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The Lost Chapter
1957, France.
Florence and Lilli meet at finishing school in Lyon. Despite some differences, they forge a firm friendship that promises to last a lifetime. But a terrible betrayal prematurely tears them apart.
Years later in England, Florence has become the woman her friend knew she could be – creative, bold, and independent. The exact opposite of Alice, a young woman troubled by a recent trauma, whom Florence is determined to help bring out of her shell. Just as Lilli once did for her.
When Florence discovers that the novel she’s reading is written by Lilli and is based on their time at school, the two stories begin to unfold together. Past events illuminate the future, and it becomes clear that long-held secrets can't stay buried for ever.
Florence and Lilli meet at finishing school in Lyon. Despite some differences, they forge a firm friendship that promises to last a lifetime. But a terrible betrayal prematurely tears them apart.
Years later in England, Florence has become the woman her friend knew she could be – creative, bold, and independent. The exact opposite of Alice, a young woman troubled by a recent trauma, whom Florence is determined to help bring out of her shell. Just as Lilli once did for her.
When Florence discovers that the novel she’s reading is written by Lilli and is based on their time at school, the two stories begin to unfold together. Past events illuminate the future, and it becomes clear that long-held secrets can't stay buried for ever.
381 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 3, 2022
About the author
Caroline Bishop
2 books25 followersCaroline is a British freelance journalist, editor and author living in Lausanne, Switzerland.
In the past 15 years she has written about travel, food and the arts for national newspapers, magazines and websites in the UK and Switzerland. She was also the editor of anglophone Swiss news site TheLocal.ch for two years.
Caroline is the author of two dual timeline novels, The Other Daughter and The Lost Chapter.
In the past 15 years she has written about travel, food and the arts for national newspapers, magazines and websites in the UK and Switzerland. She was also the editor of anglophone Swiss news site TheLocal.ch for two years.
Caroline is the author of two dual timeline novels, The Other Daughter and The Lost Chapter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
April 8, 2023
A dual timeline storyline. What’s different in this book is that the past storyline is brought forward in a book, so a book within a book.
The present storyline I would rate 4/5. We meet Flo, an 80 yr old woman, who is a joy to be around. She befriends Alice, an 18 yr old, who is going through issues. Flo’s goal is to make Alice feel more confident and daring. I was an awkward teenager, like Alice, so I really enjoyed watching her evolvement. I appreciated Carla, Alice’s mother, as well, as I understand, as a mother, how hard it is to turn off that protective mode towards your children.
“ You need to figure out the difference between being pushed into things you genuinely don’t want to do and being too fearful to do the things you do want to do.”
The past storyline I would rate 2/5. Flo reads a review of the book and realizes it is written by a friend she met while in Lyon in 1958 at a finishing school. It is their story. After reading the book, which is interspersed between the present day chapters, Flo decides she needs to go find her friend. She takes Alice and Carla with her. This book within the book felt like it had been written by a totally different author. It was exceptionally simplistic and not very engaging. In fact, I paused my reading when I got to those sections and read short stories before moving forward.
The ending was definitely tied up too perfectly.
Overall, a light read that was good but not exceptional.
I read this book for my IRL bookclub.
Published: 2022
The present storyline I would rate 4/5. We meet Flo, an 80 yr old woman, who is a joy to be around. She befriends Alice, an 18 yr old, who is going through issues. Flo’s goal is to make Alice feel more confident and daring. I was an awkward teenager, like Alice, so I really enjoyed watching her evolvement. I appreciated Carla, Alice’s mother, as well, as I understand, as a mother, how hard it is to turn off that protective mode towards your children.
“ You need to figure out the difference between being pushed into things you genuinely don’t want to do and being too fearful to do the things you do want to do.”
The past storyline I would rate 2/5. Flo reads a review of the book and realizes it is written by a friend she met while in Lyon in 1958 at a finishing school. It is their story. After reading the book, which is interspersed between the present day chapters, Flo decides she needs to go find her friend. She takes Alice and Carla with her. This book within the book felt like it had been written by a totally different author. It was exceptionally simplistic and not very engaging. In fact, I paused my reading when I got to those sections and read short stories before moving forward.
The ending was definitely tied up too perfectly.
Overall, a light read that was good but not exceptional.
I read this book for my IRL bookclub.
Published: 2022
February 8, 2022
1957, France: Florence and Lilli meet at finishing school in Lyon. Despite some differences. they forge a firm friendship that promises to last a lifetime. But a terrible betrayal prematurely tears them apart. Years later in England, Florence has become the woman her friend knew she could be - creative, bold, and independent. The exact opposite of Alice, a young woman troubled by recent trauma, whom Florence is determined to help bring her out of her shell. Just as Lilli did for her. When Florence discovers that the novel she is reading is written by Lilli and it's based on their time at school, the two stories begin to unfold together.
This well written book is quick and easy to read. It also has a dual timeline, the past 1957 when Florence and Lilli were at a French Finishing school, and the present day, when Florence is eighty and want to try an reconnect with Lilli. There's also eighteen year old Alice who is Florence's dog walker, she suffers from anxiety. I loved Florence and Lilly who were fantastic and relatable characters. I equally liked both the past and present stories and how everything tied up together.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #SimonandSchuster and the author #CarolineBishop for my ARC of #TheLostChapter in exchange for an honest review.
This well written book is quick and easy to read. It also has a dual timeline, the past 1957 when Florence and Lilli were at a French Finishing school, and the present day, when Florence is eighty and want to try an reconnect with Lilli. There's also eighteen year old Alice who is Florence's dog walker, she suffers from anxiety. I loved Florence and Lilly who were fantastic and relatable characters. I equally liked both the past and present stories and how everything tied up together.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #SimonandSchuster and the author #CarolineBishop for my ARC of #TheLostChapter in exchange for an honest review.
January 5, 2023
It is important to note that the majority of the themes explored in this book deal with sensitive subject matters. My review, therefore, touches on these topics as well. Many people might find the subject matters of the book as well as those detailed in my review overwhelming. I would suggest you steer clear of both if this is the case. Please note that from this point forward I will be writing about matters which contain reflections on grief, substance abuse, death in relation to driving under the influence, physical violence, bigotry, abortion, sexual assault, psychological distress, & others.
Florence Carter is well into her 80s when she meets Alice, an 18-year-old girl who is struggling immensely with mental distress & anxiety. As their friendship develops, Florence (Flo) comes to the realization that Alice is not unlike herself; having been confined to the decisions her family made for her & the social requirements imposed on her due to her social status. Together they attempt to work through some of Alice’s fears while simultaneously healing her relationship with her mother, Clara. This book explores the similarities found amongst generations of people (women) who were wrought with iron-clad inabilities & fears; resigned to maintain what had been dictated to them until an outlier character appeared & blew their confines out of the water.
One is left wondering how Bishop was able to maintain such distance from every single one of her characters whilst simultaneously attempting to entice the reader to delve further into their own empathy for the women’s situations. It is difficult to put my feelings & opinions into words with regard to this book because, on a surface level, this was a decent story. I think it’s important to reflect on the progress we have made as women in society; the freedoms we have in our possession, so to speak, that we had to go out of our way to obtain. Yet, in that same breath, the way this book approached women’s freedom & social advancement was so simplistic as to almost totally ignore the actual struggle experienced by every individual woman who tried for something different than what they were permitted to experience.
