The Book of Lost Names

The Book of Lost Names

  • Downloads:3356
  • Type:Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date:2021-07-09 06:51:31
  • Update Date:2025-09-06
  • Status:finish
  • Author:Kristin Harmel
  • ISBN:198213190X
  • Environment:PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle

Summary

“A fascinating, heartrending page-turner that, like the real-life forgers who inspired the novel, should never be forgotten。” —Kristina McMorris, New York Times bestselling author of Sold on a Monday

Inspired by an astonishing true story from World War II, a young woman with a talent for forgery helps hundreds of Jewish children flee the Nazis in this “sweeping and magnificent” (Fiona Davis, bestselling author of The Lions of Fifth Avenue) historical novel from the #1 international bestselling author of The Winemaker’s Wife

Eva Traube Abrams, a semi-retired librarian in Florida, is shelving books when her eyes lock on a photograph in the New York Times。 She freezes; it’s an image of a book she hasn’t seen in more than sixty years—a book she recognizes as The Book of Lost Names

The accompanying article discusses the looting of libraries by the Nazis across Europe during World War II—an experience Eva remembers well—and the search to reunite people with the texts taken from them so long ago。 The book in the photograph, an eighteenth-century religious text thought to have been taken from France in the waning days of the war, is one of the most fascinating cases。 Now housed in Berlin’s Zentral- und Landesbibliothek library, it appears to contain some sort of code, but researchers don’t know where it came from—or what the code means。 Only Eva holds the answer, but does she have the strength to revisit old memories?

As a graduate student in 1942, Eva was forced to flee Paris and find refuge in a small mountain town in the Free Zone, where she began forging identity documents for Jewish children fleeing to neutral Switzerland。 But erasing people comes with a price, and along with a mysterious, handsome forger named Rémy, Eva decides she must find a way to preserve the real names of the children who are too young to remember who they really are。 The records they keep in The Book of Lost Names will become even more vital when the resistance cell they work for is betrayed and Rémy disappears。

An engaging and evocative novel reminiscent of The Lost Girls of Paris and The Alice NetworkThe Book of Lost Names is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of bravery and love in the face of evil。

Download

Reviews

Megan Lefeld

Such an incredible book! It kept me reading & definitely brought tears to my eyes a few times

Jacqueline Shannon

Amazing and Heartrending!What a wonderful and beautiful book! I loved it! I couldn’t stop crying during the last few pages。 A most unusual book about World War 2 and the great work the document forgers did to help people escape。

Bonni

The story is interesting but slightly predictable。 The prose is littered with cliches。 I don't know how many times a character can let out a breath they didn't know they were holding without the worry of asphyxiation。 Two of the little girls who appear briefly in the story are poorly written。 They speak and act beyond their years in such a way that the inaccuracy pulled me straight out of the story any time they were in a scene。 Those criticisms aside, I love World War II stories for the way tha The story is interesting but slightly predictable。 The prose is littered with cliches。 I don't know how many times a character can let out a breath they didn't know they were holding without the worry of asphyxiation。 Two of the little girls who appear briefly in the story are poorly written。 They speak and act beyond their years in such a way that the inaccuracy pulled me straight out of the story any time they were in a scene。 Those criticisms aside, I love World War II stories for the way that dire circumstances force characters to push beyond personal boundaries to become heroes--even flawed heroes。 Nobody is all good or all bad, and this author did a good job illustrating the nuance of life experience。 。。。more

Christine Heron

I really enjoy WWII stories with topics I haven’t read about before。 This one doesn’t disappoint。 Great character development, excellent depiction of place and setting, a hint of mystery and intrigue, action and some romance。 My only quibble was the mother : daughter relationship - they couldn’t see eye to eye and that was sad to me。

Nancy

I really enjoyed reading this book over the raining 4th of July weekend。 I actually liked this more than The Nightingale。

Jessica Chandler

I enjoyed the two storylines。 A mix of sadness and love。 Tricky at time s

Lori Laubach

I picked up this book and could not put it down - excellent story and lots of suspense。 I also appreciated the notes from the author about the individuals who helped thousands of people escape

Emily Horvath

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it, click here。 Very enjoyable and readable story about identity and forgery during WWII。

Jessica

Great historical fiction。

Katie

Very pleasant read! I see a lot of reviews commenting on the romance portion of the book and honestly I really enjoyed it。 Totally understand that if mixing romance into a WWII story isn't for you, then this might not be your cup of tea! The angst in wondering whether Eva would ever see Remy again each time they parted glued the book to my hands。 I finished it in one day and was satisfied。 Very pleasant read! I see a lot of reviews commenting on the romance portion of the book and honestly I really enjoyed it。 Totally understand that if mixing romance into a WWII story isn't for you, then this might not be your cup of tea! The angst in wondering whether Eva would ever see Remy again each time they parted glued the book to my hands。 I finished it in one day and was satisfied。 。。。more

Virginia

A well-plotted book, though somewhat predictable。 High on emotion and serious self-blaming, but overall fairly engaging。 Several of the characters did not have as much overall depth as I would have liked, but the plot kept me going。 A decent WW2 novel, but a bit short on nuance。

Melissa

From the first chapter of “The Book of Lost Names,” by Kristin Harmel, I was hooked and read the book in one sitting。 Well researched and based, in part, on real events and people, Harmel takes us back to a little known (to me, at least) part of the French Resistance during WWII。The bravery and resilience of the women and men during this time never ceases to amaze me。 From the author’s notes: “I hope you’ve discovered something new in The Book of Lost Names—and that you’re reminded that you don’ From the first chapter of “The Book of Lost Names,” by Kristin Harmel, I was hooked and read the book in one sitting。 Well researched and based, in part, on real events and people, Harmel takes us back to a little known (to me, at least) part of the French Resistance during WWII。The bravery and resilience of the women and men during this time never ceases to amaze me。 From the author’s notes: “I hope you’ve discovered something new in The Book of Lost Names—and that you’re reminded that you don’t need money or weapons or a big platform to change the world。 Sometimes, something as simple as a pen and a bit of imagination can alter the course of history。” Amen! 。。。more

