The book's lead character is both an 'object of' desire and an 'object of' pity. [=the lead character is both desired and pitied by other characters in the book]
When they take a vacation, 'money is no object'. [=they don't worry about how much something costs] They always stay at the most expensive places.
If 'cost was/were no object' [=if cost did not matter; if we had enough money] we'd buy a new car instead of fixing the old one.
(..) -What is it and why? -What do you care? For a toothbrush, I wouldn't ask. I'd quote a price. But a toothbrush is a non-lethal object, isn't it? Fair enough. A rock hammer is about six or seven inches long. -Looks like a miniature pickax. -Pickax? (..)1994 The Shawshank Redemption