time: 9 hours 40 minutes
Audio CD
First published June 1, 2010
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About the author
Tess Evans
7 books35 followersI was raised in the Melbourne suburb of Clifton Hill and now live among the trees in Eltham. I am married with three grown children and four grandchildren. I love to travel, my most intense experiences being walking the Inca Trail and riding a camel in the Sahara desert.
Something about my working life. (I don't holiday all the time)
I worked in schools, full-time at first, and then as an emergency teacher when my children were small. When they started school, I moved to TAFE were I began as a teacher, then manager of programs for long-term unemployed. This was a very satisfying part of my life – we did some great work in those programs. When the funding was withdrawn, I worked in the money-making area – a challenge, but not as rewarding personally.
My job required a lot of writing--tenders, reports, curriculum--even advertising, but it wasn't until I took early retirement that I was able to tap into the stories and poetry that were waiting somewhere in my head. Beginning with poetry, I was delighted to win a prize with a poem I had submitted to a competition. Then I won an encouragement award for a short story. (I had no idea
how encouraging those encouragement awards can be.) Along the way, I joined a writers' group and began to attend a class at my old TAFE. Again, I was overwhelmed by the support I received from these people.
I was a late starter...
My first novel, Book of Lost Threads, was published by Allen and Unwin in
2010. My second novel, The Memory Tree was published in March 2012.
The third is a work in progress, and will give me the excuse to
visit the Darling Downs.
Book of Lost Threads was
published the year I turned sixty.
... so it's never too late
The Memory Tree is Tess Evan's second novel. Her first, the bestselling Book of Lost Threads, was published in 2010 and was shortlisted for the Indie Awards, 2011. Previous to her writing debut, Tess taught and counselled a wide range of people: youth at risk, migrants, Indigenous trainees, apprentices, sole parents and unemployed workers of all ages and professions. Her experience with people is clearly visible in her humane, compassionate writing.
Something about my working life. (I don't holiday all the time)
I worked in schools, full-time at first, and then as an emergency teacher when my children were small. When they started school, I moved to TAFE were I began as a teacher, then manager of programs for long-term unemployed. This was a very satisfying part of my life – we did some great work in those programs. When the funding was withdrawn, I worked in the money-making area – a challenge, but not as rewarding personally.
My job required a lot of writing--tenders, reports, curriculum--even advertising, but it wasn't until I took early retirement that I was able to tap into the stories and poetry that were waiting somewhere in my head. Beginning with poetry, I was delighted to win a prize with a poem I had submitted to a competition. Then I won an encouragement award for a short story. (I had no idea
how encouraging those encouragement awards can be.) Along the way, I joined a writers' group and began to attend a class at my old TAFE. Again, I was overwhelmed by the support I received from these people.
I was a late starter...
My first novel, Book of Lost Threads, was published by Allen and Unwin in
2010. My second novel, The Memory Tree was published in March 2012.
The third is a work in progress, and will give me the excuse to
visit the Darling Downs.
Book of Lost Threads was
published the year I turned sixty.
... so it's never too late
The Memory Tree is Tess Evan's second novel. Her first, the bestselling Book of Lost Threads, was published in 2010 and was shortlisted for the Indie Awards, 2011. Previous to her writing debut, Tess taught and counselled a wide range of people: youth at risk, migrants, Indigenous trainees, apprentices, sole parents and unemployed workers of all ages and professions. Her experience with people is clearly visible in her humane, compassionate writing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
July 17, 2021
This is a quite beautiful book, touching and emotional (I only cried once but was definitely close at other times!). The first main character is Moss, a young woman who finds her genetic father, Finn. Finn has isolated himself in the small Victorian country town of Opportunity, escaping from a tragedy he still feels guilty over. His neighbour Mrs Pargetter is an old woman who lost her husband in the war and gave birth to a stillborn baby, which led to her being treated in a psychiatric hospital. Her nephew Sandy has his own issues after growing up watching his mother being abused by his father. There are many more characters and it seems at first to be a stretch to make all this work but the author skilfully pulls it together and it’s easy to get lost in the story. It’s not all sadness, there’s sweet humour in the tea cosies Mrs Pargetter knits and sends to the United Nations!
