Despite the recent glut of World War II fiction, Kristin Harmel's The Book of Lost Names (#946) stands out for me as an exceptional read. It was touching, poignant and suspenseful. Saving Jewish children from Nazi-occupied France? What could be a more noble ambition? But Eva Traub's heart isn't always in it, torn as it is between her mother's anger over Mr. Traub's deportation, and her perception that Eva is being converted to Catholicism, and a burgeoning romance with a handsome non-Jewish Resistance fighter. Forging documents for those escaping over the border to Switzerland has become Eva's specialty, but also a chain to a place she doesn't want to be. Love, danger and betrayal all play a role here. How events play out in Paris, a remote French mountain village, and Florida create a page-turning story.
Normally, I would read one novel of this kind and be done with it for a while, but I enjoyed Ms. Harmel's writing so much, I intend to track down some of her other WWII books as well. What better recommendation can I make for this heartfelt book?
No comments:
Post a Comment