If you are wondering if there is diversity in this book, there is not. There is the inclusion of a tertiary character within the fictional book that Lilli has written who is gay but otherwise, the woman that she represents outside of that book is not shown or spoken of except to include that she lives happily with her wife. I cannot say for certain that the inclusion of any divergent narrative would have altered the plot of this book whatsoever given that Bishop explored the subject matter in such a superfluous manner, it might have been insulting to read about any other ethnicity of people, etc.—everyone else who is not included in the story shall we say—with the same approach.
However, that being said, I found myself wondering for whom this book was being written. This is a question that I ask myself when I come to realize that I would not have been recommended this book nor would I say that it is one which has succeeded in imprinting positively on my opinion. Therefore, I always seek to wonder who the ideal reader is, for, certainly there is one. I do not find it to be a negative aspect of reading when I come to the realization that a book was not written with me in mind; I am led to attempt to imagine which of my friends, family, or acquaintances would enjoy this read.
The reasons for which I include the lack of diversity & the general approach of the subject matter function in tandem to highlight that Bishop wrote about a very specific experience of a very specific group of people & that is not inherently wrong—everyone deserves to have themselves represented in literature & other mediums. However, can one say for certain that a woman such as Florence would confidently say that the author of this book explored the subject matter with the gusto that it merits? I think not.
I am not someone who is personally or professionally in a position to make remarks on the authentic representation of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PSTD). Therefore, my comments should be recognized as coming from someone who read through this book without personal or educational weight to back my impressions & opinions. With that being said, I found it absurdly shocking that Alice was treated with such a lack of empathy & support from everyone around her. What I find most complicated with this book & subsequently with this review, is that Bishop’s characters are in the midst of dealing with/living through horrible situations all of which are ignored to reinforce the belief that they simply need to step outside of their comfort zones.
Alice saw her friend killed by a drunk driver, no one is arguing that this would not cause a significant level of distress & turmoil in her life. However, her mother simply nods off to the fact that her child most certainly requires therapy because Alice said she didn’t want to go. I can appreciate that both Clara & Alice deal with some level of generalized anxiety & they are demonstrated to be incredibly negatively influential on each other.
Neither is allowed to grow or roam; neither is able to become the best version of themselves because they are absolutely held back by their fears & worry. Unfortunately, I lack sympathy for situations such as this & I acknowledge that wholeheartedly. I will be the first to say that it is often very difficult to be completely neutral in a critique due to being a person who is alive & present in this world; my experiences are carried with me in all aspects of my life.
Having to read chapters on end wherein Clara consciously chooses to hold Alice back from healing from the horror that she experienced because of her own anxieties drove me up a wall. I have an insatiably difficult time forgiving parents who pour all their difficulties onto the shoulders of their children. I could not fathom how often I had to see Clara distinctly choose to ignore every piece of advice she was ever given about being a parent, turning around & deciding to induce her child into levels of mental paralysis wherein she was unable to go outside for fear of terrible things happening to her. This is inexcusable behaviour.
What is truly difficult for me to grasp with regard to Clara was her purpose within the narrative. Did we need to have two people who were absolutely riddled with mental health issues & who both decided to pursue life untreated for things that they did not have to endure? Had Clara been cut from this book nothing else within the story would have been different, she brought nothing but negativity to Alice & the story as a whole. I did not care to read about someone harming their child’s mental state because she was too stupid to choose to be a better parent. It does not take a rocket scientist to know that you cannot protect someone from everything; every single parent on this planet knows that to be true, that is simply par for the course.
Yet during every single one of Clara’s points of view, we have to read about her knowing that what she is doing is harming her child & see her deliberately decide to do so anyway. Am I supposed to feel sympathy for a person causing harm to their child? It is not lost on me that the reason for Clara’s dialogue & presence within the book was to highlight the stages of life. I can appreciate that what Clara went through in terms of losing her job & having to, yet again, start over, was something that many people have experienced. Yet, once again, Bishop does a disservice in simply skimming over this facet. Did Clara enjoy publishing? Would she consider moving to London to attempt to work in the field again or was she done with that work completely? I didn’t know anything about Clara.
I didn’t know anything about any of the characters. There was no depth to anyone who presented their personal point of view within the chapters of this book, nor was there depth to any of the secondary or tertiary characters. Every single person in this book was a caricature of what they could be. I could not highlight any single character as being something of a person you might find in your real life. Had Bishop sought to place more detail & depth within the build of her characters we would have seen the line she attempted to sew throughout the generations, strengthen into the bridge that is built to aid people facing similar issues throughout the ages.
The redundancy within the dialogue absolutely obliterated the beauty of what could have been presented within this subject matter. No one character provided any insight into who they were nor did their inner thoughts glean any details about anything other than the minute moment we were privy to. Alice is 18 years old & all we read about is her detrimental levels of anxiety. She has a job at a coffee shop, she walks Ernie & has been writing journals for years—is there nothing else going on in her head other than thinking she’s going to be faced with her demise? Does she watch TV? Does she read books? Who is Alice?
This poor girl witnessed her friend be killed & is then placed in a chokehold by her parent because said person is unable to grasp the fact that you cannot protect people from others, ever so much as you might love them, we cannot control what is, literally, out of our hands. Alice never even gets the chance to be an individual person. She feels dread & despair towards herself because she was not like other girls her age—those who wanted to go party—-yet we never see this aspect explored with more depth. Alice could have been confronted with the fact that just because she wasn’t hanging around with the ‘right’ group of people—those who share her interests & passions—does not mean that there is something inherently wrong with her. We peruse the entire novel with her feelings of hatred towards herself & the only lesson she is given is to ‘live a little’. What does that even mean?
Alice enjoyed talking about books & she enjoyed a cozy time at home; there is nothing wrong with this. Both adults in her life, Clara & Florence, go out of their way to never ask Alice anything of substance. Florence took it upon herself to bring Alice to an Art School without ever asking her if this is what she might like to pursue. Why would you assume that the pass-time you saw someone do for two seconds would be what they should pursue educationally? What if Alice’s love for books & subsequent diary writing meant she loved to write? Why is no one talking to this person?
It was astounding how we made our way through an entire novel in which Lilli went about doing things that brought her pleasure, even if it meant going against the grain; Ella went out & enjoyed all the aspects of her youth that she loved; only to have Alice’s deteriorating mental state be ignored by the people who boast caring for her, yet never truly give her the time of day. Is the message not that one needs to take advantage of life, whatever that might mean for every person individually? Alice goes so far as to say that people often assume what might be best for her & she doesn’t feel inclined to be overtly extroverted, yet we ignore that so that Florence can feel happy that she ‘tried’ by asking Alice to go parasailing….It’s insulting.
Had this book been shorter I think that the method which Bishop adopted talking about the subject matter & the ways in which she introduced the characters would have been more interesting & suspenseful. I am not a fan of hinting at some mysterious aspect of the story only to have to wait until the final chapters for said aspect to be described in adequate detail. I lost any level of empathy I might have had for any of the characters having to read a riddle of the same intonations over & over again; the repetition drew tiring. For example, when Florence finally gets to sit with Lilli to tell her why she wasn��t able to meet with her that night I was waiting for something incredible to be revealed—we already knew she believed she killed Harry.
After everything we read, the revelations that were hinted at on a loop truly diluted the essence of the plot. Having such a story be over 400 pages was tiresome—boring if you are so inclined, as am I, to describe a story that went nowhere & boasted about being true to yourself while also pushing yourself to be extroverted like that one person you met for all of 5 mins of your lifespan.
