Gossamer by Lois Lowry

Fragments. The book boiled down to just one word. Fragments of Littlest, of John the boy. Other characters some named others not. Plot elements drifting. Some just 'touched on'. The old woman's life and loves, a conclusion to the foster situation, Rotund. Others 'delved into'. What the Sinisteeds are, John's dreams, why he is with the old woman. Some just not finished. How does John's mom's new job work out? Does she continue to get her life in order? How long does john stay with the old woman?

I have read The Giver also by Lois Lowry. Both books dealt with the fleeting nature of memories. The Giver was more focused on going to extraordinary lengths to forget, Gossamer showed how the same efforts placed instead on remembering can change lives. It took me a bit to catch on to the gimmick Lowry was employing. It was an almost subliminal theme. She wrote the book as a series of small vignettes. The reason becomes clear with a bit of thought. The main character in the book Littlest is a gatherer of the tiniest imprints of memory people have left on objects. Some can be just a sense of happiness. It only makes sense that the book is written in a style that has a feeling small parts of life. She gives it away in the first paragraph if you pay attention. Small details, some connected, some not. But all of them important.

Great book and a quick read. Well worth the afternoon you will spend on it.