A lovely read.
A lovely read.
July 11, 2021
A moving story of family and grief that made me laugh and cry.
Moss has dropped out of uni and run away to the small town of Opportunity in regional Victoria. Arriving in a night-time downpour, she knocks on Finn's door, not sure whether he will agree to see her or not. A mention of her mother's name does the trick, and Finn agrees to hear her out, but not without some trepidation.
Not quite a recluse, Finn nevertheless lives a very quiet and private life in Opportunity. He has an unshakeable daily practice of quiet, to the point where his voice doesn't tolerate very much talking. Letting Moss into his home and into his life is a very big deal, because he made a promise to her mother many years ago, that he would have nothing to do with her.
Next door, octogenarian Lily has lost something. To keep her mind and hands busy while she waits for it to reappear, she knits tea-cosies for the United Nations. Her nephew Sandy is regarded by many as the town buffoon, but he keeps an eye on his aunt and supplies her with the yarn she needs for her UN work. He's kind-hearted, even if he does have a tendency for selective memory.
These four characters are quite an odd bunch to bring together, and their story has the potential to be rather mawkish, but with Tess Evans' light touch it never crosses that line. I'm happy to have finally read one of her novels, and to know there are more to follow. Recommended.
Moss has dropped out of uni and run away to the small town of Opportunity in regional Victoria. Arriving in a night-time downpour, she knocks on Finn's door, not sure whether he will agree to see her or not. A mention of her mother's name does the trick, and Finn agrees to hear her out, but not without some trepidation.
Not quite a recluse, Finn nevertheless lives a very quiet and private life in Opportunity. He has an unshakeable daily practice of quiet, to the point where his voice doesn't tolerate very much talking. Letting Moss into his home and into his life is a very big deal, because he made a promise to her mother many years ago, that he would have nothing to do with her.
Next door, octogenarian Lily has lost something. To keep her mind and hands busy while she waits for it to reappear, she knits tea-cosies for the United Nations. Her nephew Sandy is regarded by many as the town buffoon, but he keeps an eye on his aunt and supplies her with the yarn she needs for her UN work. He's kind-hearted, even if he does have a tendency for selective memory.
These four characters are quite an odd bunch to bring together, and their story has the potential to be rather mawkish, but with Tess Evans' light touch it never crosses that line. I'm happy to have finally read one of her novels, and to know there are more to follow. Recommended.
July 8, 2021
This is a lovely story about people who are 'lost threads'. These characters are each adrift with feelings of loss and guilt.
Moss is a young woman who turns up on the doorstep of Finn a middle aged man who is living an almost hermitic life in rural Victoria. She is seeking him out because of a past connection with her mother's. This leads Moss to Mrs Pargetter and her nephew Sandy, each also stuck in a rut and unable to move forward.
I shed quite a few tears, but really loved the way all the characters developed and the story unfolded.
This quite reminded me of the writing of Alexander McCall Smith, it was humane, funny and sad all at the same time.
I can highly recommend this book by a very talented Australian author.
Moss is a young woman who turns up on the doorstep of Finn a middle aged man who is living an almost hermitic life in rural Victoria. She is seeking him out because of a past connection with her mother's. This leads Moss to Mrs Pargetter and her nephew Sandy, each also stuck in a rut and unable to move forward.
I shed quite a few tears, but really loved the way all the characters developed and the story unfolded.
This quite reminded me of the writing of Alexander McCall Smith, it was humane, funny and sad all at the same time.
I can highly recommend this book by a very talented Australian author.
June 29, 2021
Written beautifully with a poetic style with some entertaining passages. Too much of a self help book for my liking though. It meanders through its story, often backtracking to set up multiple threads. It is that vicarious, inaccurate detail that I found most off putting in a number of scenes. The biggest of them was the man who went hiking in a drought in mid summer and cooked bacon and eggs for breakfast over an open fire! Where do I start with this scene?
