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10th out of 53 books
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1 voter
The Thief of Broken Toys
by
Tim Lebbon (Goodreads Author)
When a father loses his son and his wife leaves him, he cannot tear himself away from the small fishing village where the boy's memories reside. They're all he has left. Thinking that his life is all but over, he takes to wandering the cliffs, carrying broken things that he always promised his son he would fix, but never did.
Paperback, 146 pages
Published
May 15th 2010
by ChiZine Publications
(first published May 2010)
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I really wanted to like this story. The concept is good, but I think the problem of the story arises with the length. It is clear that this story was a short story that ran too long. So instead of cutting out the unnecessary plot points, Lebbon decides to turn the story into a novella. The story starts out fine and Lebbon's language and descriptions are quite captivating. But when the town is described to us for the fifth time, and the same cliff looking over the sea is described for the tenth t...more
Tim Lebbon, author of numerous horror and fantasy books, merges his talents into a dark adult fairytale. The Thief of Broken Toys is a painful exploration into the loss of a child and the aftermath of guilt that the parents are left feeling. For the most part, it was beautifully crafted and balanced with just enough hope to keep the main character afloat. Never overly sentimental and always honest, this story was a touching but sad novella that ranks up near the top of Lebbon’s best work.
The per...more
The per...more
The Thief of Broken Toys is a novella that charts the journey of central character, Ray as he tries to come to terms with the grief of losing a child. The setting is a small, costal village in Wales with its rural backdrop providing a suitably minimalist canvas to paint this heart-breaking yet simple tale upon. Most of the focus remains on Ray and his relationship with his deceased child, Toby, and estranged wife, Elizabeth. Ray still lives alone in the family home, while Elizabeth finds comfort...more
I always look forward to a new Tim Lebbon novella. That's not to dismiss his many excellent novels (e.g. Bar None, Fallen, The Island) nor his extensive short story back catalogue many of which have now been collected together in Last Exit For the Lost (review soon). No, it's just that Tim Lebbon novellas are usually something very special. The author himself has acknowledged that he feels the novella is the perfect length for horror. Large enough to allow a full exploration of the characters bu...more
I predominately read books for sheer escapist pleasure. I like a book to bring a big cheesy grin to my face. I'm a pulp fan, yes I said it. I know it's a four letter word to some folk. However every now and then I prefer something with a bit more substance to it. Tim Lebbon is one of those authors, since I first discovered him in 1997 with his debut the horror novel Mesmer. Ever since then Tim has proved to be one hell of an author, no matter what genre he works in horror, fantasy, or short stor...more
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This was really an odd little book, and one I wasn't quite sure what to expect. The tale centers around Ray, who lives in a fishing village in Cornwall and has been grieving for his young son who died a year before. Ray and his wife are estranged (she's sleeping with his former best friend to combat her own grief; Ray reminds her too much of their dead child) and he is the one who remained in their house, with all of their son's toys and clothes and the ghosts that memories can bring. He meets a...more
I'm not sure how to really classify or discuss this story other than to say that the style of writing was interesting and the story was well written, and the characters believable. The chapters all begin as if you're looking down on the scene from afar and a conspiratorial, confessional type narrator is discussing what is laid out in front of you, then the focus narrows and you're back into the story and the narrator fades away until the beginning of the next chapter. The first time, this was di...more
I read this in its entirety during a cross-country flight, and was enjoying it...right up until the ending. I'd endured with valor the rather dull story of a downtrodden man who'd lost his son, then his wife, because it had an upward-moving emotional tenor that seemed to promise at least a positive or hopeful ending, if not a "happy" one. And then, the ending was absolutely awful, and sudden. It was kind of a "be careful what you wish for" theme, but then again not even quite that. It was rather...more
A quiet, affecting mood piece, this novella (beautifully produced by Chizine Publications) deals with the infectious horror of loss. Set in a small coastal village, so well invoked that it becomes a character in its own right, the story follows Ray's struggle to come to terms with the death of his son. It's about memory, and pain, and it's beautifully done. While there's horror here, of the most personal and intimate variety, there's also a strange sense of redemption, at least until the shatter...more
This is an emotional tale of despair and hope - where the loss of a child creates the despair, and a mysterious man who fixes toys brings hope. This was a beautifully dark tale that reminded me a lot of another emotional dark tale by Lebbon called the Reach of Children. Both stories use a little supernatural and grief stricken people who have lost members of their family to tell a tale.
In this case the main character is named Ray and he walks the hills behind his house in a small fishing village...more
In this case the main character is named Ray and he walks the hills behind his house in a small fishing village...more
I finished reading The Thief of Broken Toys this afternoon. It’s a short novel or a long novella packaged as a separate book (ISFDB calls it a Chapterbook). It’s also very good. As it’s a horror story I’m not quite sure I can say I enjoyed it, but I did find it mesmerizing.