This was not a book meant for me & I am aware of that while writing this review. I found some of the plot interesting & wanted to get to the point of the story with more swiftness than Bishop desired. I would have longed for the characters to not ignore mental distress to please that part of them that sought to live on the wild side. Lest we forget that being extremely outgoing & adventurous is not a trait that everyone posses nor should they feel inclined to adopt it; we should seek to enhance ourselves for who we are. I could not see how Florence & Alice based all of their decisions on a friendship that lasted such a short period of time. Can I appreciate that people leave a great impact on our lives even if we know them for short periods of time? Certainly. However, I wished for better for everyone in this book.
I would have truly found this story enjoyable had Bishop put forth the desire to see her characters become fully developed individuals & I would have loved this story if the moral had been thought out. So much of real life is ignored for the purpose of raising outlier characters as being in the ‘right’. For Florence to walk away from a life of financial stability because she did not want to marry Peter is not an easy decision to make & Lilli doesn’t seem to understand that the consequence of going against the grain can be deadly for people, as they still remain today. It would have been nice for one person in this book to have had a foot in reality; for them to include the sad truth of what they wanted to pursue. It is no simple feat to try & set out a life for yourself that is different from the one you have been set forth to live, especially if there are multiple people controlling the narrative. One need only look at Alice to understand that to be true.
Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Canada & Caroline Bishop for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Florence Carter is well into her 80s when she meets Alice, an 18-year-old girl who is struggling immensely with mental distress & anxiety. As their friendship develops, Florence (Flo) comes to the realization that Alice is not unlike herself; having been confined to the decisions her family made for her & the social requirements imposed on her due to her social status. Together they attempt to work through some of Alice’s fears while simultaneously healing her relationship with her mother, Clara. This book explores the similarities found amongst generations of people (women) who were wrought with iron-clad inabilities & fears; resigned to maintain what had been dictated to them until an outlier character appeared & blew their confines out of the water.
One is left wondering how Bishop was able to maintain such distance from every single one of her characters whilst simultaneously attempting to entice the reader to delve further into their own empathy for the women’s situations. It is difficult to put my feelings & opinions into words with regard to this book because, on a surface level, this was a decent story. I think it’s important to reflect on the progress we have made as women in society; the freedoms we have in our possession, so to speak, that we had to go out of our way to obtain. Yet, in that same breath, the way this book approached women’s freedom & social advancement was so simplistic as to almost totally ignore the actual struggle experienced by every individual woman who tried for something different than what they were permitted to experience.
If you are wondering if there is diversity in this book, there is not. There is the inclusion of a tertiary character within the fictional book that Lilli has written who is gay but otherwise, the woman that she represents outside of that book is not shown or spoken of except to include that she lives happily with her wife. I cannot say for certain that the inclusion of any divergent narrative would have altered the plot of this book whatsoever given that Bishop explored the subject matter in such a superfluous manner, it might have been insulting to read about any other ethnicity of people, etc.—everyone else who is not included in the story shall we say—with the same approach.
However, that being said, I found myself wondering for whom this book was being written. This is a question that I ask myself when I come to realize that I would not have been recommended this book nor would I say that it is one which has succeeded in imprinting positively on my opinion. Therefore, I always seek to wonder who the ideal reader is, for, certainly there is one. I do not find it to be a negative aspect of reading when I come to the realization that a book was not written with me in mind; I am led to attempt to imagine which of my friends, family, or acquaintances would enjoy this read.
The reasons for which I include the lack of diversity & the general approach of the subject matter function in tandem to highlight that Bishop wrote about a very specific experience of a very specific group of people & that is not inherently wrong—everyone deserves to have themselves represented in literature & other mediums. However, can one say for certain that a woman such as Florence would confidently say that the author of this book explored the subject matter with the gusto that it merits? I think not.
I am not someone who is personally or professionally in a position to make remarks on the authentic representation of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PSTD). Therefore, my comments should be recognized as coming from someone who read through this book without personal or educational weight to back my impressions & opinions. With that being said, I found it absurdly shocking that Alice was treated with such a lack of empathy & support from everyone around her. What I find most complicated with this book & subsequently with this review, is that Bishop’s characters are in the midst of dealing with/living through horrible situations all of which are ignored to reinforce the belief that they simply need to step outside of their comfort zones.
Alice saw her friend killed by a drunk driver, no one is arguing that this would not cause a significant level of distress & turmoil in her life. However, her mother simply nods off to the fact that her child most certainly requires therapy because Alice said she didn’t want to go. I can appreciate that both Clara & Alice deal with some level of generalized anxiety & they are demonstrated to be incredibly negatively influential on each other.
Neither is allowed to grow or roam; neither is able to become the best version of themselves because they are absolutely held back by their fears & worry. Unfortunately, I lack sympathy for situations such as this & I acknowledge that wholeheartedly. I will be the first to say that it is often very difficult to be completely neutral in a critique due to being a person who is alive & present in this world; my experiences are carried with me in all aspects of my life.
Having to read chapters on end wherein Clara consciously chooses to hold Alice back from healing from the horror that she experienced because of her own anxieties drove me up a wall. I have an insatiably difficult time forgiving parents who pour all their difficulties onto the shoulders of their children. I could not fathom how often I had to see Clara distinctly choose to ignore every piece of advice she was ever given about being a parent, turning around & deciding to induce her child into levels of mental paralysis wherein she was unable to go outside for fear of terrible things happening to her. This is inexcusable behaviour.
What is truly difficult for me to grasp with regard to Clara was her purpose within the narrative. Did we need to have two people who were absolutely riddled with mental health issues & who both decided to pursue life untreated for things that they did not have to endure? Had Clara been cut from this book nothing else within the story would have been different, she brought nothing but negativity to Alice & the story as a whole. I did not care to read about someone harming their child’s mental state because she was too stupid to choose to be a better parent. It does not take a rocket scientist to know that you cannot protect someone from everything; every single parent on this planet knows that to be true, that is simply par for the course.
Yet during every single one of Clara’s points of view, we have to read about her knowing that what she is doing is harming her child & see her deliberately decide to do so anyway. Am I supposed to feel sympathy for a person causing harm to their child? It is not lost on me that the reason for Clara’s dialogue & presence within the book was to highlight the stages of life. I can appreciate that what Clara went through in terms of losing her job & having to, yet again, start over, was something that many people have experienced. Yet, once again, Bishop does a disservice in simply skimming over this facet. Did Clara enjoy publishing? Would she consider moving to London to attempt to work in the field again or was she done with that work completely? I didn’t know anything about Clara.
I didn’t know anything about any of the characters. There was no depth to anyone who presented their personal point of view within the chapters of this book, nor was there depth to any of the secondary or tertiary characters. Every single person in this book was a caricature of what they could be. I could not highlight any single character as being something of a person you might find in your real life. Had Bishop sought to place more detail & depth within the build of her characters we would have seen the line she attempted to sew throughout the generations, strengthen into the bridge that is built to aid people facing similar issues throughout the ages.
The redundancy within the dialogue absolutely obliterated the beauty of what could have been presented within this subject matter. No one character provided any insight into who they were nor did their inner thoughts glean any details about anything other than the minute moment we were privy to. Alice is 18 years old & all we read about is her detrimental levels of anxiety. She has a job at a coffee shop, she walks Ernie & has been writing journals for years—is there nothing else going on in her head other than thinking she’s going to be faced with her demise? Does she watch TV? Does she read books? Who is Alice?
