A Double Review of The Lost Village by Camilla Sten

Today Kim and I bring you a double review of The Lost Village by Camilla Sten.  This was Kim’s first read of 2022 and my first audiobook listen of the year.  Sadly, this one was not for either of us.

The Lost Village
Author: Camilla Sten

Published: March 23, 2021
Audiobook/ 340 Pages

Book Description:

Documentary filmmaker Alice Lindstedt has been obsessed with the vanishing residents of the old mining town, dubbed “The Lost Village,” since she was a little girl. In 1959, her grandmother’s entire family disappeared in this mysterious tragedy, and ever since, the unanswered questions surrounding the only two people who were left—a woman stoned to death in the town center and an abandoned newborn—have plagued her. She’s gathered a small crew of friends in the remote village to make a film about what really happened.

But there will be no turning back.

Not long after they’ve set up camp, mysterious things begin to happen. Equipment is destroyed. People go missing. As doubt breeds fear and their very minds begin to crack, one thing becomes startlingly clear to Alice:

They are not alone.

They’re looking for the truth…
But what if it finds them first?


Kim’s Rating: 3 stars
Kim’s Review:

I got this book for Christmas and I was so excited because this book has been on my list for months. So of course I chose it as my first book of 2022. Overall, I was … disappointed. This book had so much potential! A village that was just abandoned with no trace of where the people went and a dead body hanging in the middle of the square!! Why do I never stumble upon places like that?? But everything was just so difficult in this book. The writing style was actually hard to read and my mind wandered a lot. The main character was just difficult to be around; she took every little thing so personally and was so sensitive about everything that it just got annoying.

Then the mystery, which I was so looking forward to, became more predictable by the page. I had one section where I was actually turning pages quickly because of the abandoned building and the suspense, but then everything kinda plunked into place long before the big reveal. It wasn’t a total loss, I actually enjoyed a good portion. It was just too anticlimactic for me. Though there is one reveal that was pretty fun to watch unfold, so like I said, not a total loss. I think there are many people who could read this book and really like it, I just thought it was ok.

Jessica’s Rating: 2.5 Stars
Dates Read: January 2-7, 2022
Format Read: Audiobook

Jessica’s Review:

An interesting premise with similarities to The Blair Witch Project, and the story taking place in two time periods (1959 and present day), but my thoughts on The Lost Village ended up being “Meh”…..

Starting with promise, but failing to deliver, the 1959 time period was much more interesting than the present-day time.  I was not attached to the characters in present-day in the slightest, and the 1959 period was more intriguing for me as it was more of a suspense thriller for me.  The present day tried to be horror but just wasn’t scary. I was intrigued by the connections of characters to the town’s past and when the crew arrived to the town was eerie:  Everything was left as if people were coming back at any moment.  The ending also did not work for me. 

Sadly, I cannot recommend this one, but what did not work for me may be a book you enjoy!

Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK