There's No Place Like Here

It's common to lose things and never find them again. A pen tossed in a bag that somehow fell out. A sock lost in a dryer, forever dooming its pair to be shoved in the back of a drawer. But what about people who go missing? Those who are gone, without a trace nor motive. Those who were expected at school, work, a friends house, but just never show up. Where do all of these things go? That's exactly what There's No Place Like Here by Cecelia Ahern covers.

Sandy Shortt was the complete opposite of her name. Donning long dark hair and standing at a staggering height, she stood out her entire life. One day, at the age of ten, the girl across the street (and her eternal bully) went missing. She just disappeared, never to be seen again. Rather than mourning the girl's loss, Sandy asked herself one question: "where do things go when you can't find them?" At the age of ten, she committed her life to finding these items.

The slightly psychological disorder took over her life. Her search was never over, always retracing steps to find lost socks, journals, toys. And, later on in life, people as she started her own Missing Persons agency. She was committed to her job, she lived by her job, and because of that, her personal life took a back seat.

But what happens when Sandy, the person committed to finding things, goes missing herself? What happens when she finds herself in a place called Here, a place where all missing things go. A places where she's among her lost socks, toys, and possibly even the people she's been looking for her whole life.

With a unique premise, There's No Place Like Here is instantly engrossing. Juxtaposing the story of Sandy's struggle in a new area and her past that led her there, you see how she got to that point and cross your fingers that she'll get out. She's an interesting character, Sandy, one that you don't always like, but somehow in some ways relate to. And that's what attached me to the book.

Always involving, the book takes you through a journey of discovery as you learn that it's possible to be lost in life as well. That it's possible to commit yourself so thoroughly that you lose yourself along the way. It also asks the question...can we be found again?

The book is a quick and easy read. Ahern rightly so maneuvered her way from classic chick lit to fiction as she combines a magical element to the story. Although far from her best book (which I'm still convinced isLove, Rosie, it is still very enjoyable. My only complaint has to be the ending. Although it offers hope and, possibly, an answer, it leaves you wondering about other characters.

If you're looking for a fun book to read, I definitely suggest it. Because, in the end, the book is relatable. We all get lost at times...but only some of us are willing enough to be found.