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Linda’s Book Obsession Reviews “The Book of Lost Friends” by Lisa Wingate, Ballantine, April 7, 2020
WOW! Lisa Wingate has written an amazing, intriguing, riveting, captivating, and memorial novel. The Genres for this novel are Historical Fiction and Fiction. Lisa Wingate is an amazing storyteller and writer and vividly describes the history, characters, events, and landscape in her novel. There are two timelines in this story. One is in Louisiana in 1875, and the other is in Louisiana in 1987. There are other places that are mentioned in this story. The author describes her dramatic characters as complex, and complicated. There are both good and evil people and events in this story. There are dark secrets that affect generations of people. Both timelines are like pieces of a puzzle and ultimately connect.
The first time-line for this story describes the post Civil War period when some slaves were supposed to own the land that they have worked on, facing opposition from other people. During this time, there is a newspaper that charges 50 cents to an individual for the opportunity to find family and friends, that had been separated. They can write a post about who they are looking for. Three young women, Hannie, Lavina, and Juneau Jane travel to Texas, each looking for something important and dear to their hearts. Hannie wants to find her mother, and family. Both Lavina and Juneau Jane and are searching for their father to determine their inheritance. Along the way, there is the danger of animals, people who take the law in their hands,, bandits, thieves, Indians, soldiers, and the FBI They are facing danger, threats, and death. As they travel, the woman start to write in a book with,people looking for their family and friends.
In 1987, Benny is a new teacher with a diverse student population, and few supplies. The people in the town seem quirky and reluctant to share information with the new teacher. There are deep dark secrets. Benny does find some hidden books and information that will change many of these people’s lives.
I loved everything about this poignant and thought-provoking novel and highly recommend this to readers who enjoy Historical Fiction.
Linda's Book Obsession: 