This poor girl witnessed her friend be killed & is then placed in a chokehold by her parent because said person is unable to grasp the fact that you cannot protect people from others, ever so much as you might love them, we cannot control what is, literally, out of our hands. Alice never even gets the chance to be an individual person. She feels dread & despair towards herself because she was not like other girls her age—those who wanted to go party—-yet we never see this aspect explored with more depth. Alice could have been confronted with the fact that just because she wasn’t hanging around with the ‘right’ group of people—those who share her interests & passions—does not mean that there is something inherently wrong with her. We peruse the entire novel with her feelings of hatred towards herself & the only lesson she is given is to ‘live a little’. What does that even mean?
Alice enjoyed talking about books & she enjoyed a cozy time at home; there is nothing wrong with this. Both adults in her life, Clara & Florence, go out of their way to never ask Alice anything of substance. Florence took it upon herself to bring Alice to an Art School without ever asking her if this is what she might like to pursue. Why would you assume that the pass-time you saw someone do for two seconds would be what they should pursue educationally? What if Alice’s love for books & subsequent diary writing meant she loved to write? Why is no one talking to this person?
It was astounding how we made our way through an entire novel in which Lilli went about doing things that brought her pleasure, even if it meant going against the grain; Ella went out & enjoyed all the aspects of her youth that she loved; only to have Alice’s deteriorating mental state be ignored by the people who boast caring for her, yet never truly give her the time of day. Is the message not that one needs to take advantage of life, whatever that might mean for every person individually? Alice goes so far as to say that people often assume what might be best for her & she doesn’t feel inclined to be overtly extroverted, yet we ignore that so that Florence can feel happy that she ‘tried’ by asking Alice to go parasailing….It’s insulting.
Had this book been shorter I think that the method which Bishop adopted talking about the subject matter & the ways in which she introduced the characters would have been more interesting & suspenseful. I am not a fan of hinting at some mysterious aspect of the story only to have to wait until the final chapters for said aspect to be described in adequate detail. I lost any level of empathy I might have had for any of the characters having to read a riddle of the same intonations over & over again; the repetition drew tiring. For example, when Florence finally gets to sit with Lilli to tell her why she wasn��t able to meet with her that night I was waiting for something incredible to be revealed—we already knew she believed she killed Harry.
After everything we read, the revelations that were hinted at on a loop truly diluted the essence of the plot. Having such a story be over 400 pages was tiresome—boring if you are so inclined, as am I, to describe a story that went nowhere & boasted about being true to yourself while also pushing yourself to be extroverted like that one person you met for all of 5 mins of your lifespan.
This was not a book meant for me & I am aware of that while writing this review. I found some of the plot interesting & wanted to get to the point of the story with more swiftness than Bishop desired. I would have longed for the characters to not ignore mental distress to please that part of them that sought to live on the wild side. Lest we forget that being extremely outgoing & adventurous is not a trait that everyone posses nor should they feel inclined to adopt it; we should seek to enhance ourselves for who we are. I could not see how Florence & Alice based all of their decisions on a friendship that lasted such a short period of time. Can I appreciate that people leave a great impact on our lives even if we know them for short periods of time? Certainly. However, I wished for better for everyone in this book.
I would have truly found this story enjoyable had Bishop put forth the desire to see her characters become fully developed individuals & I would have loved this story if the moral had been thought out. So much of real life is ignored for the purpose of raising outlier characters as being in the ‘right’. For Florence to walk away from a life of financial stability because she did not want to marry Peter is not an easy decision to make & Lilli doesn’t seem to understand that the consequence of going against the grain can be deadly for people, as they still remain today. It would have been nice for one person in this book to have had a foot in reality; for them to include the sad truth of what they wanted to pursue. It is no simple feat to try & set out a life for yourself that is different from the one you have been set forth to live, especially if there are multiple people controlling the narrative. One need only look at Alice to understand that to be true.
Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Canada & Caroline Bishop for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 24, 2022
Dual timelines which I thoroughly enjoyed.
It’s a book within a book, which made it awesome and intriguing not to mention interesting to read.
It’s a friendship gone wrong full of betrayal, lies and injustice that pans the years.
I was engrossed in this. The narrator made it live and brought it to life.
I liked it, a lot.
It’s a book within a book, which made it awesome and intriguing not to mention interesting to read.
It’s a friendship gone wrong full of betrayal, lies and injustice that pans the years.
I was engrossed in this. The narrator made it live and brought it to life.
I liked it, a lot.
February 16, 2022
“The Lost Chapter” is a heartwarming, beautifully crafted story of family and friendships, tragedy and resilience, and the power of believing in one’s self even when it feels impossible. It is a love story to the importance of forgiveness and understanding — and a reminder that it is never too late to make things right with those you love, and with yourself.
October 26, 2022
It’s never too late to start writing a different chapter!
We've all been there - the experience of a broken friendship. Some are meant to be broken and the experience is freeing, but some leave us wary of connecting with others and leave us heartbroken. Some friends come into our lives for a season and teach us a lesson and some are there for the long haul and we cannot imagine our lives without them. We are all works in progress and need scaffolding and the unconditional love of a good friend at different times in the journey.
This beautifully written book alternates between England in the present day and France in the 1950s. It features two broken friendships, one in each timeline, and the anxiety experienced when each is dissolved. It features finding one’s identity, living with regrets, moving on with life, and the expectations and limitations placed on young people in each era. It’s beautifully written and I got swept up in the wonderful story and authentic characters. It made me thankful for friends that have come and gone, leaving me with cherished memories. It also reminded me not to take the present for granted and make more time for memory making moments with those who make me feel alive and loved.
I needed to read the following paragraph…
“Flo’s life hasn’t turned out anything like she once expected, and though it has contained ups and downs, joys and sorrows, delights and regrets - yes, certainly regrets - it has taught her that it’s best to dispense with expectation altogether. Have aims and desires, naturally, but not such strict ones that you won't let yourself be deviated from your path by unexpected events. Make sure you’re well strapped onto the paraglider of life, but allow yourself to be buffeted by the wind, because who knows to what exciting places it might take you?”
You won’t regret making time for this wonderful book and the thought-provoking issues it raises.
We've all been there - the experience of a broken friendship. Some are meant to be broken and the experience is freeing, but some leave us wary of connecting with others and leave us heartbroken. Some friends come into our lives for a season and teach us a lesson and some are there for the long haul and we cannot imagine our lives without them. We are all works in progress and need scaffolding and the unconditional love of a good friend at different times in the journey.
This beautifully written book alternates between England in the present day and France in the 1950s. It features two broken friendships, one in each timeline, and the anxiety experienced when each is dissolved. It features finding one’s identity, living with regrets, moving on with life, and the expectations and limitations placed on young people in each era. It’s beautifully written and I got swept up in the wonderful story and authentic characters. It made me thankful for friends that have come and gone, leaving me with cherished memories. It also reminded me not to take the present for granted and make more time for memory making moments with those who make me feel alive and loved.
I needed to read the following paragraph…
“Flo’s life hasn’t turned out anything like she once expected, and though it has contained ups and downs, joys and sorrows, delights and regrets - yes, certainly regrets - it has taught her that it’s best to dispense with expectation altogether. Have aims and desires, naturally, but not such strict ones that you won't let yourself be deviated from your path by unexpected events. Make sure you’re well strapped onto the paraglider of life, but allow yourself to be buffeted by the wind, because who knows to what exciting places it might take you?”
You won’t regret making time for this wonderful book and the thought-provoking issues it raises.
February 11, 2022
Normally with a dual timeline I have a preference but with this book I was just as intrigued by the current slipper wearing, mini driving, mad cat lady Florence (me in book form) and the enigmatic American author L.P Henri, as I was with Eleanor/Lenny and Fran and their time at the finishing school in 1957 Lyon France.
Quickly realising they are one and the same and this is a book within a book it tells a story of betrayal, paths taken, regrets and expectations placed on young ladies and how time passes but things still remain the same. It is with the wisdom acquired in her advancing years that Florence takes Alice under her wing in the guise of dog walking in a subplot that mirrors the friendship that was once shown to her.
I may not have had a preference on timeline but I certainly did with the characters. Florence was beyond my expectations and the complete heart and soul of this book. I loved her right from the prologue and her voice was as bold and strong as she was.
This was completely out of my reading comfort zone but it spoke to me on many levels. The mystery surrounding the betrayal gave me my thriller/mystery and the women were all so very different but inspiring in their own ways. Illustrating the strength that can be found in friendships and how they can change your life as the two stories merged towards the most beautiful conclusion.
Quickly realising they are one and the same and this is a book within a book it tells a story of betrayal, paths taken, regrets and expectations placed on young ladies and how time passes but things still remain the same. It is with the wisdom acquired in her advancing years that Florence takes Alice under her wing in the guise of dog walking in a subplot that mirrors the friendship that was once shown to her.
I may not have had a preference on timeline but I certainly did with the characters. Florence was beyond my expectations and the complete heart and soul of this book. I loved her right from the prologue and her voice was as bold and strong as she was.
This was completely out of my reading comfort zone but it spoke to me on many levels. The mystery surrounding the betrayal gave me my thriller/mystery and the women were all so very different but inspiring in their own ways. Illustrating the strength that can be found in friendships and how they can change your life as the two stories merged towards the most beautiful conclusion.
February 15, 2022
A delightful novel with true friendship at its heart and characters you won't want to leave behind. Readers will fall in love with Lenny and Fran as they learn the excitement and danger of a first love amid the proper, oppressive environment of a 1950s finishing school. In the present day, Flo, Alice, and Clara all confront demons of their own and learn that happiness is within their grasp. Like one of Flo's intricate prints, this book reveals itself slowly to create a perfect picture of friendship that readers will love.
February 8, 2022
When you are asked to read & review for an author it’s always a scary moment- will you enjoy it? And how will you dress some of the negatives with positives if you don’t, whilst still being completely honest with your review?
Thankfully I had no such problem here & read it cover to cover within 24 hours. Caroline Bishop has skilfully woven several multi- layered issues seamlessly into one very enjoyable, feel-good novel.
The dual timelines are well signposted and easy to follow and I was equally captivated by both past and present (a rare occurrence I find, as so often in dual timeline books one era is stronger than another).
My favourite section was Florence’s return to Lyon, with Alice & her mum in tow…..not forgetting Eric the dog of course! Lyon is so beautifully described by the author I really felt I was there. I would so love to pop into ‘Fleurs de Florence’ too. I also really loved seeing Alice’s character slowly developing & feel the author must have had some first-hand experience of anxiety to portray her thoughts so convincingly. The book also made me think about how limited the options were for young women in the 1950’s. Marriage was seen as the be all & end all.
All in all-the combination of very believable characters & skillfully woven plot lines make for a solid 5* read. My only slight criticism is in the editing inconsistencies which slightly spoiled the reading experience for me.
Highly recommended
Thankfully I had no such problem here & read it cover to cover within 24 hours. Caroline Bishop has skilfully woven several multi- layered issues seamlessly into one very enjoyable, feel-good novel.
The dual timelines are well signposted and easy to follow and I was equally captivated by both past and present (a rare occurrence I find, as so often in dual timeline books one era is stronger than another).
My favourite section was Florence’s return to Lyon, with Alice & her mum in tow…..not forgetting Eric the dog of course! Lyon is so beautifully described by the author I really felt I was there. I would so love to pop into ‘Fleurs de Florence’ too. I also really loved seeing Alice’s character slowly developing & feel the author must have had some first-hand experience of anxiety to portray her thoughts so convincingly. The book also made me think about how limited the options were for young women in the 1950’s. Marriage was seen as the be all & end all.
All in all-the combination of very believable characters & skillfully woven plot lines make for a solid 5* read. My only slight criticism is in the editing inconsistencies which slightly spoiled the reading experience for me.
Highly recommended
November 21, 2021
Caroline Bishop is a wonderful story teller. The Lost Chapter had me glued from the first page. This is a beguiling, affecting and emotional novel, with intriguing characters and a long buried, terrible secret. Bishop shows with great skill and a clever plot, not only the limitations 1950’s society placed on women, but also how in more enlightened times, our own fears and anxieties can be equally self-limiting. All this wrapped up in a riveting story. Absolutely loved it!
March 27, 2023
Ako ste voleli "Moju genijalnu prijateljicu", dopašće vam se priča sakrivena među koricama ove knjige. Ne pokušavam da poredim ova dva romana, svesna sam popularnosti Eleninog hita, samo me tematika o prijateljstvu između dve potpuno različite devojke podsetila jedna na drugu.
Dve prijateljice Lili i Flo, upoznaju se u ženskoj školi za bogate s kraja pedesetih godina prošlog veka i među njima se za kratko vreme razvija neraskidiva povezanost i međusobno razumevanje bez obzira na karakterne razlike.
Život ih razdvaja na različite strane, a kada Flo počne da čita knjigu koju je Lili pisala o njihovom tadašnjem životu i prijateljstvu, vremeplov uspomena vodi je u prošlosti, oživljava dugo skrivane tajne i ona poželi da dopuni priču poglavljem koje nedostaje Lili, sa verzijom kraja koji je ona proživela, a koja ih je razdvojila.
Kroz roman u romanu opisan u poglavljima "Kakve smo nekada bile", dobijamo Lilinu verziju prošlosti, a za Floinu čitamo do kraja sve do njihovog ponovnog susreta, sve do šanse za završetak priče, iskupljenje, oproštaj, novi početak starog prijateljstva.
Istovremeno sa njihovom pričom, u romanu čitamo i o kompleksnom odnosu majke i ćerke, Karle i Alis, njihovom životnom putu, sopstvenim borbama, prevazilaženju trauma, udaljenosti, putu ka ponovnoj bliskosti. U svemu tome Flo igra važnu ulogu i pomaže im da spoznaju sopstvene vrednosti i mogućnosti.
Glavni problem sa ovim romanom bio je taj što mi nije držao pažnju dovoljno da ga ne ispuštam iz ruku, pa sam pravila duge pauze u čitanju. Često bih zatekla sebe da osećam malu dozu dosade prilikom čitanja, ali kada me priča uvuče, zapravo shvatim koliko lepote u njoj ima.
