Book of Lost Names: Book Review

The Book of Lost Names

By Kristen Harmel

I stopped reading Holocaust book-themed novels for years. Being Jewish and saturated with atrocities of the holocaust( prisoners, gas chambers concentration camps). I didn't want to read anymore for years until now. I think in my teenage year's survivors were just starting to discuss and write about it in memoirs. 

 When I first saw the book. I was not interested. But soon more, and more people were reading. I thought I would give it a try. Also Hadassah, the Jewish organization was reading. So, I thought I would give it a try. 

 I also liked the cover of the book( sorry but pretty book covers get me every time, lol).  I think times have changed. Where authors try not to write so much about it.  As it has been written about so much. Most of us don't want to read about it. I understand we can't forget. But many of us Jews know the story. But, non-Jews don't. So I understand why. Please don't stop writing about the holocaust as the younger generation are not aware. 

For some reason, I was willing to give The Book of Lost Names a try. I am glad I did. It is not necessarily about the atrocities. But about the people what they did to resist and help the people who were in danger of being captured. Or some who reported and spied to make money on people's suffering. 

The story takes place in the present day ( 2005) with Eva, an elderly woman who is working part-time in the library in Florida. Eva is reading the newspaper. As she reads she realizes this is about her. Something she left and lost in France, The Book of Lost Names. She knows she must leave and go to Berlin. 

We are then transported back to 1942 where Eva and her mother are forced to run to an unoccupied small village town in the alps called,  Avignon. There Eva helps the resistance and learns alongside, Remy to forge documents. She forges documents for children to cross through free Switzerland. During this time Eva realizes there is something more that she needs to do for the children.  They are so young to remember their names. She realizes she needs to document the names in a book. That's where Remy and her get the idea to encode their names in a religious text( 1732), The Book of Lost Names. 

Eventually, Remy and Eva go on the run.  Both of them eventually are forced to separate and go their separate ways. 

They promise each other to meet at the Bibliotheque Mazarine Also there is another man, Jacob. Eva has no interest in it.  Eva's mother pushes Eva to think about it since he is Jewish., and Remy is not. 

 In Jewish tradition, you don't fall in love with anyone that is not Jewish. Her Mother pushes Eva.  Eva's mother is angry and makes Eva feel guilty about their situation( Jewish guilt). She feels it is Eva's fault that her father is not with them. And losing their Jewish traditions, and culture.  

The book is a page-turner from the first sentence the book transported me to another place and time. I can see it played out as a movie. If you love historical fiction, especially Jewish history, and the resistance, and coding, and how forgeries were done to help the Jewish people and anyone that was against Nazi's.

 I especially loved the townspeople who were willing to go to great lengths to help the Jewish people. Even though this is fiction.  It is very true there were towns that did protect people in hiding.

Also the looting of the Jewish books from the collections of the libraries in Europe. 

You will find it fascinating if you were not aware of the history. 

I loved the development of the characters in the story. Even after I finished the book the characters stayed with me. I loved the main character portrayed as a librarian. I loved the phrases written in the novel about how important books are to us as readers. The author states the importance of books not monetarily but as the importance of books to readers.  

I loved the book had resisters not atrocities during the holocaust. Even though the book was about the holocaust there were several uplifting parts to the book and a surprisingly happy ending that wasn't too realistic. But, still, it's fiction, what do you want? 

After reading, The Book of Lost Names I discovered a new favorite author.  I loved reading this book. I am looking forward to reading her backlist. I can't wait to discuss the book at our book club tomorrow. The author states she loves to write books of ordinary lives rise up to the occasion. 

The author also stated many people she interviewed in her work bring up the same thing. Why people in horrible times don't want to discuss a horrible time period in their life. Most people state the same thing. When they are in the moment they numb their feelings and emotions.   If they talk about past experiences it brings all the hard things up. They have a difficult time connecting their feeling and emotions when they talk about a difficult situation. 

One other thing I am sure will be said who are Jewish.  How can an author who is not Jewish write a book about the holocaust? I don't believe that. Many authors can put themselves in the shoes of a character and do their research. And write a story no matter what nationality or religion they are.  So pick up the book and give it a try. The copy is my own.  My rating is: