The Special Power of Restoring Lost Things

by Courtney Elizabeth Mauk

Set against a layered Manhattan landscape, The Special Power of Restoring Lost Things explores a fractured family through the alternating perspectives of the mother, father, and brother of a young woman during the aftermath of her disappearance. A year of silent but collective anguish culminates in the fateful thirty hours after a body with a striking resemblance to hers is found, and we see her buttoned-up Upper West Side family spiral in different, dangerous Her mother, Carol, nearly comatose by day, comes alive at night in a vigilante-like attempt to track down her daughter’s killer. Her brother, Ben, once the “good kid,” adopts her bad habits along with her former friends who may have been complicit in her death. And after failing to keep his family from splitting apart, her seemingly stoic father, Drew, finally allows himself to crack. In her third novel, Courtney Elizabeth Mauk presents a nuanced character study and offers a jolting and unforgettable portrait of a family’s struggle to survive.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Contemporary, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook, Literary Fiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2016

About the author

Courtney Elizabeth Mauk is the author of three novels: THE SPECIAL POWER OF RESTORING LOST THINGS, ORION'S DAUGHTERS, and SPARK. She lives in New York City with her husband and son.

Reviews

[Sara · Rating 1 out of 5]

Total garbage. I cannot imagine anyone, anywhere, at any time, reacting the way this mother and son react to the loss of their daughter/sister. The story was short, which accounts for why I even finished it. I kept thinking in the beginning that the story or characters might develop, but alas they do not. That is about four hours of my life that I would like to get back.

[Ronya · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've gotten tired of alternating perspectives as a literary style, but in this instance it actually worked. Each character told a different story, with hardly any repetition. There was enough overlap to make it believable and I really did enjoy how it all converged at the end. I was a little disappointed that there wasn't more of a storyline devoted to Jennifer's disappearance and the ongoing search for her, but I understand that wasn't the point of the story. I loved the part where the author revealed the inspiration for the title; the notes to Jennifer from her dad were among the best parts of the book and, I think, really and honestly showed his suffering. Each of the characters dealt with their pain in completely different ways and it was interesting to watch as their guilt manifested. I was left with too many questions to feel completely fulfilled; my rating is more of a 3.5 but not quite a four because of this. The Amazon first picks are often hit or miss; I'm glad I finally picked a good one!

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was my "Kindle First" selection for September and it was a struggle to get through.

The book tracks the daily lives of three messed-up people, their misery and often bizarre actions. The daughter of the family has been missing for a year, so certainly their suffering is understandable. When I chose the book I think I was expecting some suspense associated with the daughter's possible reappearance, but I found very little suspenseful about the story, leaving me with just the misery. (I intended to criticize the publisher for an over-the-top summary, but I don't think it was misleading after another re-read - it's just that the development of the plot points revealed in the summary were a whole lot less interesting to me than they sounded.)

"The Special Power of Restoring Lost Things" is a modestly-interesting sad story without any of the redeeming (life-affirming) qualities that make me appreciate sad stories.

[Claire Boyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read but disappointing ending

Another story where the main character decides to be judge, jury, and executioner. Was she really sure Marcus was Jennifer's killer??? She could have been wrong and what would that have accomplished. Glad to see Drew and Ben connected before he went any deeper. Sandra was a despicable person who's main thing in life was herself. Narcissist to the hilt!!

[Alesha Cary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has gotten some pretty negative reviews, and I kinda get where the reviewers are coming from. But...some of the criticisms just aren't founded.

Criticism #1: No family members would ever really grieve that way.

Well, yes. Yes they would. Many people become destructive through trying to escape the reality of loss and trouble. The backstory made it perfectly plausible that this family would react in this way. Their dynamic had been "deny and smile." So they pretty much kept that up, to their collective detriment. The irony is, of course, that they are "good people." Good people encompass a wide range, not all of it healthy. That's just made apparent here. Had Jen made it home from her one night stand, then all would have kept on until she became a good person too.

Criticism #2: There is no character development.

Well, yes. Yes there is. Ben realizes that maybe Jennifer didn't choose the best friends. Drew realizes that taking a vacation from his family has destroyed it and that he can't escape into a bottle either. Carol realizes - well, I'm not sure she realizes anything, but two out of three is better than average for modern fiction...

Criticism #3: This isn't a thriller. It doesn't have a nice, satisfying ending.

Well, no. Because that's not realistic. Thousands of people are still waiting for loved ones who will never come home. They will never know why. They will not have closure. This book is about them, not solving the mystery of what happened to Jennifer. I have a few "Jennifer's" in my life, some now dead and some still living. Fairy tale endings don't happen in most cases where drugs and alcohol are involved.

Criticism #4: There is no hope in this book.



