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The Lost Diary
A wartime secret. A heartbreaking choice. A promise that cost her everything…
German-occupied territory, 1945. Tearing open the envelope, Katja studies every line and letter on the map. She wills herself to memorise it, copying every detail onto scraps of paper in the flickering candlelight. She’d nearly been caught delivering the letters by the SS that afternoon. Picturing Karl’s handsome face, her chest tightens. They’re in this together. But if she’s caught, what will happen to the baby?
London, present day. Jo is at a crossroads in her own life in her cosy bungalow on the edge of beautiful Hampstead Heath. Clearing out her mother, Katja’s, empty home, Jo’s world is turned upside down when she discovers a small, dog-eared diary stuffed into the back of a tiny kitchen cupboard. And tucked within its pages is a ripped, yellowed envelope with an unfamiliar, faded postmark. As she scans the scrawled handwriting, Jo can scarcely believe her eyes…
What really happened to that tiny baby all those years ago? And will this long-lost diary finally give Jo the answers to everything she’s been searching for?
Based on an incredible true story, The Lost Diary is a gripping and unforgettable tale about forbidden love and family secrets in World War Two. Fans of The Letter, The Nightingale and We Were the Lucky Ones will be utterly swept away.
German-occupied territory, 1945. Tearing open the envelope, Katja studies every line and letter on the map. She wills herself to memorise it, copying every detail onto scraps of paper in the flickering candlelight. She’d nearly been caught delivering the letters by the SS that afternoon. Picturing Karl’s handsome face, her chest tightens. They’re in this together. But if she’s caught, what will happen to the baby?
London, present day. Jo is at a crossroads in her own life in her cosy bungalow on the edge of beautiful Hampstead Heath. Clearing out her mother, Katja’s, empty home, Jo’s world is turned upside down when she discovers a small, dog-eared diary stuffed into the back of a tiny kitchen cupboard. And tucked within its pages is a ripped, yellowed envelope with an unfamiliar, faded postmark. As she scans the scrawled handwriting, Jo can scarcely believe her eyes…
What really happened to that tiny baby all those years ago? And will this long-lost diary finally give Jo the answers to everything she’s been searching for?
Based on an incredible true story, The Lost Diary is a gripping and unforgettable tale about forbidden love and family secrets in World War Two. Fans of The Letter, The Nightingale and We Were the Lucky Ones will be utterly swept away.
412 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 31, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
September 15, 2025
Have you ever kept a diary? On a continuous, long-term basis?
I’ve tried. It’s difficult. I can’t imagine living through the tumult of war and maintaining a record of how it felt, what you saw and heard and thought. I’m sure thankful, though, for those who reported their own experience during momentous times.
Based on a true story, The Lost Diary, reveals not only bravery in the face of war but the pain of making decisions with few options and little time to make them - ones that have unimaginable rippling effects.
When Jo sets aside her own challenges to help her mother post-surgery, she finds a diary hidden in a kitchen cupboard. This hidden secret links to a brave woman in Germany who risked it all to save herself and those she loved. All of a sudden Jo finds herself in a precarious situation; if she tells her mother about the diary, she could risk upsetting the healing process or worse, ruin their relationship. However, if she doesn’t, she’ll be riddled with guilt and ‘what ifs’ after time runs out to discuss it.
Alexander brings history alive for us through a diarist whose recordings give us a keen sense of the rich diversity of wartime experiences. She shows us that sometimes we need to visit the past to move on with the future.
Stuffed with secrets, intrigue, feelings of hopelessness and desperation, and living life on the edge, this wonderful piece of historical fiction spotlights those who were forced to make decisions they wouldn’t have made if they’d lived in another time and space. It was a heart-wrenching and extremely well-written read. I’ve just added a new author to my auto-read list!
I was gifted this copy by Bookouture and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
I’ve tried. It’s difficult. I can’t imagine living through the tumult of war and maintaining a record of how it felt, what you saw and heard and thought. I’m sure thankful, though, for those who reported their own experience during momentous times.
Based on a true story, The Lost Diary, reveals not only bravery in the face of war but the pain of making decisions with few options and little time to make them - ones that have unimaginable rippling effects.
