The Book of Lost Names - Book Review

The Book of Lost Names

Kristin Harmel


4 stars for sure
 

 

 

A beautifully written and touching telling of the people who provided counterfeit documents (and life) to citizens escaping the war. This was a vivid description of the making of the documents and the making of people as many reinvented themselves to save others.

The irony of self-preservation vs chosen selfless acts are interwoven in an emotional story that shows the wide scope of what fear and hatred can do. But also the goodness of people and what they sacrifice to remain that way. "She just wanted a place to sleep for the night where she wouldn't have to worry about the Germans taking the pieces of her away one at a time until there was nothing left of her at all."

The Book of Lost Names is about the 'Book' which is the testimony of lives saved so that no one forgets who they were. (Can't say more, but you will discover the beauty behind it.)

Eva, Remy, Pere Clement, Mamusia and Leo Traub lead the way in telling the reader the many facets of kindness, integrity, and fear during difficult times.

"Hope was a dangerous thief, stealing her todays for a tomorrow that would never come."

We see Eva, then and now (in her 80s), the choices, joys and losses she faced and we might hope to be as brave and resilient as she presents herself to be.

Well worth the read, Harmel has a found a new fan and I plan to read her related works.

Now for a mystery Things We Do in the Dark, Jennifer Hillier.

Reading indoors when it's too hot outside works!


 

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