Well, yes there is. For Drew and Ben, anyway. Drew accepts his role. He is making steps to be the man his family needs. Ben sees Sandra for what she is. That equals hope. The author is letting you write your own "three years later...". As for Carol, I don't know what will become of her, and her behavior perhaps doesn't lend itself to hope. That's ok. Sometimes people never recover. That, too, is reality.



Now, for my own two cents:

The Good: These are real, sympathetic characters. Even when I didn't agree with their choices, I hurt for them. They felt real. That beats the last three books I've read.

The Eh: I didn't like Carol, but that is possibly intentional on the part of the author.

The Ugly: Not really sure there's anything ugly. This is a good literary novel. If you want a thriller, read something else.

Overall, it's a sad, gut-wrenching read. But it will also mean that I will hug my daughter tighter tonight. I will shelve my agenda to spend time with her and just listen. And maybe that's what great books do.

[Lisa Bianca · Rating 4 out of 5]

First read 2016 3 stars - The style makes it an awkward read but it supports the disjointedness of the family and their separating as they deal with the possibility of loss.

Second read 2022 four stars - I almost couldn't recall anything about this book but this time round I found it gripping, I raced through, following the trajectory of the people the missing Jennifer has left behind; mother Carol, father Drew, brother Ben, friend Sandra, all searching in their own way.

[Piepie | The Napping Bibliophile · Rating 2 out of 5]

Received this for free from Kindle First.

Beautiful writing, but odd and depressing. Going to have to read something happy now!!

[Sue E. Proctor · Rating 1 out of 5]

Strange Book

I am an avid reader and read many different types of books and this is one of the saddest, unusual books I have ever read. It has no real plot or story line and the ending leaves me wondering why I even read the book. I think I finished it hoping something good in the book would come at the end. Instead, it left me wondering if there was any salvation for the family in the book. I only gave the book one star so I could leave this review. Sorry Ms Mauk, your book left no message for me and was way too gloomy and empty,

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

SUMMARY
Jennifer has been missing for a year. She had moved away from home to the Lower East Side of New York City to get away from her demanding parents, Carol and Drew Bauer. She also left her younger brother Ben, behind. She was last seen a year ago on a security video walking out of a bar with a guy. The guy never faces the camera. No one knows who it is.

The family all struggles in their own way in dealing with her disappearance. Carol is so seriously depressed she can barely function. She has started wearing Jennifer's old clothes. At night she has even dressed like Jennifer and gone to the bar that Jen was last seen at, in a feeble attempt to find the man that Jennifer had walked out with.

Ben is 15, he was always the good kid of the family. He has now become obsessed with survival tactics and buying supplies for the end of the world. He finds the bohemian friends Jennifer made when she move away, Sandra and Trey. One night Ben attempts to hang with them, so he can feel closer to sister. They lead him to some seamy places that Jen had frequented. Drew, barely copes with Jennifer disappearance. He valiantly tries to keep his family together, until he can't.


REVIEW
The family has fallen apart. They are all severely depressed and acting out in their own way. It's a sad story and it's hard to read. The story is told from alternating perspectives of the family. It was nice having the three different stories, but the writing was difficult to follow and confusing. Timing of the story jumps back and forth.

I would've love to know more about Jennifer and her disappearance and what the family did to find her. I couldn't relate to her or her family, because I didn't know who she was. Her character was never developed well enough to make me care about her, the family or the book.

It was difficult to find many redeeming qualities in this heartbreaking book. But I did like the title and it's source. It's from the Prayer of St Anthony. Overall, I couldn't wait for the book to be over.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a novel about a mother, father and brother of a missing girl who are attempting to copy with her disappearance a year after she disappeared. As the story begins, the police have just called and have found a boy that they think may be the daughters. After a year of barely living, this news causes the family to implode.

Carol, her mother, dresses up in her daughters clothes and frequents the clubs that her daughter went to in hopes of finding her killer. Drew, her father struggles with his inadequacies as a parent to both of his children and Ben, her brother, spends time with his sister's old friends to try to recover from the loss of his sister. The family each goes their own way to try to deal with the loss and there is little or no connection or shared grief. To me that was one of the saddest parts of the book.

This is a difficult book to read and it just keeps getting more desolate as it continues. I didn't like Carol at all and wasn't too happy with Drew until the end. Make sure that you have a happy book to read when you finish this one - you are going to need the change of pace.

Thanks to goodreads for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Angelika · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm struggling with the star value to give this book. It was a difficult book to read, the disappearance of a young woman, a families worst nightmare. The story is how the remaining family members, mom, dad, and younger brother, deal with this horrible event, especially as it drags on through the months. It was a heartbreaking story, with tragic results not only for the victim but her family. I was disappointed in the ending, which I felt didn't offer anything, not hope, or understanding of the mental state of the mom, conclusion with side characters, best friend, former boyfriend, etc. I guess my conclusion is, if I'm going to put myself through the mental trauma of reading about such a horrible tragedy, I want the book to be superbly written and have something meaningful to offer me in the end. Otherwise, why? Two stars.