The Thief of Broken Toys is interestingly told. Sometimes the story is a third person narrative; sometimes it’s first person, by a person (being?) close to, but not in the story; and sometimes the narrator even addresses the c...more
The Thief of Broken Toys is interestingly told. Sometimes the story is a third person narrative; sometimes it’s first person, by a person (being?) close to, but not in the story; and sometimes the narrator even addresses the c...more
Sounds a little creepy, right? I know I thought it did, but I was very disappointed. If anything it’s a sad story about loss and grief, but not really creepy at all. Perhaps my hopes were too high? I did find this in the Sci-fi/Fantasy section of the bookstore, but now that I’ve read it I don’t understand why it was there. It was a very quick read, so I don’t feel too let down. I did pay for it though, so I am a little bummed.
The narration annoyed to no end. It reminded me of a tour guide, “And...more
The narration annoyed to no end. It reminded me of a tour guide, “And...more
This short little book glimpses into the life of a man who is dealing with the sudden loss of his son and subsequent separation from his wife. It is a story about grief and loss and the struggle to cope with life after the loss of a loved one. The title character, the thief of broken toys was an interesting character and it would have been interesting to explore more about who he was and the nature of his work. Although I enjoyed the story I was disappointed with the squandered potential.
This was a short, interesting story. It was sad and hopeful at the same time with an unexpected ending. I still have some questions as to what exactly happened toward the end.
In the book, which takes place in an English village by the sea, Ray has a difficult time coping with his son's death. He meets an old man who appears to help him cope as Ray gathers up his son's broken toys that he had always intended to mend, but never did. But how is the old man helping him, exactly? And is he actually h...more
In the book, which takes place in an English village by the sea, Ray has a difficult time coping with his son's death. He meets an old man who appears to help him cope as Ray gathers up his son's broken toys that he had always intended to mend, but never did. But how is the old man helping him, exactly? And is he actually h...more
This is a beautiful, lyrical story filled with emotion. The ending made my heart hurt, but in the best possible way. I truly cared about Ray, the main character. Following the death of his young son, he is caught up in a fog of loss and grief, and when he encounters The Thief of Broken Toys, he thinks he's found a way out of the dark hole of despair. I'll say no more about the story for fear of revealing too much, but Tim Lebbon is a gifted author who takes you on a journey with gorgeous prose,...more
The Thief of Broken Toys is far more of a mood piece than a horror story, and where there is horror, it is of the more cerebral variety. This is the horror of loss and memory, and the horror of recovery. As Lebbon's fable wends it's way to a close and the importance of grief is made apparent, it is clear that he's a writer of vast talents and sublime emotional wisdom.
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Read the rest of the review here.
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Started out interesting, turned boring, turned ridiculous, and finally turned into a what-the-hell-just-happened ending. This is the third book in recent reading where I just closed the cover and was left angry for even taking the three hours it took me to get through it. The writing was actually pretty good in most places, I'll give Lebbon that, but other than that, I was let down.
An intriguing book with a heartbreaking tale of a father's loss and an unexpected, creepy twist at the end. Only four stars because I would have liked to know more about who the old man was and because the book ended just as the conflict really started. But, then, it's that kind of horror story, so it does work.
Picked this up over the weekend from Tim at Horrorfind. I started it an hour ago and couldn't put it down. It was a wonderful tale of loss and how a father deals with it...with the help of a strange old man. Fantastic little read.
I could not get through it. I was pushing myself and telling myself that it has to get better but it never does. Really slow and didn't seem to pick up the pace. At times each chapter seemed very disjointed from the last.
3.5 stars:
This novella/novelette is the very sad tale of a couple who loses their little boy and can't move past their grief. It runs their lives, destroys their relationship, and permeates this story. There is a fantastic element to it, but overall it's about grief and dealing with it. It has an odd 2nd-person perspective ("You see this.") in the prologue, but that quickly disappears. To be honest, I found the story a little more interesting when it was 2nd-person, because Lebbon was pulling it...more
This novella/novelette is the very sad tale of a couple who loses their little boy and can't move past their grief. It runs their lives, destroys their relationship, and permeates this story. There is a fantastic element to it, but overall it's about grief and dealing with it. It has an odd 2nd-person perspective ("You see this.") in the prologue, but that quickly disappears. To be honest, I found the story a little more interesting when it was 2nd-person, because Lebbon was pulling it...more
This brilliant little novella is the first of Tim Lebbon's work that I have read but it won't be the last! He has a unique voice that I look forward to exploring more.
I found this to be a good short read which was exactly what I was in need of. It was well written and had a bit of a twilight zone feeling to it as it progressed.
Astounding writing, lacked a little structure, but totally worth the read.
Oh, and sad, so sad...
Oh, and sad, so sad...
A dark little story about dealing with loss and dealing with it badly.
I can't remember the last time I read a novella so this was especially refreshing.
I can't remember the last time I read a novella so this was especially refreshing.
Horror isn't always about monsters. Often, it's about love, loss and life. No one seems to know this better than Tim Lebbon. Beautiful.
I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn't what quite this. I found it to be strange but unique and though I didn't particularly enjoy it myself, I can see what others might see in it.
Read this all today. AND YOU SHOULD TOO.
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I was born in London in 1969, lived in Devon until I was eight, and the next twenty years were spent in Newport. My wife Tracey and I then did a Good Thing and moved back to the country, and we now live in the little village of Goytre in Monmouthshire with our kids Ellie and Daniel. It’s a lovely place – pub, shop, chip shop, school – and we’re very happy here. Two minutes’ walk in any direction a...more
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