December 11, 2014
“Moss began softly at first, her voice slowly swelling…Pure silver sound vibrated the dust motes in Mrs Pargetter’s front room, floated into the frosty night air and out into the streets of the tired little town. Helen Porter, walking her dog, felt a prickling along her spine. Cocky Benson, in a drunken stupor, brushed aside the tears that wet his corroded cheeks, and Sharon Simpson stopped painting her toenails and lifted her head to listen. Merv Randall, pausing as he wiped down the bar, briefly and wonderfully experienced the numinous. ‘You would of swore it was an angel singing,’ he told his customers the next day.”
Book of Lost Threads is the first novel by Australian author, Tess Evans. When Moss (Miranda Ophelia Sinclair) arrives in the declining Victorian town of Opportunity and knocks on Finn’s door, she is the catalyst for great changes in the lives of several of the townspeople. Finn (Michael Finbar Clancy) is a reclusive mathematician plagued by guilt and remorse. His eighty-three year old neighbour, Mrs Lily Pargetter does work for the United Nations to ease her broken heart. Lily’s nephew, Sandy (George Sandilands Jr) has a grand plan to save the town of Opportunity from fading away by building a Great Galah. It takes some time for them to acknowledge that all four of them are “haunted by spirits who need a resting place”
Evans gives the reader multi-faceted, appealing characters, some quite familiar, some a little quirky and her depiction of the Victorian country town is faultless, She incorporates many diverse elements in her tale: hundreds of tea cosies, a series of dogs named Errol Flynn, a prostitute known only as Amber Lee, a Kenyan intern at the United Nations with a kind heart and a talent for lateral thinking, a still-born baby unnamed for over sixty years, a Kosovan refugee, a landscape architect looking for a project, a pair of lesbian mothers, a holiday snap from Blackpool pier, a hotel pioneer, and some wise and caring Benedictine monks.
Evans treats the reader to some beautiful descriptive prose: ”Finn had the hunched shoulders of a man uncomfortable with his height; with his long thin legs and narrow face he looked for all the world like an apologetic stork” and “The cemetery was bristling with tombstones, which grew from the earth like rows of grey teeth, some carious and crooked with age, others straight and perfectly aligned” and “Christmas Eve was hot and oppressive. The citizens of Opportunity were becalmed on a sea of heat” are just a few examples.
This heart-warming debut novel is perfectly titled: threads of people’s lives, some longer, some just snippets, are wound together into a cohesive whole that is a delight to read. Readers will look forward to the second novel by this talented author, The Memory Tree.
Book of Lost Threads is the first novel by Australian author, Tess Evans. When Moss (Miranda Ophelia Sinclair) arrives in the declining Victorian town of Opportunity and knocks on Finn’s door, she is the catalyst for great changes in the lives of several of the townspeople. Finn (Michael Finbar Clancy) is a reclusive mathematician plagued by guilt and remorse. His eighty-three year old neighbour, Mrs Lily Pargetter does work for the United Nations to ease her broken heart. Lily’s nephew, Sandy (George Sandilands Jr) has a grand plan to save the town of Opportunity from fading away by building a Great Galah. It takes some time for them to acknowledge that all four of them are “haunted by spirits who need a resting place”
Evans gives the reader multi-faceted, appealing characters, some quite familiar, some a little quirky and her depiction of the Victorian country town is faultless, She incorporates many diverse elements in her tale: hundreds of tea cosies, a series of dogs named Errol Flynn, a prostitute known only as Amber Lee, a Kenyan intern at the United Nations with a kind heart and a talent for lateral thinking, a still-born baby unnamed for over sixty years, a Kosovan refugee, a landscape architect looking for a project, a pair of lesbian mothers, a holiday snap from Blackpool pier, a hotel pioneer, and some wise and caring Benedictine monks.
