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onmalsshelf 's review for:
The Book of Lost Friends
by Lisa Wingate
Thank you Ballantine and NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Book of Lost Friends, out now (released April 7, 2020) has a split timeline.
The first timeline takes place in the 1870s following Hannie, an emancipated slave who is now a sharecropper in Louisiana. She ends up on a journey to Texas with the two daughters (half-sisters) of her old owners, one of which is after her inheritance. Hannie is 1) trying to make sure the two women don't end up in the wrong hands and 2) find her mother and siblings that she was separated one when she was a child. Along the way, Hannie and Juneau Jane start their Book of Lost Friends, which contains letters from people looking for family members. This book ends up playing a role in Benny's timeline as well.
The second timeline takes place with a new teacher named Benny in 1980s Louisiana trying to connect with her students by figuring out their family history in their small town. Her research leads to family connections all of the way back to Hannie. I don't want to go into too much detail because that could lead to spoilers.
Review:
Full five stars. I loved it. This is my first Lisa Wingate book and a cannot wait to read more of her books. I loved the two timelines equally and enjoyed the relationships that both main characters built with other characters. Both main characters refused to stand down, they kept going. Hannie kept going when people tried to stop her for being black and Benny kept going when the rich family and school administration in town tried to shut down her class project.
I highly recommend this book for anyone that enjoys dual timeline historical fiction books as well as historical fiction books that take place after the civil war/follow emancipated slaves.
The Book of Lost Friends, out now (released April 7, 2020) has a split timeline.
The first timeline takes place in the 1870s following Hannie, an emancipated slave who is now a sharecropper in Louisiana. She ends up on a journey to Texas with the two daughters (half-sisters) of her old owners, one of which is after her inheritance. Hannie is 1) trying to make sure the two women don't end up in the wrong hands and 2) find her mother and siblings that she was separated one when she was a child. Along the way, Hannie and Juneau Jane start their Book of Lost Friends, which contains letters from people looking for family members. This book ends up playing a role in Benny's timeline as well.
The second timeline takes place with a new teacher named Benny in 1980s Louisiana trying to connect with her students by figuring out their family history in their small town. Her research leads to family connections all of the way back to Hannie. I don't want to go into too much detail because that could lead to spoilers.
Review:
Full five stars. I loved it. This is my first Lisa Wingate book and a cannot wait to read more of her books. I loved the two timelines equally and enjoyed the relationships that both main characters built with other characters. Both main characters refused to stand down, they kept going. Hannie kept going when people tried to stop her for being black and Benny kept going when the rich family and school administration in town tried to shut down her class project.
I highly recommend this book for anyone that enjoys dual timeline historical fiction books as well as historical fiction books that take place after the civil war/follow emancipated slaves.