I had mixed feelings going into this book, a sequel to 2017’s Less, which I ADORED. On the one hand, I was excited to be back in the world of the bumbling but lovable Arthur Less. On the other hand, the ending of the first book made me so happy, and I didn’t know how I felt about anything that would disrupt the wonderful status quo I’d left behind.

I think that kind of translates to the way I felt throughout the book as a whole. The writing is still phenomenal, funny and touching and somehow delightfully embarrassing, but the story lost a little bit of its sparkle. It didn’t totally repeat the arc of the first book, but there were echoes of it, and then it also added more layers on top of it, which sometimes made it feel pulled in a few too many directions. I think I was also slightly less excited about the travels through the US than around the world, which may just be my own biases.

I still enjoyed it. I would definitely read more of Andrew Sean Greer’s books, but would probably rather read a new story altogether than another Less book next.

Arthur Less is back! And readers who loved his debut appearance will not be disappointed: tho his travels are not world-wide this time, they are every bit as funny and enthralling as they were in the first book. Andrew Sean Greer's gifts are amply on display in a wonderful and wondrous novel which will have you laughing and weeping--sometimes simultaneously. A true gift to the reader, LESS IS LOST is a novel to cherish.

Many thanks to Little Brown and to Netgalley for the pleasure of an early read.

I truly adored A.S. Greer's prior release, "Less", so very much - the protagonist, Arthur Less, is so inept and neurotic but lovable - and his globe-trotting travels in search of both himself & love. I was very happy & delighted to read the follow-up, "Less is Lost" and catch up with our ersatz protagonist. In the new novel, dear sweet Arthur is on yet another road trip, only this time across the United States in search of both his father & the fame he feels has eluded him. Of course there are many very funny mishaps along the way, with quite a cast of secondary characters. Recommend to all that loved the first book, you will not be disappointed in the sequel. My sincere thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the complimentary DRC, the exchange of which did not affect my review.

As much as I loved, and I do mean LOVED "Less," I admit that I was skeptical. I wondered if Greer could pull off another full length novel about Arthur Less without it being redundant, or dare I say boring. However, fans of Arthur Less, have no fear, this author has you covered, and you will happily accompany Less on another set of wild, yet charming travels. Everything I loved about the first book was also present in the second. Arthur Less is one of the more memorable characters I have read about in a long time. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book early.

Thank you, Little Brown and Company, for allowing me to read Less is Lost early.

A great sequel to its predecessor. I loved Arthur’s road trip through the US and laughed and cried and even screamed at times. It was heartbreaking and beautiful in so many ways! An excellent addition to the first story!

In "Less," Andrew Sean Greer took us on a blundering trip around the world. In "Less Is Lost," he attempts to recapture the magic, sending his hapless but lovable protagonist Arthur Less on a road trip across the United States, from the "Mild Mild West" to the Eastern Seaboard. A lengthy detour through the South provides some of the novel's more hilarious--and poignant--moments, as the well-dressed (and gay) Less stands out like a Baptist in a Lutheran church.

"Less Is Lost" hews close to the old adage: if it ain't broke, don't fix it. The detached third-person narration was one of the many treats in the first book; here, it works just as well, if not better, as the narrator's identity is known from page one. The plot zigs when you expect it to zag; the humor is consistently laugh-out-loud. However, the set-up for Less's journey is more tortured this time around, and at times the trip feels random just for randomness's sake (always an issue with road trip stories, especially comedies).

Fear not, dear Reader--Greer lands the plane smoothly, leaving you gasping for breath and wondering what you were ever so worried about. Of course Greer was going to tie everything up in one beautiful bow! Of course he will break your heart just to mend it. Fans of the first book and new readers alike will delight at the mishaps that befall Greer's hero on his cross-country adventure. "Less Is Lost" stands on its own, too, so if you haven't gotten lost with Less, hop onboard.

-- Andrew Shaffer, NYTimes bestselling author of "Hope Never Dies: An Obama Biden Mystery"