Overall, what do you think of The Book of Lost Names? (no spoilers in this thread, please)

Overall, what do you think of The Book of Lost Names? (no spoilers in this thread, please)

This is a very readable book - overall well done - I typically do not finish a book in 2 or 3 days / this one I did,

I couldn't put this book down. The story was engrossing and the characters were well written. There were many wonderful quotes in the book which were very meaningful. I especially liked this one— "There is something to be said for finding someone to trust in the dark." It was certainly a dark time and trust was imperative as one's life depended on it. Very good book!

I have probably read more books about WWII than any other subject. I thought this was one of the best! Like other people in this thread, I too read the book in just a few days. When I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it and when a book has that effect on me I know it’s a great one!

There are so many current novels out there that take place in this same time period (and I have read many of them). The Book of Lost Names is exceptional as it was engrossing, moving, emotional, and Insightful about the WWII experience. Characters were well developed and believable. Kudos Kristen Hamel - I already have your next book on my list!

I enjoyed this novel about an aspect of World War II that I knew little about.

I agree with several of the comments above. I have read quite a few books recently set during WWII and found this one refreshingly different in that it delved into topics I didn’t know much about. I love when a book interests me so much that I do extra digging into the historical back story.

I think this book is another wonderful, well-researched book by the author.

It is heartbreaking, but I enjoyed it.

Overall, this book is a treasure. The writing kept the story moving and kept the reader anticipating the next step in a truly horrific event. This is a story that has not been written of to the extent of the concentration camps, and, yet, the story is just as compelling. Thank you Kristin Harmel!

A great read. Every challenge required additional creative solutions, many of which I had never been aware of. Whether it was mother/daughter issues, the security issue, the unexpected allies in the communities, or the identity creation work, I was caught up in reading for what I hoped would be a positive outcome. I marvelled at the resilience of the characters. I fear I would have given up.

I would describe the book as a love story that takes place against the backdrop of World War II. I don't think I liked it as much as some of the other readers here. I would give it 3.5 stars.

I would have liked learning more about the children whose papers were being forged. What did they go through and what was their experience with their forged papers? If the point of the coded book was to save their real names, it would have been nice to know if they were ever united with their past and real names.

I really enjoyed the book. As others mentioned, learning about a different aspect of World War II was interesting and compelling. The story told a realistic tale of the heartbreak and challenges faced by so many. The author also included the triumphs, victories and hope filled moments that were such an important part of this time in history.

I have read many books about World War 2 and the Holocaust. You know going into these types of books that the stories will be heartbreaking. Although this story was heartbreaking it was also full of hope and courage. It showed how people could band together and fight against pure evil.

Unfortunately, I disagree with many of those who really liked the book. I thought it was just OK. As others, I have read many novels about the same time period which were far more enjoyable, suspenseful, better written and developed characters more fully. The role of women in the resistance is far more compelling then following the love story with Remy.

As I said in the previous question about the ending, I truly loved this book. The detail on forgery and the harrowing near escapes and non-escapes. It was a very fast read and I finished it within a week of receiving it.

I thought it was an easy read about a difficult time period. Since it was basically about the resistance I was expecting more physical difficulties as in hunger/malnutrition (briefly mentioned), disease/pestilence,and more graphic loss of life than was in the novel. Maybe since it didn't take place in an actual concentration camp, life was not quite as severe. I too, feel it was more of a romantic story with a WWII background and as a rule I tend to gravitate towards a story where the romance is secondary to the plot.

I agree with beckyd. The romance part of the book was not the best part of the story. Eva spent too much time wondering if Remy cared for her.... She should have been more worried about not being found out! I felt that the book could not decide what it wanted to be. This ended too much like a Hallmark movie.

I really enjoyed the book. I have read other books set during World War II, and The Book of Lost Names added another layer of knowledge. I typically read at night when I go to bed, and this book kept me up later than usual because I so wanted to know what happened next.

It is a well written, interesting and entertaining book filled with some wonderful characters. However, I found Eva’s mother with constant negativity annoying, irritating and ungrateful rather proud of her daughter’s dedication to forging documents and transporting Jewish children to safety. The book follows the current pattern as seen in so many recent novels, alternating the past and present, tying the two together, this one is done very well. The ending, while predictable and touching, seemed to be rushed to within the last few pages and needed to include more details such as what happened to the four children Eva and Rémy accompanied to the Swiss border.

I loved this book and read it in two days. I was so afraid Eva would be caught and thought the author did an excellent job with character development. I could "see" the characters. I would have enjoyed knowing what happened to some of the children she helped. Perhaps that's another book??

I, too, have read several books about the WWII era and I really enjoyed this one. I do think the author skated over some of the messier details of that time, although she does mention the hunger problem. But I think that's the audience the book is intended for - men and women who read for pleasure and don't necessarily want all the gritty details. I think the romance was included for this reason. It was the least interesting part of the book for me.

I love historical fiction, especially about the resistance during WWII. So many unsung heroes quietly risked their lives for others during the war and I'm thankful Kristen Hamel and other authors have researched this and written about it.

I enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more from this author.

I thought this was a rather average book. I knew practically nothing about the forgers of WWII and how they practiced their craft and found that aspect interesting. However, it seemed very unrealistic that Eva could have forged papers for herself and her mother with no help and no experience.

An exceptional WWII novel. Engrossing. Well defined characters and motivation. Everything I look for in a novel (and did not add to my WWII overload).

I have read several historical fiction books about WW2 and found this one very interesting. This was due to the different topic, the forgery of documents and movement of children to safe havens, that was the main theme. The book was hard to put down and I found the characters and story line well developed.

Historical fiction is my favorite genre, and WWII seems to be the time period I gravitate to quite often. I was expecting a typical, light read about a girl who meets a boy in Paris falls in love, survives the war, etc. Yawn... However, that is not what you get from the book. I found it to be both heartwarming and heartbreaking while at the same time giving the reader a refreshing look at a rarely chronicled element of WWII. I highly recommend this book to anyone but particularly historical fiction fans.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book through and through. I read it in two days non stop.

I've had this book on my TBR for quite a while and just never made it a priority and then when I received the book, I put it to the top of my TBR. I'm so glad I did and I'm really disappointed that I waited as long as I did to read it. Kristin is one of my favorite authors, I follow Friends and Fiction and I've read most of her books and this is the best one I've read so far. Her writing makes you feel like you are there, you see the scenery and the people as the characters are seeing everything. Most books about WWII and the holocaust are really, really hard to read and this one was no exception but it was definitely worthwhile. I can't wait until her next one as I've heard many good things about it also.