[Cheryl · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ummmmmm

I honestly don't have a clue about what happened. There were some great bursts of writing but I'm confused. This might be one of the few books I've read that I couldn't explain. Everything unraveled so quickly towards the end but I couldn't tell you how this story had closure...Because it didn't. Basically, it would be like watching Inception but not getting to see the last thirty minutes.

[Lynn Frank · Rating 1 out of 5]

Book was great but the ending completely ruined it for me. I couldn't put the book down and devoured it in a day. But when I turned the page (on my kindle so I didn't realize it was THE END) and it was over, I was so irritated/angry/confused. "What just happened here?" At that point I felt like I had wasted an entire day becoming attached to these characters to find out I couldn't get any closure on it. Incredibly frustrating!

[Stacy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was my Kindle First selection for September.

I am glad that I did not pay for this book, because it was boring and uninteresting. I did not care about any of the characters, not even the missing/presumed dead Jennifer. And as much as the author tried to make Jennifer come alive through her family, for me the effort just fell flat. The story was boring and the ending was unsatisfying.

[Lisette · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is about a family who's daughter/sister has gone missing. It was a struggle to get through this book, but since it was short I finished it anyway. The writing was good, but the story was sad. Several things the mother and brother did feel very strange to me. Like the mother dressing like her daughter and going to clubs her daughter went to. For me this was a frustrating read.

[Sallie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Compelling story that informs how families deal with loss and others subjected to loss.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a fast real and entertaining for the most part. It wasn't so much a thriller as it was a book about loss and heartbreak. I think the story was a little exaggerated as the family went to extremes at the loss of Jennifer, but at the same time, I kept reading and didn't hate the far fetched turns either. The ending was horrible though! I felt like I'd hung through to the end only to be disappointed in the abrupt stop.

[Ann · Rating 1 out of 5]

So unbelievably disappointed. I was loving this book. I couldn’t put it down. I felt the family’s grief, then the story ended in the middle of nowhere with no resolution. There was no ending. The story just stopped.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written story about a family dealing with grief after the daughter, Jennifer, has disappeared. It's told in alternating narratives of the family members.

Carol is struggling with her daughter's disappearance. She is impulsive and a compulsive liar. She has a therapist but doesn't go. She spends her nights trying to live as though her daughter did. She wears her clothes and goes drinking in clubs. She’s trying to do all the things she imagined her daughter doing. She’s trying to become her to feel closer to her. The worst thing for her is not knowing what happened to Jennifer.

Drew trusts that the police are doing all they can to find their daughter. He's worried about his wife and if their fragile marriage would survive this. He feels like he was a bad father and is trying to understand Jennifer. Why did she choose a tiny, crappy apartment to theirs? Why did she drop out of college? He tries to understand her art because he never did before.

Ben is Jennifer's teenage brother. They were very close growing up. When Jennifer moved out, their relationship slowly dwindled. After his sister disappeared, he becomes a survivalist. He’s convinced that Manhattan will eventually be submerged underwater and he wants to prepare.

In the first few chapters you grasp how complex each of the characters are, each dealing with their own grief in very different ways and searching for closure. The whole story takes place within 24 hours. This is a very interesting, quick read.

[David Haws · Rating 4 out of 5]

We are who we become, defined by a lifetime of experience: the range of our physicality, the things we come to know, the things we come to believe, the emotions we feel, and how we respond to those emotions. Perhaps the worst thing about dying young is that our Being becomes speculative, left to the tender ministrations of those who remain (like Nietzsche’s sister, Frau Förster). The Special Power of Restoring Lost Things takes on the rather morbid task of defining someone who died unexpectedly young, and in a way that seems to have overpowered the nub of her budding life.

Aside from her characters all sitting around with their knees pulled to their chest, and the use of artificial head-hopping to induce pacing, Courtney Mauk writes well enough. The theme is a little musty, and I don’t buy the rather loose ending, but when I read something carefully written like this, I usually wish that the author had spread her obvious talents over something more to my personal tastes. Of course, she should write what she wants (and FMATHIRIO).

[Paige · Rating 2 out of 5]

Based on the plot summary I should have really liked this book. There is some implication that there is actual mystery involved, but that wasn't the case. So this book is about how a family falls apart after their Daughter goes missing. There is nothing wrong with reading a book about how humans react to tragedy, but I did have a problem with the fact that no one really seemed to learn anything, and there were parts in the book that were completely unnecessary. This book was lackluster to me. I won a copy of this book from a goodreads giveaway.