When Jo sets aside her own challenges to help her mother post-surgery, she finds a diary hidden in a kitchen cupboard. This hidden secret links to a brave woman in Germany who risked it all to save herself and those she loved. All of a sudden Jo finds herself in a precarious situation; if she tells her mother about the diary, she could risk upsetting the healing process or worse, ruin their relationship. However, if she doesn’t, she’ll be riddled with guilt and ‘what ifs’ after time runs out to discuss it.
Alexander brings history alive for us through a diarist whose recordings give us a keen sense of the rich diversity of wartime experiences. She shows us that sometimes we need to visit the past to move on with the future.
Stuffed with secrets, intrigue, feelings of hopelessness and desperation, and living life on the edge, this wonderful piece of historical fiction spotlights those who were forced to make decisions they wouldn’t have made if they’d lived in another time and space. It was a heart-wrenching and extremely well-written read. I’ve just added a new author to my auto-read list!
I was gifted this copy by Bookouture and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
August 26, 2023
A beautiful story. So interesting and sad. The story was easy to get lost in which I did frequently. The caracters were lovely and very interesting. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.
August 31, 2023
Goodreads is not displaying the cover for this book yet but it is gorgeous, and deceiving. Such a beautiful cover for a devastating story set in World War II. This book hit me like a sledgehammer. Told in dual timelines, Germany 1943 and London 1994, we learn of Katje's wartime experiences as she tells them to her adult daughter for the very first time. In the same timeframe, Jo found a diary belonging to her father Lou, now deceased, that detail his years as a POW. She was completely unaware of any of this family history although she is almost 50 years old.
To say that reading what Katje and Lou endured was gut-wrenching is an understatement. Lou suffered through the Long March in January 1945, when the POWs were forced to walk many hundreds of miles through Poland and Germany to Berlin. Katje was also forced to walk from her safe haven in the Sudetenland back to Berlin. Her nightmare continued in Berlin as it was occupied by the Russians. There were times when I just had to put this book down and take a break from the despair. On the plus side, this book has the most beautiful love letter you will ever read as well as the most heartwarming reunion between Lou and his elderly dog, Ruby.
There is a theme of shame and secrets that threads its way from the very first page to the last one, how both will weigh you down. But there is also a message of forgiveness, acceptance, and finally letting it all go allows you the grace to live the life you deserve. It was a privilege to read this one. It really was. My parents were also indelibly marked by World War II, as was a whole generation.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read the ARC. All opinions and the review are my own.
To say that reading what Katje and Lou endured was gut-wrenching is an understatement. Lou suffered through the Long March in January 1945, when the POWs were forced to walk many hundreds of miles through Poland and Germany to Berlin. Katje was also forced to walk from her safe haven in the Sudetenland back to Berlin. Her nightmare continued in Berlin as it was occupied by the Russians. There were times when I just had to put this book down and take a break from the despair. On the plus side, this book has the most beautiful love letter you will ever read as well as the most heartwarming reunion between Lou and his elderly dog, Ruby.
There is a theme of shame and secrets that threads its way from the very first page to the last one, how both will weigh you down. But there is also a message of forgiveness, acceptance, and finally letting it all go allows you the grace to live the life you deserve. It was a privilege to read this one. It really was. My parents were also indelibly marked by World War II, as was a whole generation.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read the ARC. All opinions and the review are my own.
September 1, 2023
To my shame, there are times when I’ve felt I might be tiring of reading about wartime experiences – however harrowing and moving the stories, they do begin to blend into each other, and sometimes fail to have the individual impact they deserve. And then a book like this one comes along – based on the true stories of family members, a perspective that was so totally different, beautifully written, and unlike anything I’ve ever read before. It’s a substantial read, but entirely consumed me from beginning to end – its focus on the shame and secrets of the individuals at the story’s heart, the harrowing emotional content, the heart-breaking episodes so vividly and sensitively described, and the acceptance and need for forgiveness that wraps it all together.
1994, and Jo is in the midst of a difficult divorce, facing the possible loss of her home – but also caring for mother Katja who is recuperating after an operation, while the builders make some long overdue improvements to her flat. Their relationship has never been a particularly warm one – and although she knows her mother and father met in Berlin soon after the end of WW2, the detail about her life before then is something her mother has never shared. With the fiftieth anniversary of VE day approaching, a journalist is looking for people’s stories about their wartime experience, with an exhibition planned at the Imperial War Museum – and Jo’s daughter suggests, to help them pass their time together, that she asks Katja about her story. But what particularly drives Jo’s interest is a discovery behind the fireplace removed by the builders – a withered flower wrapped in a scrap of paper, with a German inscription of the words “For her”.
