Lost - Ele Fountain (Published 12th March 2020)

Lola and her brother Amit live in a flat with their father; however, when he has to go away overnight for work, Lola is left in charge.  Unfortunately, a week later their father still hasn't returned and their landlord is growing impatient: he wants the rent which was due weeks earlier.  Forced to move out, the siblings end up on the streets and, too afraid of what her rich friends will think, Lola won't ask for their help.  Then Lola and Amit are split up and Lola is forced to fend for herself, whilst never giving up hope of finding her brother.

K's opinion:
Having read and been gripped by Boy 87, I was thrilled to have been sent a copy of Lost and was keen to dive in; however O nabbed it first so I was forced to wait!  It was worth the wait though, as, when I eventually got hold if it, I read the entire book in a day!

Everything changes so suddenly in Lola's life and, having been a normal school-girl, worrying about what others think of her, she suddenly finds herself with nothing: no home, no family, no money and no clothes except the ones she's wearing.  She has to learn quickly how to survive on the busy streets, to stay safe and to feed herself.  This is a character who's stronger than she thinks and it's her inner strength that is inspiring - she remains a caring, compassionate person despite everything and never loses hope - she teaches us that, no matter what your situation, it's always possible to care and that love is a powerful thing.

Lost is a story of contrasts: privilege versus poverty, love versus loss, solitude versus family and friendship, but, above all Lost is a story of hope.

O's Opinion:
From the very first page, I found the courageous nature of Lola to be very compelling and her perseverance to find her brother was inspiring. I loved the fact that she kept hope of finding her dad and brother, even when all hope seemed lost. Lola's is an amazing character and I thoroughly enjoyed travelling on this journey with her.
This is a wonderful book: real, gritty and gripping.