[Mika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved

I was really surprised at how well this was written, it can be hit or miss with the picks of the month. The writing is so descriptive, without being overly so. The switching between characters was very smooth, and no reselling parts from different perspectives. Each section moves the story along.

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow...it ended too fast

I really enjoyed this novel. It was truly unlike anything I had read before. It was tragic and suspenseful, soulful and sad. There are things that I would have liked to have gotten more details about and it ended to quickly... it it was a fantastic read.

[DaveH · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pity porn. I'm ashamed of myself for finishing this book instead of putting it down once I realized it was just going to wallow in the pity of a lost child. The characters are obvious and cliche. Ther title is a ruse. Don't fall for it, and don't read this book.

[Kathleen Valentine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started out great but then bogged down. I'm getting tired of self absorbed people wrapped up in their own angst. Is it any wonder Jennifer left them???

[Sabrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story. Irritating end!

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was rather liking this book up until the end. Many people have said that it ended abruptly and didn't feel resolved, and I agree. The unanswered questions the book leaves you with feels less "open-ended"/"up to interpretation" and more just unfinished.

But my biggest complaint comes from the treatment of Sandra at the end. It feels like we're suddenly meant to believe that this is, in fact, all her fault. Sure, it's bad she was lying about being sick when she wasn't, but just because she didn't want to go to the club that day doesn't mean this entire situation is her fault. She even says as much! But the narrative seems to push the idea that Drew is right, she's this demon with her hands in everything and personally caused Jen's death and is now after Ben to do the same when that is... just not the case? She's just a flighty young adult who likes to party and do her own thing.

I was honestly waiting for some big shock factor reveal coming out of nowhere that Sandra knows who the true killer was, has known all along. Maybe even told him to get Jen. I was even starting to think Trey would end up revealed to be the killer, somehow. Her and Trey did a complete 180 on Ben for no reason other than to vilify them at the end, make it seem that Drew and Ben are justified in not trusting her, never believing a word she says, but other than lying out of guilt that she wasn't with Jennifer the night she disappeared, there was absolutely no reason for her to lie about anything else.

The ending made what could otherwise have been a decent read a big waste of time.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly, I'm indifferent. I didn't hate it but I didn't love it. I finished it wondering what had made me want to read it in the first place (the cover, as is so often the case).

At first, I enjoyed it. There's a perverse pleasure in trying to figure out what horrible thing has happened to Jennifer. The alternating points-of-view added more dimensional to it. But the emotions were missing. From me. I was not emotionally connected to these characters at all. Sure, it was fun to read a story set in NYC because I knew a lot of the places that were mentioned. But I didn't care.

I was with them all for the journey in the beginning. Something shifted somewhere and it started to feel less like I was along for the journey and more like I was intruding on something I shouldn't see. I felt like I was a bit of voyeur, like I wasn't supposed to see this side of these characters. And when Carol murders that guy?! I mean come on! That's absurd! I get that she's grieving and wants revenge and all that but would she really do it? It seemed way too out in left field for Carol and for the story. At that point, I checked out completely. There was only like 5% remaining so I finished it but I felt cheated somehow.

This book suffers from a failure to live up to an intriguing and promising summary. I would not recommend it.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't dislike this book, but I didn't love it, either. I was left with so many questions! The author only scratched the surface of each character. I kept expecting the characters to be further developed as time went on, and then I noticed that I was at 91%, and the book was almost over. All of these broken people, surely there could have been more depth. Especially with Sandra. Like why was she such a shitty person? Why was she misleading about being sick? I expected it to be revealed thst she knew more about Jennifer's death than she was letting on. My favorite character was Drew. I think the author spent the most time developing his character.

The author's writing really shined in the last ten percent or so of the book, when she was moving rapidly from character to character. And the way the inspiration for the title of the boom was revealed was special, too.

All-told, I am not sorry I read it. And if the author wrote another book in this world, I might pick it up. But I'm left a big wanting after having finished this novel.

[Ju Haghverdian · Rating 3 out of 5]

I fell a bit conflicted by this story. It was quite fast paced, the beginning was a bit slow but even before hitting the middle mark it became super fast paced and I could not put down, and the present events in the story seem to happen in a matter of days or weeks.

Each chapter is told by one of the 3 main characters. Carol, the mother. Drew, the father. Ben, the son. They are all dealing and agonizing over Jennifer's disappearance. She goes missing after leaving a bar with a mysterious man.

As the majority of kidnapping cases, the readers know that she is dead. It is just a matter of when she will be found.

The family is crumbling in all senses. The mother's grief and need for revenge. The father's guilt and need of closure. The son's lack of parenting support and desperate need of guidance.

They are all running from each other but needing each other desperately.
The end is what bugged me... I was like... what?? that is it??
It was not a cliffhanger but I felt ... deflated. Was that it?