emilybookedup's Reviews > The Book of Lost Names

finished this on audio and really enjoyed it! giving it 4 stars because it didn’t grab me enough to listen to it every waking second like some other audios have, but still highly recommend.

i say this every time i read historical fiction, but my favorite thing about historical fiction is how much it teaches and educates me. i feel like i know a lot about World War II, and then i read another book that shows me a totally different side and allows me to learn so much more about this extremely important piece of history ❤️

this book was definitely more on the religious side of some World War II historical fiction books that i’ve read, but i really liked how the author wove in faith throughout a lot of the main characters’ journeys and decision-making process.

another one of my favorite things about historical fiction is how inspiring it is. i’m always so inspired by all of the people willing to risk their lives and work for the resistance and through underground channels in order to help save other people that were total strangers. it seriously makes me emotional every time 🥲 and they were so CREATIVE with it too, all the coding and secrecy is so impressive.

i also liked the narrator. this book starts slow, but after you hit about 30-35% and the MC starts to get involved in the resistance, it really picks up.

also of course, love love loved this ending. but it wasn’t without heartbreak along the way🥹

TLDR; learned a lot, recommend it! i can see why this was so popular among readers when it released.

two of my favorite quotes:

“they are erasing us, and we are helping them. but someone should remember. how else will their parents find them?”

“evil doesn’t live here anymore. this is just a place and the people around me are just people. and isn’t that the moral of the story anyhow? you can’t judge people by their language or place of origin. though it seems that each new generation insists upon learning that lesson for itself.”