Evans treats the reader to some beautiful descriptive prose: ”Finn had the hunched shoulders of a man uncomfortable with his height; with his long thin legs and narrow face he looked for all the world like an apologetic stork” and “The cemetery was bristling with tombstones, which grew from the earth like rows of grey teeth, some carious and crooked with age, others straight and perfectly aligned” and “Christmas Eve was hot and oppressive. The citizens of Opportunity were becalmed on a sea of heat” are just a few examples.
This heart-warming debut novel is perfectly titled: threads of people’s lives, some longer, some just snippets, are wound together into a cohesive whole that is a delight to read. Readers will look forward to the second novel by this talented author, The Memory Tree.
March 26, 2014
This story was a real nice surprise, I thought it would be a good read but I wasn't expecting to be so captivated by it.
It's a story about the unexpected, unforeseen and unintentional complications that arose out the choices that were made by several people from very different walks of life, and the ongoing effects of those choices, how they impacted so many, both directly and indirectly. Then ultimately connected them all in some manner.
I just love the way this author can artfully translate the erratic thoughts of her characters into meaningfully relevant words, and then arrange those words into perfect descriptions on a page.
As the reader, I totally understood what was being conveyed and could easily empathize with the characters as well as envisage their situations.
It's difficult to believe that this is a debut novel for this author as the story is so well planned and executed and has so much depth as to make it seem like a true life story.
The characters are all unique and believable and the dialogue was convincing at every level.
I look forward to reading more from Tess Evans.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would have no problem recommending it.
4★s
December 27, 2014
This is a stand-out book of the year for me. It was engrossing as well as thoughtful and intelligent. We follow the stories of a number of characters - all suffering loss and loosely entwined with each other. There is a lot of wisdom evident in the telling - characters trusted to find solutions, to think and feel their way to recovery and reconciliation. The stories come together like a symphony, blending and harmonising, gaining strength from individual parts. It is beautifully and confidently crafted. I found it a compelling narrative, unputdownable and uplifting.
August 3, 2011
Goodness. I thought I'd have a quick read before cooking tea. Famous last words. I'm not even quite sure why I decided to get this book out on Overdrive - if I saw it reviewed somewhere, or if I just liked the look of it, but goodness, it's got me hooked. Catharsis. In a big way.
Yup. Hard to believe it is a first novel. The warmth and empathy of the writer is very evident. A much appreciated book.
Yup. Hard to believe it is a first novel. The warmth and empathy of the writer is very evident. A much appreciated book.
March 19, 2014
I stayed up until 1am finishing this book last night, and sobbing like a baby throughout most of it! What a wonderful novel, so compelling and emotional, I haven't felt that attached to a book since The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Moss, Finn, Sandy, Mrs Pargetter, Hamish, Ana and Lusla Ngilu each have their own story to tell, and they are seamlessly weaved together by the author. Sandy is redeemed, Finn is freed and Mrs Pargetter's story is just gut-wrenching! The tea-cosies are a delightful addition to the novel, and even the creation of Errol is just wonderful. It is also funny, I think, that Linsey and Amy - who basically create the character of Moss and her subsequent journey - are secondary to the others yet are so important. This is an amazing book, it has made it on to my top ten list!
February 6, 2012
This is not a book that I would usually pick up but I have read it as part of the State Library of Victoria Summer Read competition. Summer read encourages people to turn off the TV and pick up a book. They have a selection of books that are either set in Victoria or by a Victorian author.
This is Tess Evans' first novel and she has written a poignant wonderful book. The characters are believable and have lost some of the threads that hold their life together. Moss is looking for her father and suffers the loss of one of her mothers, Lily an eccentric knitter of tea-cosies for the UN who struggles with sanity since the loss of her child; Finn is a brilliant mathematician has lost his way after he fatally hit a young girl in his car which leads him to become a recluse; Sandy the rich town buffoon has lost his self-respect. They all find themselves in a town called Opportunity which is a rural town that is slowly dying. The lives of these character intertwine as each learns to trust and to rely on each other in their sorrow and brokenness.
The book addresses some huge issues with sensitivity and humour. Issues such as being a child of gay marriage; sperm donation; death of family members; living with guilt and regret; domestic violence; and forgiveness. Evans invites you into the lives of these characters as they deal with these issues so you feel that it you sitting with them as they knit their lives back together.
