Lost and Found

January 9, 2012
In this second novel from Yttrup (Words), Jenna Bouvier has a tendency to lose things. While she misplaces some significant physical items, we soon realize it is her loss of intangibles that causes her the most distress. With an infection ravaging her body, and her soul similarly afflicted, Jenna follows a spiritual path to find her lost self, and Yttrup adeptly carries the reader along for the ride. At the same time, Andee, whose life is personally and professionally tied to Jenna’s, is on her own quest for possessions, which has been far from emotionally fulfilling. The spiritual element, drawn heavily from the life and teachings of the French mystic Jeanne Guyon, is not merely a subplot but is, in fact, the plot. Told from multiple viewpoints, the story reveals character insights through introspection as well as observation. The technique provides depth of understanding, and Yttrup keeps the story moving by presenting the perspectives sequentially rather than simultaneously. Yttrup has penned a many faceted novel that challenges the reader to pursue spiritual growth as fully as any self-help book would, making her fiction as inspirational as it is entertaining. Agent: Steve Laube Agency.