All the Lost Places by Amanda Dykes | Book Review

All the Lost Places

by Amanda Dykes

When all of Venice is unmasked, one man’s identity remains a mystery . . .

1807
When a baby is discovered floating in a basket along the quiet canals of Venice, a guild of artisans takes him in and raises him as a son, skilled in each of their trades. Although the boy, Sebastien Trovato, has wrestled with questions of his origins, it isn’t until a woman washes ashore on his lagoon island that answers begin to emerge. In hunting down his story, Sebastien must make a choice that could alter not just his own future, but also that of the beloved floating city.

1904
Daniel Goodman is given a fresh start in life as the century turns. Hoping to redeem a past laden with regrets, he is sent on an assignment from California to Venice to procure and translate a rare book. There, he discovers a city of colliding hope and decay, much like his own life, and a mystery wrapped in the pages of that filigree-covered volume. With the help of Vittoria, a bookshop keeper, Daniel finds himself in a web of shadows, secrets, and discoveries carefully kept within the stones and canals of the ancient city . . . and in the mystery of the man whose story the book does not finish: Sebastien Trovato.

My review of All the Lost Places

All the Lost Places is simply magnificent! It’s the first book I’ve read by Amanda Dykes, and I only decided to read it based on a rave review in another author’s newsletter. I will be forever grateful that I opened that email and didn’t just skim through it because, seriously, this book is breathtakingly beautiful. The way the author weaves together two stories, one in 1807 and the other in 1904, is brilliant. A review can in no way do this book the justice it deserves, but I hope it’s enough to entice you to buy this outstanding novel.

When I hear Venice, I think gondolas, canals, and carnivals. I don’t think of its history…probably because it’s not something we’re taught about here in the Midwest. Most of us probably don’t know how many islands make up Venice…confession…I didn’t even realize Venice WAS made up of islands. I just thought it was a city with lots of canals…like a small river running in a curvy course throughout the city. Venice is not just a setting in All the Lost Places; it’s a character come to life in ink through the author’s amazing writing.

All the Lost Places is beautiful and emotional and gripping. The characters are ones that will stay with you long after you finish the book. The message of redemption flows through the story. I can’t even begin to tell you how deeply this book touched me. I can’t recommend it enough!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Here’s the book on Amazon (Not an affiliate link) : Amazon

About the author

Amanda Dykes is a drinker of tea, dweller of redemption, and spinner of hope-filled tales who spends most days chasing wonder and words with her family. She’s the winner of the 2020 Christy Award Book of the Year, a Booklist 2019 Top Ten title, and the winner of an INSPY award for her debut novel, Whose Waves These Are. She’s also the author of Set the Stars Alight (a Christy Award finalist), Yours is the Night (recipient of the Kipp Award, Christy Award finalist), All the Lost Places (starred reviews from Booklist, Library Journal, and Foreword), and three novellas. Find her online at amandadykes.com.