It has been a while since I have read a book where I can relate to the characters on such an emotional level. Where I am drawn to continue reading so I can discover how the characters come to terms with their pasts to create a stronger future. I was entranced by Tess Evans' storytelling. 8/10
November 30, 2014
Some books strike a chord at the right time....this one did. I have recommended it to friends, but they didn't see in what I did...absolutely loved it.
January 21, 2018
I am a tiny bit conflicted by this book. I was very pleasantly surprised early by the book, slowly building up characters and their back stories, introducing others and then deftly weaving them all together. There wasn't really a climax as such, since the timeline jumped around a little too much for there to be a lot of tension, but I did really quite enjoy it, but felt a little let down by the resolution which seemed rushed compared to the rest of the book.
June 25, 2022
4.5 stars
This is a beautiful story of lost souls. Grief can be debilitating and these people all have grief that has arrested their lives and relationships and caused them so much pain. It takes all of them coming together and finding a way forward together to put their ghosts to rest.
Of particular joy to me was Lily's story of knitting tea cosies for the United Nations - what a delightful and heart warming mission of Lily's.
This is a beautiful story of lost souls. Grief can be debilitating and these people all have grief that has arrested their lives and relationships and caused them so much pain. It takes all of them coming together and finding a way forward together to put their ghosts to rest.
Of particular joy to me was Lily's story of knitting tea cosies for the United Nations - what a delightful and heart warming mission of Lily's.
May 20, 2024
Book of Lost Threads by Australian author Tess Evans is a genuinely moving, eminently readable little surprise of a novel.
I was not familiar with the author and did not know quite what to expect, but I enjoyed the novel very much, despite its light weight and slightly manipulative optimism. I have given it 3 stars, but it is an 'almost 4' for me.
A young woman, Moss (actually Miranda), arrives one rainy afternoon on the doorstep of a man, Finn (originally Michael) in the town of Opportunity, Victoria, having travelled from her home in Melbourne.
Moss is the daughter of lesbian mothers, Linsey and Amy. Moss has discovered the story of her conception and that Michael/Finn was the sperm donor and therefore her biological father. She has tracked him down seeking answers.
Michael was once a noted academic mathematician, but his life was disturbed and he became somewhat reclusive after he killed a young woman pedestrian with his vehicle. The young woman, still a girl really, known as Amber Lee, was working the streets, and her true identity was unknown. Michael spent reflective time in a monastery where he chose to be known as Finn, adapting his middle name of Finbar.
Finn lives next door to Mrs Lily Pargetter, who is in her mid eighties, and spends her days, with her dog Erroll, knitting tea cosies which she sends to the United Nations for distribution. Over the decades she has sent hundreds of tea cosies.
Moss spends time with Mrs Pargetter, and they become very fond of each other, along with Finn. Mrs Pargetter has her own sad secrets - as well as losing her husband in the war, she lost a baby at birth, and has fretted about it ever since.
Lily Pargetter has a wealthy nephew, son of her sister Rosie. The nephew, Sandy, is ambitious, generous with his wealth, but not generally well regarded in Opportunity. His father George was a notorious bully.
Regard for Sandy diminishes even further when it revealed that he plans to erect a giant galah as a memorial to his father.
There are a number of threads that Evans weaves together as the backstories of the key characters are revealed.
We learn more of Michael's involvement with Linsey and Amy leading to the conception of Moss. We spend time with Michael/Finn in the monastery and see how he is kindly mentored to deal with his guilt. Moss, with a friend, embarks on an investigation to find the true identity of Amber Lee. And Sandy has an epiphany about the true nature of his parents' relationship and abandons his plans for a Big Galah, and instead develops a new community project that is much more meaningful.
We are also treated to the fictional response of the UN with respect to the multitude of tea cosies they have received over many years, and the kindness of supposed UN 'quartermaster', Lusala Ngilu.
This is pleasant, enjoyable reading, that will move the reader, elicit a few smiles, and leave you feeling optimistic and just a little warmer inside.