Reluctantly at first, Katja does share her story – of finding herself a young widow with a new baby in 1943 Berlin, fleeing with a compassionate neighbour to the relative safety of Sudetenland, where she found work at a home for injured German officers. Her story is one of survival – at first a naive young mother caught up in activities she doesn’t fully understand, with an edge of considerable danger, only eclipsed by the brutality of the Russian advance. The decision follows that Germans in Sudetenland must make the difficult journey home, in Katja’s case to a Berlin now being heavily bombarded by the Allies. But this book isn’t only Katja’s story – the builders also unearth a diary, written by Jo’s English father Lou, a prisoner of war at Sagan, forced to evacuate the camp as the Russians advanced and to undertake the horror of the Long March across Germany.
Both their stories are immensely powerful, laced with hardship and brutality, with moments that become very difficult to read – heartbreaking, quite wonderfully told, following the lives of individuals enduring the most horrendous experiences. It was so unusual to have the privilege of seeing wartime from the perspective of the German people – and to be reminded that many were not Nazis but ordinary people just trying to live their lives. While many of the atrocities within their accounts were painfully familiar, there was a lot about their experiences – particularly the forced mass migration – that I was shamefully unaware of. I found that the expulsion from Sudetenland and the PoWs’ Long March are both well documented – I really had to do some of my own research too – but the strength of this book is the way the author follows the personal stories and makes the reader part of the individuals’ lives. Based on real experiences, this is also, of course, a work of fiction – and within Katja’s story, there are a number of long hidden secrets slowly revealed, making this an even more intensely moving and compelling read.
And I must say a word about the book’s construction, which I particularly enjoyed. A certain proportion of the story is Jo’s own – her daughter’s impending marriage, the issues around her home and divorce, a possible change of personal direction – and I did think at first that it might rather slow the pace. But it really doesn’t – it provides a necessary framework for the two unfolding wartime stories (and the change of voice does provide some welcome breathing space when things get a little too much). And I really liked the way the stories were brought together at the end – with a greater self-knowledge and understanding, and an uplifting note for the future.
This is such an important book, and an exceptional piece of writing – it might well be one of my books of the year. Stunning, and quite unforgettable – and highly recommended to all.
1994, and Jo is in the midst of a difficult divorce, facing the possible loss of her home – but also caring for mother Katja who is recuperating after an operation, while the builders make some long overdue improvements to her flat. Their relationship has never been a particularly warm one – and although she knows her mother and father met in Berlin soon after the end of WW2, the detail about her life before then is something her mother has never shared. With the fiftieth anniversary of VE day approaching, a journalist is looking for people’s stories about their wartime experience, with an exhibition planned at the Imperial War Museum – and Jo’s daughter suggests, to help them pass their time together, that she asks Katja about her story. But what particularly drives Jo’s interest is a discovery behind the fireplace removed by the builders – a withered flower wrapped in a scrap of paper, with a German inscription of the words “For her”.
Reluctantly at first, Katja does share her story – of finding herself a young widow with a new baby in 1943 Berlin, fleeing with a compassionate neighbour to the relative safety of Sudetenland, where she found work at a home for injured German officers. Her story is one of survival – at first a naive young mother caught up in activities she doesn’t fully understand, with an edge of considerable danger, only eclipsed by the brutality of the Russian advance. The decision follows that Germans in Sudetenland must make the difficult journey home, in Katja’s case to a Berlin now being heavily bombarded by the Allies. But this book isn’t only Katja’s story – the builders also unearth a diary, written by Jo’s English father Lou, a prisoner of war at Sagan, forced to evacuate the camp as the Russians advanced and to undertake the horror of the Long March across Germany.
Both their stories are immensely powerful, laced with hardship and brutality, with moments that become very difficult to read – heartbreaking, quite wonderfully told, following the lives of individuals enduring the most horrendous experiences. It was so unusual to have the privilege of seeing wartime from the perspective of the German people – and to be reminded that many were not Nazis but ordinary people just trying to live their lives. While many of the atrocities within their accounts were painfully familiar, there was a lot about their experiences – particularly the forced mass migration – that I was shamefully unaware of. I found that the expulsion from Sudetenland and the PoWs’ Long March are both well documented – I really had to do some of my own research too – but the strength of this book is the way the author follows the personal stories and makes the reader part of the individuals’ lives. Based on real experiences, this is also, of course, a work of fiction – and within Katja’s story, there are a number of long hidden secrets slowly revealed, making this an even more intensely moving and compelling read.
