There are a lot of books out right now about World War II. A LOT. Everyone who reads even a little bit knows that. I myself have read plenty, although not nearly all, of them. Most have shown me a side of the war that I hadn't known about previously. Most of them I enjoyed. All of them made me appreciate what our ancestors lived through 80 years ago. Both my Grandpa's served in World War II and I had many conversations with my maternal Grandpa about his time serving in the years before he died at the age of 90. Reading books about that war in particular help me understand a little bit more what my Grandparents lived through.
There have been points I've had so many WWII books on my TBR that I purposely had to spread them out to about one a month. Too many too close together and they start to blur - I can't appreciate the specific aspect of the war that is being told. But I seemed to have gotten through most of my back log because the book I am talking about today, The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel, is the first I've read in what feels like at least a few months.
I started reading Ms. Harmel's books over 10 years ago, with The Art of French Kissing and Italian for Beginners (I still own both of these!). I enjoyed her books and have read her entire catalog, save one YA book that my library doesn't own. Her more recent books have taken a more serious tone, focusing mostly on different aspects of World War II. More serious than her earlier works still doesn't mean super literary and boring but mostly having a little more heft and a more serious tone.
This particular book, The Book of Lost Names, is in the often used "flash back to an earlier time while discovering/remembering something near the present day" format. In this case, the story is told entirely from the perspective of Eva, seeing a news story in May 2005 (when I was graduating college!) that featured an item she hadn't seen in 60 years - the titular Book of Lost Names. The story jumps back to 2005 a few times but is mostly told in the early 1940s.
Eva of the 1940s is a college student in Paris, living with her parents. They are Jewish. Life is already getting a little bit harder for them but then, thanks to a desperate neighbor needing her help, she isn't home (one of) the nights Jewish people are being rounded up and taken out of the city. Eva watches her father being forced out of their apartment in the middle of the night. Eva knows the rumors are true and now she needs to get herself and her mother out of Paris as soon as possible. There is a the problem with them not having the right ID cards. That's actually a huge problem but Eva was a bit of an artist, as well as a bookworm, and was able to create false documents for herself and her mother and get them out of Paris. (You guys, this makes wearing a mask in these present times seem like the smallest sacrifice.)
With a little bit of guidance, Eva and her mother are told a city in the South of France that is still free and where they should be safe. There they end up staying at in inn run by a member of the resistance. This woman can tell Eva and her mother are telling some lies but she lets them stay and then helps Eva get a "job". Making fake documents to help others, primarily Jewish children, get out of France while they can.
It takes a lot of luck and a careful hand to recreate all the documents needed to falsify and save a life. The Germans frequently change what is needed and are slowly taking over all of France in the process. I am trying to write this blog post in a small bit of time where Sam is napping (maybe?) and we're about to go on a run to pick-up Luke from school. That's enough of a time crunch for me. I can't imagine working, much less doing very detailed work, with the threat of death on the door.
Eva does have a partner in her work - Remy, who was there before her. Eva is better at the details though and coming up with ways to improve their process. Still, working side by side with Remy gives them a certain bond and they work really well together. Until Remy decides the Resistance needs him in some other areas too. Eva is already worried about her father, she doesn't need another person to worry about too. But she does.
Eva's mother doesn't approve of this, especially since Eva is working in the backroom of a Catholic church with the help of the priest. Eva's mother really doesn't like when Eva starts attending Mass and praying at the church, to help her cover, while seemingly ignoring her Jewish roots. Even though being Jewish is a little bit hard right now.
This is all within the first 50ish pages or so and is basically told on the cover. For what happens after that, you'll have to read the book. And I didn't even get into the Book of Lost Names and some very complicated sounding codes! And why Eva cares so much about seeing it 60 years later. Her adventure takes (young) her through a few countries, ending up in Florida by 2005.
I really enjoyed this book. It certainly had tense moments and I teared up in a few places but I was so drawn in and driven to finish (I read most of it during one single weekend naptime!). I rooted for Eva, I rooted for Eva & Remy, I rooted for the Resistance. I appreciated a Catholic church playing such an important and positive role. I am Catholic but also half German, less thrilled with their actions in this book but that's pretty much a given in WWII books. Also, not for nothing, I think the cover is fantastic.
I've been on a good reading streak this summer with many 4-5 star reads. I gave this one 4 Stars, probably at least 4.25. It had adventure, romance, faith, family, women getting things done, and Paris. It should end up being one of my favorite reads of the year. If you are interested in any of those things, I'd definitely recommend.
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