I was not familiar with the author and did not know quite what to expect, but I enjoyed the novel very much, despite its light weight and slightly manipulative optimism. I have given it 3 stars, but it is an 'almost 4' for me.
A young woman, Moss (actually Miranda), arrives one rainy afternoon on the doorstep of a man, Finn (originally Michael) in the town of Opportunity, Victoria, having travelled from her home in Melbourne.
Moss is the daughter of lesbian mothers, Linsey and Amy. Moss has discovered the story of her conception and that Michael/Finn was the sperm donor and therefore her biological father. She has tracked him down seeking answers.
Michael was once a noted academic mathematician, but his life was disturbed and he became somewhat reclusive after he killed a young woman pedestrian with his vehicle. The young woman, still a girl really, known as Amber Lee, was working the streets, and her true identity was unknown. Michael spent reflective time in a monastery where he chose to be known as Finn, adapting his middle name of Finbar.
Finn lives next door to Mrs Lily Pargetter, who is in her mid eighties, and spends her days, with her dog Erroll, knitting tea cosies which she sends to the United Nations for distribution. Over the decades she has sent hundreds of tea cosies.
Moss spends time with Mrs Pargetter, and they become very fond of each other, along with Finn. Mrs Pargetter has her own sad secrets - as well as losing her husband in the war, she lost a baby at birth, and has fretted about it ever since.
Lily Pargetter has a wealthy nephew, son of her sister Rosie. The nephew, Sandy, is ambitious, generous with his wealth, but not generally well regarded in Opportunity. His father George was a notorious bully.
Regard for Sandy diminishes even further when it revealed that he plans to erect a giant galah as a memorial to his father.
There are a number of threads that Evans weaves together as the backstories of the key characters are revealed.
We learn more of Michael's involvement with Linsey and Amy leading to the conception of Moss. We spend time with Michael/Finn in the monastery and see how he is kindly mentored to deal with his guilt. Moss, with a friend, embarks on an investigation to find the true identity of Amber Lee. And Sandy has an epiphany about the true nature of his parents' relationship and abandons his plans for a Big Galah, and instead develops a new community project that is much more meaningful.
We are also treated to the fictional response of the UN with respect to the multitude of tea cosies they have received over many years, and the kindness of supposed UN 'quartermaster', Lusala Ngilu.
This is pleasant, enjoyable reading, that will move the reader, elicit a few smiles, and leave you feeling optimistic and just a little warmer inside.
January 4, 2015
The Book of Lost Threads was a very interesting read for me. The book is based around Finn and his daughter Moss, who are both struggling with their lives. Numerous themes are explored in this book, for example same sex parents, family abuse. The threads seem to me to be the lives of different people with some connecting well and others not.
The author established a good sense of place and can relate to Opportunity where most of the book is set as a typical Australian country town. The characters are all very interesting and I kept on wanting to read to find out more about them. Some had suffered as a result of a traumatic event and were seeking closure.
The end of the book came quickly and perhaps was not as satisfying as I thought it could be. I still would recommend this book and am interesting in reading more by this author.
The author established a good sense of place and can relate to Opportunity where most of the book is set as a typical Australian country town. The characters are all very interesting and I kept on wanting to read to find out more about them. Some had suffered as a result of a traumatic event and were seeking closure.
The end of the book came quickly and perhaps was not as satisfying as I thought it could be. I still would recommend this book and am interesting in reading more by this author.
September 4, 2016
A thought provoking & enjoyable read which followed the personal journeys of 4 people in a small town, as they sought to resolve areas of grief, guilt & regret in their lives. The story had some very touching & memorable moments, a powerful theme, lovely descriptive writing, witty humour & very likeable characters. I’m keen to read more from this author, this book being her first novel. It ‘hit the spot’ for me, with a story that is emotionally impacting & moving in a truthful but non-sentimental way.
October 17, 2014
This was a beautifully subtle, warm and intricately woven story. It was about how 4 very different people were drawn together as each of them were dealing with their own personal struggles. The story highlighted the benefits of developing trust, support and friendship as a result of their situations. I really enjoyed sharing their journeys.