Na kraju, ipak dobijamo lepu priču o snazi žene, borbi za sopstvene želje i snove u vremenu kada je ženi predodređen život domaćice bez prava na ambicije i sopstvene potrebe. Pomalo feministički, ovaj roman nam daje lekcije korisne za današnjicu, da je bitno ostati svoj, prihvatiti sebe kakvi jesmo, da nije cilj uklapati se već biti u miru sa sobom i zadovoljan sobom, zatim koliko je zapravo važno pratiti unutrašnji glas, spoznati sebe, posvetiti se sebi, ali i koliko je važan i komplikovan zadatak biti roditelj, istovremeno prevazilazeći sopstvene strahove.
Negde između 3 i 4 🌟 bih dala ovoj priči, iz gore pomenutih razloga o rasipanju pa��nje, ali imate preporuku ukoliko ste ljubitelj životnih priča o pravom prijateljstvu i ženskoj borbi.
Dve prijateljice Lili i Flo, upoznaju se u ženskoj školi za bogate s kraja pedesetih godina prošlog veka i među njima se za kratko vreme razvija neraskidiva povezanost i međusobno razumevanje bez obzira na karakterne razlike.
Život ih razdvaja na različite strane, a kada Flo počne da čita knjigu koju je Lili pisala o njihovom tadašnjem životu i prijateljstvu, vremeplov uspomena vodi je u prošlosti, oživljava dugo skrivane tajne i ona poželi da dopuni priču poglavljem koje nedostaje Lili, sa verzijom kraja koji je ona proživela, a koja ih je razdvojila.
Kroz roman u romanu opisan u poglavljima "Kakve smo nekada bile", dobijamo Lilinu verziju prošlosti, a za Floinu čitamo do kraja sve do njihovog ponovnog susreta, sve do šanse za završetak priče, iskupljenje, oproštaj, novi početak starog prijateljstva.
Istovremeno sa njihovom pričom, u romanu čitamo i o kompleksnom odnosu majke i ćerke, Karle i Alis, njihovom životnom putu, sopstvenim borbama, prevazilaženju trauma, udaljenosti, putu ka ponovnoj bliskosti. U svemu tome Flo igra važnu ulogu i pomaže im da spoznaju sopstvene vrednosti i mogućnosti.
Glavni problem sa ovim romanom bio je taj što mi nije držao pažnju dovoljno da ga ne ispuštam iz ruku, pa sam pravila duge pauze u čitanju. Često bih zatekla sebe da osećam malu dozu dosade prilikom čitanja, ali kada me priča uvuče, zapravo shvatim koliko lepote u njoj ima.
Na kraju, ipak dobijamo lepu priču o snazi žene, borbi za sopstvene želje i snove u vremenu kada je ženi predodređen život domaćice bez prava na ambicije i sopstvene potrebe. Pomalo feministički, ovaj roman nam daje lekcije korisne za današnjicu, da je bitno ostati svoj, prihvatiti sebe kakvi jesmo, da nije cilj uklapati se već biti u miru sa sobom i zadovoljan sobom, zatim koliko je zapravo važno pratiti unutrašnji glas, spoznati sebe, posvetiti se sebi, ali i koliko je važan i komplikovan zadatak biti roditelj, istovremeno prevazilazeći sopstvene strahove.
Negde između 3 i 4 🌟 bih dala ovoj priči, iz gore pomenutih razloga o rasipanju pa��nje, ali imate preporuku ukoliko ste ljubitelj životnih priča o pravom prijateljstvu i ženskoj borbi.
October 30, 2022
3.5 rounded up to 4 - really enjoyable dual timeline and it was a rarity to not only not be about war but also much more about friendship than romance.
I particularly enjoyed the "now" and Flo's story, and how she mentored and cared for young (well, teen) Alice. The then and now were clearly linked and it was easy keeping up between the 2 timelines. Liked the ending and how it wrapped up.
I particularly enjoyed the "now" and Flo's story, and how she mentored and cared for young (well, teen) Alice. The then and now were clearly linked and it was easy keeping up between the 2 timelines. Liked the ending and how it wrapped up.
August 6, 2023
3.5 rounded up to 4.
I liked the dual timeline, with the past represented in form of a novella and the locations, particularly in France.
Perhaps a bit slow to get started; this is a meander not a marathon.
A satisfying and easy read.
I liked the dual timeline, with the past represented in form of a novella and the locations, particularly in France.
Perhaps a bit slow to get started; this is a meander not a marathon.
A satisfying and easy read.
August 14, 2023
An enjoyable, dual time-lined book about friendship, secrets and life long burdens. A slow start but it picked up as it went on.
August 19, 2022
The Lost Chapter by Caroline Bishop is a brilliant novel that has the ability to sweep the world away as you read it.
The dual timeline narrative of The Lost Chapter allows you to see just how much the world has changed in a relatively short period. In 1957, we see out protagonist Florence as a young woman having to learn the ways of the world and live up to the expectations her privileged upbringing requires. In our second timeline, we see Florence as an old woman – wiser, more experienced and trying to impart guidance and help to those around her all the while trying to keep her own secrets from being revealed.
The Lost Chapter is a joy of a novel and one that really is unputdownable. Usually with a dual timeline novel there is a preference of era and I hunger for more of that narrative thread but both of the timelines had me thirsty for more. I wanted to read it as fast as I could and yet I didn’t want it to end. The Lost Chapter was such a glorious read.
The Lost Chapter by Caroline Bishop is available now.
The dual timeline narrative of The Lost Chapter allows you to see just how much the world has changed in a relatively short period. In 1957, we see out protagonist Florence as a young woman having to learn the ways of the world and live up to the expectations her privileged upbringing requires. In our second timeline, we see Florence as an old woman – wiser, more experienced and trying to impart guidance and help to those around her all the while trying to keep her own secrets from being revealed.
The Lost Chapter is a joy of a novel and one that really is unputdownable. Usually with a dual timeline novel there is a preference of era and I hunger for more of that narrative thread but both of the timelines had me thirsty for more. I wanted to read it as fast as I could and yet I didn’t want it to end. The Lost Chapter was such a glorious read.
The Lost Chapter by Caroline Bishop is available now.
June 14, 2022
Another book about books – my favourite! Although I should mention that the titular book is a plot device, rather than a major theme. But this reference certainly piqued my interest, which shot this novel to the top of an otherwise teetering pile of historical fiction. The Lost Chapter by Caroline Bishop is a pleasant, plot-driven novel that details the short but impactful friendship of two young women in the 1950s while at a finishing school in France. When one of them writes a book about their time together, it prompts a spontaneous road trip. Aside from a few quibbles, it’s an enjoyable novel that whisked me away from a rainy Calgary spring.
Plot Summary
Flo is in her 80s, living in the UK and happy to spend her remaining days working in her studio making lino prints for sale in the local shop, and puttering around with her cat and dog by her side. She’s lived a fulfilling life, seizing the moments when they came, and finding true love with a man who died a few years ago. She hires a local girl Alice to help walk her dog, and they strike up an unlikely friendship. Alice is struggling with PTSD as she witnessed her best friend get struck and killed by a drunk driver only two years before, so she is racked by anxiety, and Flo wants to try to help her out of this painful loop. But when Flo finds a book at a local store written by a long-lost friend of hers, loosely based on their year of finishing school in France back in 1958, Flo becomes the one in need of help. With a desire to reunite and make amends she decides to go on a road trip back to France to seek out her old friend, bringing Alice and her mother with her to help face their own troubles along the way.
