Lost- the Novel

“Lost” is an intricate tale of an emotionally “lost” writer, Winifred Rudge, who, after the world wide success of her first novel, travels to London to begin working on her new, upcoming novel about the ghost of Jack the Ripper who haunts a young woman much like herself. This is a book within a book.

The story takes place in present day London with precise, slightly archaic language sweeping the reader from their living room couches onto the chaotic London streets.

Winifred is the main character who stumbles through life without truly living it. Her new novel contains the main character of Wendy Pritzke who is in reality Winifred’s alter ego and alias. In this way it would appear that the title of main character is equally bestowed upon both Winifred and Wendy, although she is not a “real” character herself. The confusion however, arises throughout the novel as Wendy and Winifred are merged into seemingly one character. The events that play out in Winifred’s novel have occurred previously in her life which opens a doorway for the reader into the life of our main character- the death, incest and betrayal- allowing the reader to empathise with Winifred’s cool exterior.

The story begins in New York, one day prior to Winifred’s departure for London, at an adoption-agency’s support group, though her reasoning for being there is not defined until much later. She lives her life in a daze, and tries to find herself in the still blank pages of her book. Upon her arrival in London she finds her step-cousin John, who portrays a very significant character in her new novel as well as her life, to be missing without a trace; his stately London abode in disarray and a ghostly presence presiding over the house. As she incorporates what is happening to herself into her novel, she tries to unearth the identity of the ghost- it is easier than discovering herself- and comes up with three possible personages; the ghost of Jack the Ripper, her great-great-grandfather who was...