May 9, 2014
Loved it! I'm really tired now from staying up late too many nights in a row to read it :) Highly recommend it. Great story, that's just a little bit out of the box, the characters really felt real to me
June 30, 2010
good, but the ending is improbable; any Australian country town would skin you ALIVE if you dared touch their sacred footy ground.
August 28, 2011
A lovely story....great characters...so worth the read!
July 1, 2014
A book about identity and loss, it's never too late to make amends and the power of names and hand knitted tea cosies. Simply beautiful. A slow burn.
March 26, 2018
What a lovely book. Nothing earth shattering, but a really nice, easy read. Makes you feel hugging your friends afterwards.
June 16, 2010
I found this rather trite. Lots of telling rather than showing.
August 4, 2021
I've just finished Book of Lost Threads. Here are my thoughts:
I can certainly see why so many have said they enjoyed it so much.
As I mentioned elsewhere, I did have trouble at first keeping track of the story as she introduced her two main characters by referring to them by different names without immediate explanation. It did all come together after a page or two, of course.
Tess Evans certainly is a talented writer. I hadn't heard of her before.
I really like stories that interweave lots of different characters and "Threads" certainly fills the bill on that.
I think she was let down by the editing team, however, as the book does have a few instances of "head-hopping" that should have been weeded out, (Authors will know what I mean here. If not, you can google it) and also several typos and grammar oopsies. My copy was an ebook from the library and was full of formatting errors but I'll assume they came from the transfer between formats. Such things as wordsthatranonwithoutspaces and so on were common.
I freely admit I'm pedantic about these things, so don't take this as serious criticism of the book's value.
All in all, I really enjoyed Book of Lost Threads (great title, by the way, as becomes pertinent in the end) and I'd recommend it to anyone who loves a good read about interpersonal relations. There's even a nice tear-jerker of an ending (he says, embarrassedly) Four Stars from me.
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I can certainly see why so many have said they enjoyed it so much.
As I mentioned elsewhere, I did have trouble at first keeping track of the story as she introduced her two main characters by referring to them by different names without immediate explanation. It did all come together after a page or two, of course.
Tess Evans certainly is a talented writer. I hadn't heard of her before.
I really like stories that interweave lots of different characters and "Threads" certainly fills the bill on that.
I think she was let down by the editing team, however, as the book does have a few instances of "head-hopping" that should have been weeded out, (Authors will know what I mean here. If not, you can google it) and also several typos and grammar oopsies. My copy was an ebook from the library and was full of formatting errors but I'll assume they came from the transfer between formats. Such things as wordsthatranonwithoutspaces and so on were common.
I freely admit I'm pedantic about these things, so don't take this as serious criticism of the book's value.
All in all, I really enjoyed Book of Lost Threads (great title, by the way, as becomes pertinent in the end) and I'd recommend it to anyone who loves a good read about interpersonal relations. There's even a nice tear-jerker of an ending (he says, embarrassedly) Four Stars from me.
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September 3, 2020
This is Tess Evans first book and it's a star. An amazing collection of ordinary, yet unique and carefully explored characters takes the story to so many places but brings it back into a whole. The setting of a tiny town in rural Australia, Opportunity, is brilliantly realised.
The core of the story is about all those we lose and how grieving takes us to extraordinary places, both physically and emotionally. No-one is left untouched by grief. It alters us, we break under its strain and burden and then we slowly find ways to deal with it, to live with it, to cope with it. Hearts and minds break but we mend, slowly but surely. And we all need other people to help us with that process. This story shows all that beautifully, without being didactic or preachy.
The writing style is perfect. each character is explored carefully but there are also passages of lovely humour and care. I enjoyed reading every page of this story. This may have to stay on my bookshelf to be re-read in the future.