My Thoughts
We meet Flo in the present-day within her first-person chapters, along with Alice and her mother Carla, also written in the first person. Interspersed between their own accounts are chapters of the book that Flo finds, re-telling the story of that one fateful year in France. We come to learn it’s not a completely accurate re-telling of their year together, but the real story slowly emerges as Flo reads through the book realizing the artistic liberties her friend utilizes. The story within the story narration is done well as it naturally builds up tension to reveal what happened ‘that fateful day’, and although the eventual disclosure is somewhat unbelievable, it doesn’t detract from the power of the story. The chemistry between all the characters is what drives the story forward; their interactions and the results of their time together, rather than discovering what happened decades ago. Many readers are tired of the ‘that day’ trope (as am I) but it’s important to note it’s not relied on too heavily for the story to still work.
One thing I most appreciated was its analysis of what a ‘good life’ is, and the pressure on women to follow a certain path. Because Flo attended a finishing school in 1958, its focus at that time was preparing young women for a life of marriage. But Flo’s friend Lilli (the author) is completely resistant to this shaping of her future towards marriage only, frequently escaping school grounds in search of adventure. Lilli is aware of society’s expectations, but rebels against them, opting to follow her own path, no matter how difficult it looks – especially in a time when being an independent woman is not considered a positive thing. When they meet, Flo is essentially in an arranged marriage by that point, but their friendship points them in different directions once they part, and it’s this change of events that prompts Flo to guide Alice in her troubles decades later. Interestingly, Alice is only 18, but even in this present-day she too feels pushed into being someone she is not, resistant to what those around her expect. While the standards have changed slightly, there is still a box that young women are expected to mold themselves into it where the end result is usually the same: marriage and kids before 40.
My only quibble with this book (and it is a very tiny one) is that Flo and Lilli’s names are different in the fictionalized tale of their time in France, and because the book is told from the point of view opposite of Flo, my brain had a bit of difficult time switching back and forth between the present and past. Flo’s character in the book is so different than the present-day version we are introduced to, it felt like mental acrobatics at some point. I managed through it, but this seemed like an unnecessary challenge that didn’t serve to move the plot along. Other than that, this was a smooth and enjoyable novel to get lost in, with some timely observations that readers of all generations will identify with.
To read the rest of my reviews, please visit my blog:
https://ivereadthis.com/
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Plot Summary
Flo is in her 80s, living in the UK and happy to spend her remaining days working in her studio making lino prints for sale in the local shop, and puttering around with her cat and dog by her side. She’s lived a fulfilling life, seizing the moments when they came, and finding true love with a man who died a few years ago. She hires a local girl Alice to help walk her dog, and they strike up an unlikely friendship. Alice is struggling with PTSD as she witnessed her best friend get struck and killed by a drunk driver only two years before, so she is racked by anxiety, and Flo wants to try to help her out of this painful loop. But when Flo finds a book at a local store written by a long-lost friend of hers, loosely based on their year of finishing school in France back in 1958, Flo becomes the one in need of help. With a desire to reunite and make amends she decides to go on a road trip back to France to seek out her old friend, bringing Alice and her mother with her to help face their own troubles along the way.
My Thoughts
We meet Flo in the present-day within her first-person chapters, along with Alice and her mother Carla, also written in the first person. Interspersed between their own accounts are chapters of the book that Flo finds, re-telling the story of that one fateful year in France. We come to learn it’s not a completely accurate re-telling of their year together, but the real story slowly emerges as Flo reads through the book realizing the artistic liberties her friend utilizes. The story within the story narration is done well as it naturally builds up tension to reveal what happened ‘that fateful day’, and although the eventual disclosure is somewhat unbelievable, it doesn’t detract from the power of the story. The chemistry between all the characters is what drives the story forward; their interactions and the results of their time together, rather than discovering what happened decades ago. Many readers are tired of the ‘that day’ trope (as am I) but it’s important to note it’s not relied on too heavily for the story to still work.
One thing I most appreciated was its analysis of what a ‘good life’ is, and the pressure on women to follow a certain path. Because Flo attended a finishing school in 1958, its focus at that time was preparing young women for a life of marriage. But Flo’s friend Lilli (the author) is completely resistant to this shaping of her future towards marriage only, frequently escaping school grounds in search of adventure. Lilli is aware of society’s expectations, but rebels against them, opting to follow her own path, no matter how difficult it looks – especially in a time when being an independent woman is not considered a positive thing. When they meet, Flo is essentially in an arranged marriage by that point, but their friendship points them in different directions once they part, and it’s this change of events that prompts Flo to guide Alice in her troubles decades later. Interestingly, Alice is only 18, but even in this present-day she too feels pushed into being someone she is not, resistant to what those around her expect. While the standards have changed slightly, there is still a box that young women are expected to mold themselves into it where the end result is usually the same: marriage and kids before 40.
My only quibble with this book (and it is a very tiny one) is that Flo and Lilli’s names are different in the fictionalized tale of their time in France, and because the book is told from the point of view opposite of Flo, my brain had a bit of difficult time switching back and forth between the present and past. Flo’s character in the book is so different than the present-day version we are introduced to, it felt like mental acrobatics at some point. I managed through it, but this seemed like an unnecessary challenge that didn’t serve to move the plot along. Other than that, this was a smooth and enjoyable novel to get lost in, with some timely observations that readers of all generations will identify with.
To read the rest of my reviews, please visit my blog:
https://ivereadthis.com/
Sign up for my newsletter here: https://ivereadthis.com/subscribe/
Or follow me on social media!
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Read
July 6, 2022no rating as I didn't get far in the book. Got confused by the changing names, guess that was the book within a book concept! I guess I was only in the mood for one book at a time LOL
March 8, 2022
A really slow , dull read . I thought the two timelines and the setting of paris was going to keep my interest but the story for me was lacklustre as the characters had no real definition for me to like them .
August 13, 2022
One of those books you can't put down but don't want to end. 💞
April 24, 2022
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Caroline Bishop’s The Lost Chapter is a complex, captivating and beautifully crafted tale of love, friendship and secrets perfect for curling up with.
When Florence and Lili met at a finishing school in France in the 1950s, they immediately became firm friends. Although the two girls couldn’t be more different, Florence and Lili’s friendship was rock solid and they believed that they would be in each other’s lives until they both drew their last breath. Unfortunately, fate had other ideas in store for them when a horrific betrayal decimated their friendship and the two of them ended up going their separate ways.
Many years later, Florence has left boarding school behind and is now living in England where she has blossomed into a bold, creative and independent woman who has the world at her feet. Despite of the way their friendship had ended, Florence has never forgotten the way Lili had helped her to stop hiding in the shadows and to step out of her shell and when she befriends a young woman called Alice, who is troubled by her own insecurities and is haunted by a recent harrowing trauma, Florence steps in to help her in the same way her old friend did. Yet, little does Florence realise that she is going to reconnect with her childhood best friend in a most surprising manner.
When Florence discovers that Lili had written a book based on their experiences at school, she realises that she cannot keep running away from the past. As old secrets and past betrayals come to light, will decades-old resentments and lingering shadows from their younger days ever be put to rest? Can Florence and Lili forge forward into the future? Or will the past continue to exert its malevolent hold over the two of them?
Caroline Bishop’s The Lost Chapter is a brilliantly layered and highly involving tale that explores female friendship, devastating betrayals and powerful secrets in a heartfelt and engaging manner. Caroline Bishop creates wonderfully drawn characters that leap off the pages and Florence and Lili are nuanced, flawed and sophisticated protagonists that will immediately draw readers into their world.
