Book Summary
“The Book of Lost Names” is a gripping tale of courage, resilience, and the power of names in shaping our identity. The story is centered on Eva Traube Abrams, a semi-retired librarian in Florida, who finds a photograph of a book she hasn’t seen in over sixty years in a newspaper article about looted World War II assets. The book, known in her memory as “The Book of Lost Names,” takes her back to her time as a forger for the French Resistance. In 1942, Eva, a young Jewish woman, flees Paris with her mother and ends up in the Free Zone in the small mountain town of Aurignon. There, she meets Remy, a forger who needs her help in an intricate scheme to create new identities for Jewish children being smuggled to Switzerland. To keep a record of the children’s true identities, Eva codes their real names into an old religious text – The Book of Lost Names. The narrative shuttles between the past and the present as Eva contemplates returning to Europe to find the book and confront her past.
Author Intro
Kristin Harmel
Kristin Harmel is an internationally bestselling author known for her heartfelt and stirring historical novels. She has a knack for unearthing lesser-known stories from World War II and presenting them through relatable characters and emotionally resonant narratives. Prior to her success as a novelist, Harmel built her writing chops as a reporter for People Magazine. “The Book of Lost Names,” like many of her works, reflects her adeptness at coupling intensive research with rich storytelling.
Book Reviews
“The Book of Lost Names” is another historical triumph by Kristin Harmel. The narrative seamlessly interweaves the past and present, revealing the heart-rending circumstances that forced ordinary people into extraordinary actions. Eva’s evolution from a bright-eyed student to a brave forger for the French Resistance is both convincing and inspirational. Harmel’s intricate portrayal of the coded systems used in document forgery during World War II shows her commendable dedication to research. This is a compelling tale of courage, sacrifice, and the enduring impact of our names on our identities.
Harmel’s “The Book of Lost Names” provides an insightful exploration into a lesser-known aspect of World War II—the forging of documents to save lives. Through her protagonist, Eva, Harmel emphasizes the weight of a name and its intrinsic tie to our identity. The novel is rich in historical context and character development, and it smoothly transitions between the past and present, although at times, the modern-day storyline lacks the intensity and emotional depth of the wartime narrative. Regardless, Harmel successfully illuminates the extraordinary resilience and bravery shown by individuals during one of history’s darkest periods.
Kristin Harmel’s “The Book of Lost Names” is a poignant and moving exploration of survival, love, and the strength of the human spirit amidst the horrors of war. Eva Traube Abrams, the protagonist, is a complex and compelling character whose journey from a frightened refugee to a brave forger is profoundly touching. The book pulls at the heartstrings, offering moments of heartbreak, courage, and enduring hope. The essence of the story—remembering and honoring our true identities—is a poignant reminder of the resilience of the human spirit.
In “The Book of Lost Names,” Kristin Harmel presents a narrative centered around a unique and intriguing aspect of World War II history—the covert operation of forgery to save lives. The historical narrative is rich in detail and the character development of Eva is commendable. However, the novel tends to lapse into predictable plot developments and underwhelms in its depiction of the present-day storyline. Despite this, it remains a worthy read for its illumination of an untold aspect of World War II and the inherent power and importance of our names.