Amanda Smiley

Amazing!This book was incredible。 I am in tears as I write this review。 I loved everything about it。 It is a great historical fiction selection with some romance。 I definitely recommend

Ann Visser

I liked this book a lot。 I thought the characters were well developed。 It kept me interested。 I thought the ending was a bit of a reach but it had to end。 Great job to the author。

Carly Antonucci

This was a hard book to put down! All the stories I’ve read about WWII continue to amaze me in regards to how people persevered through such trying times。 I can’t fathom the number of similar stories that are to be told by survivors of the war。 This book pulls at the heartstrings and helps me appreciate just how much I am lucky to have。

Hannah

historical fiction is the furthest thing from my usual genre of choice but WOW。 an incredible story with very well-developed characters。 Such a tearful ending and an incredibly crafted story of Paris in WWII and uncommon methods used to stand up to the Germans。 Full of sadness, love, misunderstandings, loss, stolen books, romance, spies, and more

Karen B

Wow。 I needed a handkerchief bigger than a tablecloth when I came to the last chapter。 Loved this book。

Barbara Hickerson

Thoroughly enjoyed this book

Solim

Maybe I wasn’t in the right mindset to enjoy this book, although I really wanted to like it。 I thought it dragged on and I couldn’t connect with any of the characters。

Morgann

Summary: After seeing a news report Eva hops on a plane to Germany to get a book was stolen from her 50 years ago。 As she travels to collect her book she reflects on her left 50 years ago and just how much that book means to her。 It holds the answers she has been searching for before the book was stolen by nazis。 What looks like just a religious text is actually a catalog of all the children Eva and Remy help escape and it could hold the answer to a question Eva has been craving。 Thoughts: It’s Summary: After seeing a news report Eva hops on a plane to Germany to get a book was stolen from her 50 years ago。 As she travels to collect her book she reflects on her left 50 years ago and just how much that book means to her。 It holds the answers she has been searching for before the book was stolen by nazis。 What looks like just a religious text is actually a catalog of all the children Eva and Remy help escape and it could hold the answer to a question Eva has been craving。 Thoughts: It’s official Kristin Harmel is now a part of my must read pile。 I like still like The Forest of Vanishing Stars better but The Book of Lost Names is still really really good! And I’m obsessed with this book Eva and Remy are super cute and I love them together and I love the ending。 I love a happy ending even if it’s a tad bitter sweet kind of happy ending。 Remy is super precious and while I do wish he could have seen how much good he was doing while with Eva I completely understand why he would want to do more。 I do love that Eva deciding to to help and that she rebelled against her mom, I was surprised how the mom’s story wrapped up。 I’m glad the mom finally comes around but I do wish that she came around to Remy。 Remy is such a good guy I adore him and him and Eva are precious 。 Eva is super precious as well and I love that she finally tells her son the truth about her background and how she ending up in the Florida。 Overall this book is amazing, I did cry and I did read it a library copy so I’ll be needing a physical copy of this along with a copy of The Forest of Vanishing Stars。 。。。more

Carol

Really enjoyed this book, would love a sequel about the children!

Danielle

This was a very enjoyable listen。 It's nothing complex or ground-breaking, but definitely a fun read。 I guessed several parts of how it would end, but how Harmel wrapped it up was clever。 I seem to have lost my sense of a guilty conscience because it (and many other books) seemed to savor the main character feeling guilty, that everything that happened to everyone was her fault。 For that, it's 3 stars instead of 3。5/4。 But since I see this in many novels these days and it always irritates me, I' This was a very enjoyable listen。 It's nothing complex or ground-breaking, but definitely a fun read。 I guessed several parts of how it would end, but how Harmel wrapped it up was clever。 I seem to have lost my sense of a guilty conscience because it (and many other books) seemed to savor the main character feeling guilty, that everything that happened to everyone was her fault。 For that, it's 3 stars instead of 3。5/4。 But since I see this in many novels these days and it always irritates me, I'm beginning to feel that it might just be me。。。 。。。more

Kim Rogers

I don’t understand all the 5 star reviews。 Terrible dialogue, unbelievable characters and a forced romance。 Zero depth to this novel which is a shame because the premise was so promising。

Virginia Simms

Was a book club book and I really enjoyed it。

Iscella Wittich

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it, click here。 The Book of Lost Names, Kristin Harmel, was very enlightening to read as you became part of the story and never knew what to expect on the following page。 All the energy each character spent each and every day in order to live yet another day was beyond comprehension。 Another great Harmel read!

Kanch Kumar

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it, click here。 cri

Rosalie Calloway

Loved reading this historical fiction。 I want to be more like Eva - such an inspiration。 Another great book that I think would make a great movie!

Kelly Tarr

I have read a lot of books set during World War II。 I get to a point where I have to take a break from reading these but I’m so glad I read this one。 It was a different take due to the fact that Eva had a job that requires her to help Jewish children by forging identity documents。 I really enjoy historical fiction and this one did not disappoint!

Irene James

Well written and facinating

Karen Mck

Best book I've read during 2021! For historical fiction fans & those who enjoyed The Alice Network, this book is for you! I couldn't put it down。 Eva's character is so relatable! And the idea to record these names of children? Amazing! Highly recommend! Best book I've read during 2021! For historical fiction fans & those who enjoyed The Alice Network, this book is for you! I couldn't put it down。 Eva's character is so relatable! And the idea to record these names of children? Amazing! Highly recommend! 。。。more