Reviews

Lost and Wanted by Nell Freudenberger

louiebean's review against another edition

informative reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.5

kristianawithak's review against another edition

1.0

This was not what I expected it to be. I thought it was going to be more scifi-y and it ended up being a normal book about loss and life. If I had picked up a book on loss and life, then yeah, sure.

mweisenfeld's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

A bittersweet meditation on loss and regret

cyndi1966's review against another edition

challenging mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

Way too much about physics for me; I just got lost. I read through to the end because the “ghost” storyline intrigued me, but the ending was just flat.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicide, Terminal illness, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Chronic illness and Sexual harassment

Minor: Infidelity

kah296's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

quietmachine's review against another edition

mysterious slow-paced

3.75

alfboyreads's review against another edition

4.25

some of the best fiction writing i have read this year! a good meandering book set in academia with little to no plot just like i like 😌 the dialogue and character construction were very realistic, and the nostalgic points of the book really did hit me with nostalgia. a very contented read! 

angelamichelle's review against another edition

3.0

I’m starting to get peeved by books that introduce a co pelting mystery that turns out to be nothing. So deflating.

candacesiegle_greedyreader's review against another edition

5.0

I had the opportunity to download and read "Lost and Wanted" for a while before I actually did so. I'm not sure why I hesitated--the math/physics slant? The old college pals aspect?

Oh, silly me! This novel is masterful, immediately enfolding you in its world.. The physics piece is fascinating, and the friendship between physics star Helen and her elegant, equally brainy roommate Charlie is warm and believable, Helen is heartbroken to learn of Charlie's death from Lupus, and alarmed when she receives texts that seem to come from Charlie soon after learning of her death. You feel her irrational hope that maybe her friend really is alive, or able to reach out to her in some way. And, yes, physics has delved into that possibility.

'In the first few months after Charlie died, I began hearing from her much more frequently,' the novel begins. I was enchanted from start to finish.

spinstah's review against another edition

I got a little more than a third of the way through this and stopped. It wasn’t really grabbing me, and I felt like nothing was happening to move forward with what had been set up as the main plot action. Also, while the science wasn’t impenetrable by any means, I think it’s likely that those interludes will be of more interest to readers who have a scientific background if some sort.