An intriguing, dramatic and gorgeously constructed novel from a terrific storyteller, Caroline Bishop’s The Lost Chapter is storytelling at its finest.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Caroline Bishop’s The Lost Chapter is a complex, captivating and beautifully crafted tale of love, friendship and secrets perfect for curling up with.
When Florence and Lili met at a finishing school in France in the 1950s, they immediately became firm friends. Although the two girls couldn’t be more different, Florence and Lili’s friendship was rock solid and they believed that they would be in each other’s lives until they both drew their last breath. Unfortunately, fate had other ideas in store for them when a horrific betrayal decimated their friendship and the two of them ended up going their separate ways.
Many years later, Florence has left boarding school behind and is now living in England where she has blossomed into a bold, creative and independent woman who has the world at her feet. Despite of the way their friendship had ended, Florence has never forgotten the way Lili had helped her to stop hiding in the shadows and to step out of her shell and when she befriends a young woman called Alice, who is troubled by her own insecurities and is haunted by a recent harrowing trauma, Florence steps in to help her in the same way her old friend did. Yet, little does Florence realise that she is going to reconnect with her childhood best friend in a most surprising manner.
When Florence discovers that Lili had written a book based on their experiences at school, she realises that she cannot keep running away from the past. As old secrets and past betrayals come to light, will decades-old resentments and lingering shadows from their younger days ever be put to rest? Can Florence and Lili forge forward into the future? Or will the past continue to exert its malevolent hold over the two of them?
Caroline Bishop’s The Lost Chapter is a brilliantly layered and highly involving tale that explores female friendship, devastating betrayals and powerful secrets in a heartfelt and engaging manner. Caroline Bishop creates wonderfully drawn characters that leap off the pages and Florence and Lili are nuanced, flawed and sophisticated protagonists that will immediately draw readers into their world.
An intriguing, dramatic and gorgeously constructed novel from a terrific storyteller, Caroline Bishop’s The Lost Chapter is storytelling at its finest.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
June 6, 2022
The Lost Chapter, Caroline Bishop, slips easily between present day England and France in the late 1950's. Eighty year old Florence Carter, a talented artist, spends her days in the company of her devoted pets, crafting her intricate and sought-after Lino prints. She has lived an interesting and fulfilling life, but Florence is not without painful regrets. Then two things happen in sequence, shy traumatized Alice, a neighbour's daughter, begins her little job, walking Flo's grateful dog, Ernie. Shortly thereafter Flo discovers her long-lost best friend, Lilli, has written a novel, based on their time in finishing school. Readily inspired to encourage and nurture lovely Alice, Flo soon realizes that she must also be brave and confront a deep dark secret from her past. Eventually she decides to embark on a road trip to France to find Lilli. She takes along nervous Alice, and Alice's over cautious mother, Carla. Can three generations of women (almost strangers) and one dog, manage such an emotionally charged adventure while bringing out the best in each other? Enjoy, it's a good one! Gwendolyn Broadmore, author, Life Came to a Standstill.
August 1, 2022
A lovely feel good story, set in 1958 and present time. Flo and Lenny are in boarding school together in France in 1958. Today Flo is an 80 year old living along in a tiny village in England with a cat and dog. Alice is a teenager who is a terrible worrier as is her mum Carla. Alice gets a job walking Flo’s dog and learns alot about her and not that she is just an old lady. Alice. Flo and Carla become friends and start an adventure of their own. There are two stories lines which come together. Its thoroughly enjoyable.
November 7, 2023
Ztracená kapitola od Caroline Bishop je skvělým čtenářským zážitkem, který má co říci zejména čtenářkám všech věkových kategorií. Je to kniha, která má potenciál změnit životy mnohých z nás. Máte obavy vykročit ze zajetých kolejí? Bojíte se výzev? Přečtěte si tuto knihu a nechte se přeprogramovat. Je to velmi milé čtení, které čtenáře pobaví, vykouzlí úsměv na tváři, ale i dojme. Po jazykové i grafické stránce je to povedené dílo. Doporučuji všem romantickým duším, ale i těm čtenářům, kteří v sobě mají zábrany a rádi by se jich zbavili.
December 1, 2023
Na knihu jsem se moc těšila, protože mám knihy, které jsou psané (vyprávěné) ve dvou časových rovinách moc ráda, ale s touhle knihou jsem to tak bohužel ze začátku neměla. Nešlo mi se do příběhu začíst. Přišel mi nezáživný a rozvláčný. Až za druhou polovinou knihy se mi mé vnímání knihy mnohem zlepšilo a četlo daleko lépe a byla jsem konečně i zvědavá, co přinesou další stránky, ale předtím jsem chvílemi uvažovala i o odložení knihy. Ke konci příběhu mě už příběh "vábil" a četl se hezky. Moc se mi líbil dojímavý konec, který mi napravil ten můj "rozpolcený" začátek.
July 8, 2022
This is a book within a book. In 1958 Florence, a British society girl meets Lilli, an American girl at a finishing school in Lyon. Lilli is a rebellious girl, chafing at the school's restrictions and Florence has been raised to follow rules. Their story is loosely told in a novel by Lilli, called Lenny in her novel. In the present, Flo is an 80 year old woman who takes a shy, anxious girl named Alice under her wing. This is a novel about friendship, regrets and seizing the day. Loved it
October 5, 2023
It's possible that I'm exaggerating my rating because it's set largely in Lyon and I wanted to revisit my favorite city even if only in fiction. But it is truly a sweet, lovely book about family and friends who become family, and about learning how to not give a f**k, and about the value of learning that lesson while you're young enough to enjoy it. It made me smile, and also made me want to eat quenelles.
February 20, 2024
Florence and Lilli were friends together at school in Paris in the late 50s. They haven’t spoken in over 60 years, but Lilli’s newly published novel tells a story similar to one they experienced together before everything went so wrong between them. Florence, and her dog-walker friend Alice (who has her own challenges) begin to work through their troubles individually and together in this delightful novel.
August 5, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. I do like a dual timeline.
Flo was just wonderful. Such a great character. I was so pleased that she managed to track Lilli down in France. I think their personalities were a great match. A bolshy American and a very ‘English’ debutant.
I’m looking forward to reading The Other Daughter by this author.
Flo was just wonderful. Such a great character. I was so pleased that she managed to track Lilli down in France. I think their personalities were a great match. A bolshy American and a very ‘English’ debutant.
I’m looking forward to reading The Other Daughter by this author.
May 2, 2024
Contains spoilers
I felt this one in my bones. From being someone who's become more anxious as they've got older especially in social situations to when I was about Alice's age.. my mother also read the journal I kept. Reading that and what happened afterwards was strangely cathartic. This read was one I didn't know I needed, but it was healing. I loved it.
I felt this one in my bones. From being someone who's become more anxious as they've got older especially in social situations to when I was about Alice's age.. my mother also read the journal I kept. Reading that and what happened afterwards was strangely cathartic. This read was one I didn't know I needed, but it was healing. I loved it.
June 23, 2024
I wanted a fresh, beautiful, touching story... and that's what I got reading this book. It had depth, it had heart, and it had hope. I felt for Alice and her Mum Carla. I liked both Florence and Lilli's characters. I would recommend reading this book to anyone who wants an easy read about friendship and family and all that comes with it.
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