It is a rarity that fictional stories of Holocaust survivors ever focus on the reality of what happens to them throughout the rest of their lives. I suppose this is where the intrigue came in as I read the novel The Lost Family. To catch a glimpse of what it could have been like for some survivors as they navigate postwar life was eye-opening, to say the least. PTSD must’ve been all-encompassing for these victims, and it was certainly something that most people were vastly ill-informed about. So, from this perspective, Jenna Blum certainly wrote a unique novel.
However, I struggled with the direction the novel took. While I understand that the author was dealing with some ugly truths, there was a rather disturbing section of this book, that truly gave me pause on continuing along. I struggled with her bringing this particular subject matter into the novel, as it felt a bit disconnected from the initial vein of the story. Though I cannot divulge the specifics for fear of revealing spoilers, I will say that it took a strong stomach to get through Elsbeth’s narration. In addition, Ms. Blum added several gratuitous sexual encounters throughout June's narration, that seemed counterintuitive from what she was trying to accomplish.
On another note, I must admit that this story took some very unexpected turns! While I pride myself on being able to discern the outcome of a book, the plot was so devious, that there were several moments where I was left aghast.
My favorite part of the novel was Peter’s story. I felt as though I came to know him best, and he became like an old friend, for whom I felt tremendous sympathy.
The ending left me somewhat disappointed. It was wrapped up in the manner of an author trying to meet a deadline, and I was hoping for a much more satisfying conclusion. This is not to say that questions were left unanswered, but it just seemed a bit rushed.
Many thanks to Harper Collins for gifting me with this book in exchange for an honest review.
Read 6/25/2018
No comments:
Post a Comment