The core of the story is about all those we lose and how grieving takes us to extraordinary places, both physically and emotionally. No-one is left untouched by grief. It alters us, we break under its strain and burden and then we slowly find ways to deal with it, to live with it, to cope with it. Hearts and minds break but we mend, slowly but surely. And we all need other people to help us with that process. This story shows all that beautifully, without being didactic or preachy.
The writing style is perfect. each character is explored carefully but there are also passages of lovely humour and care. I enjoyed reading every page of this story. This may have to stay on my bookshelf to be re-read in the future.
January 27, 2025
My 6P review: Premise, Plot, People, Place, Prose/Pace, Praise
Follow the stories of Moss, Finn, Lily and Sandy as they face their own personal demons in this beautifully interwoven story of loss, love, family and friendship.
Curl up with your favourite cup of tea and maybe a tissue.
While there were many characters, each one’s back story was cleverly told and didn’t drag or distract from the story. Secondary characters were also given their own place in the story. I felt for each of them in their own way. I loved them all and I felt I was sitting sipping my never ending cup of tea with all of them. Each one was unique and totally believable.
The setting. Wow. It felt so Australian. Well done. From the scenes to the language, there was no mistaking where I was.
The story was interconnected and easy to follow. I teared up towards the end and have now begun to crochet tea cosies. Regret is too great a burden. How very true.
Highly recommend this debut novel.
Follow the stories of Moss, Finn, Lily and Sandy as they face their own personal demons in this beautifully interwoven story of loss, love, family and friendship.
Curl up with your favourite cup of tea and maybe a tissue.
While there were many characters, each one’s back story was cleverly told and didn’t drag or distract from the story. Secondary characters were also given their own place in the story. I felt for each of them in their own way. I loved them all and I felt I was sitting sipping my never ending cup of tea with all of them. Each one was unique and totally believable.
The setting. Wow. It felt so Australian. Well done. From the scenes to the language, there was no mistaking where I was.
The story was interconnected and easy to follow. I teared up towards the end and have now begun to crochet tea cosies. Regret is too great a burden. How very true.
Highly recommend this debut novel.
August 26, 2024
This is a story of found family, of change and redemption, of making peace with the past and crafting a better future - when that it possible. It was really hard to rate. There is a lot of telling, rather than showing. For the bits set in the past, that felt like a good friend telling a story about how their family got here. Some of the 'telling' in the present would have been better done by allowing the characters to develop, rather than just saying things. So why the four stars? The fictional town of Opportunity felt very central Victorian, and I cared about the characters. I cried twice when reading this, and that is very unusual for me.
January 5, 2018
I feel a bit mean giving this only 1 star but here goes- it was fussy, anachronistic and over-wrought. I liked the premise but it really was a book of Loose Threads that seemed forced together. Another reviewer has written that there was too much telling and not enough showing and I cannot agree enough with that statement! I found the timelines difficult to follow- how old is Finn/Michael?! Late thirties? But then is asked if he has grandkids. It doesn’t make sense. Needed a good edit and some better research into how young people speak/ act/ live.
January 7, 2018
I did love this book, despite the awkward style at the start and all the formatting problems in the eBook version.
Miranda Ophelia Sinclair, know as Moss, was conceived by artificial insemination. Having 2 mothers caused her problems at school. After a family fight she leaves university to find the father she has never know, ending up in a small Victorian town. As the story progresses we get the background of each of the main characters. And through all the ups and downs we hope everything ends happily.
Miranda Ophelia Sinclair, know as Moss, was conceived by artificial insemination. Having 2 mothers caused her problems at school. After a family fight she leaves university to find the father she has never know, ending up in a small Victorian town. As the story progresses we get the background of each of the main characters. And through all the ups and downs we hope everything ends happily.
July 6, 2018
This book was an unexpected gem for me. The beauty of it lay in the true human-ness of the characters with all of their strengths and their flaws. The storylines gradually intertwine to reveal complex histories. Grief is multi-layered, it cycles, it does not end but rather, it moves through different planes of intensity and awareness. This author’s gentle exploration of grief was deeply moving and left me in tears. Ultimately, this book is about the importance of kindness and how even the smallest acts of generosity and care can change lives.
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