And I must say a word about the book’s construction, which I particularly enjoyed. A certain proportion of the story is Jo’s own – her daughter’s impending marriage, the issues around her home and divorce, a possible change of personal direction – and I did think at first that it might rather slow the pace. But it really doesn’t – it provides a necessary framework for the two unfolding wartime stories (and the change of voice does provide some welcome breathing space when things get a little too much). And I really liked the way the stories were brought together at the end – with a greater self-knowledge and understanding, and an uplifting note for the future.
This is such an important book, and an exceptional piece of writing – it might well be one of my books of the year. Stunning, and quite unforgettable – and highly recommended to all.
August 12, 2023
What a truly heartbreaking duel timeline story. The timeframe is 1994 London and the 1940’s in Germany. The story is told in alternating chapters of past and present.
The story revolves around one woman’s life as she tries to keep herself and her little son safe during the horrors and adversities of World War II.
The Lost Diary shares hope and bravery. And, shows us that sharing the past and confronting past secrets can be freeing.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
The story revolves around one woman’s life as she tries to keep herself and her little son safe during the horrors and adversities of World War II.
The Lost Diary shares hope and bravery. And, shows us that sharing the past and confronting past secrets can be freeing.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
September 2, 2023
London, 1994.
Jo is a woman in her late forties. Her life is at a crossroads: her children are grown up with partners of their own, while she’s undergoing a divorce with her ex, Ed, who’s got a new girlfriend and demands cash for their family home.
Jo’s mother, Katja, has had an operation and is currently recuperating in the hospital. Katja is German, she came to Britain in 1949 with her British husband, Lou, and young Jo. She’s always been tight lipped about the past and wouldn’t speak of the war days.
While Katja is in the hospital, her flat is being renovated. One day, when Jo is there to inspect the progress, she finds an old journal, which belonged to her late father.
Startled by the discovery, she asks Katja about it. This unleashes something in her mother, as she starts to relay to Jo what happened during the war.
I absolutely loved this book. It’s probably one of the best historical novels set during the WWII that I’ve read so far (and I’ve read loads). It gives an insight into what life was like for the Germans during the war. Not the Nazis or the German elite who had everything, but the everyday German people.
The author vividly describes the devastation caused by the war, the bombings. There are horrific depictions of various diseases raging all over Germany and the lack of medicine or the medical care. Oh, and the hunger!! I could feel Katja’s hunger as she was scouring for food around Berlin.
I liked how Katja and Jo grew closer together during the story. Katja felt a deep sense of shame over what happened – she really shouldn’t, as she did what ever mother would have done. Jo was searching for herself and I’m glad she found some peace in the end.
Overall, it’s a beautiful, but harrowing story. Very well researched. Perfect for all fans of historical fiction.
Jo is a woman in her late forties. Her life is at a crossroads: her children are grown up with partners of their own, while she’s undergoing a divorce with her ex, Ed, who’s got a new girlfriend and demands cash for their family home.
Jo’s mother, Katja, has had an operation and is currently recuperating in the hospital. Katja is German, she came to Britain in 1949 with her British husband, Lou, and young Jo. She’s always been tight lipped about the past and wouldn’t speak of the war days.
While Katja is in the hospital, her flat is being renovated. One day, when Jo is there to inspect the progress, she finds an old journal, which belonged to her late father.
Startled by the discovery, she asks Katja about it. This unleashes something in her mother, as she starts to relay to Jo what happened during the war.
I absolutely loved this book. It’s probably one of the best historical novels set during the WWII that I’ve read so far (and I’ve read loads). It gives an insight into what life was like for the Germans during the war. Not the Nazis or the German elite who had everything, but the everyday German people.
The author vividly describes the devastation caused by the war, the bombings. There are horrific depictions of various diseases raging all over Germany and the lack of medicine or the medical care. Oh, and the hunger!! I could feel Katja’s hunger as she was scouring for food around Berlin.
I liked how Katja and Jo grew closer together during the story. Katja felt a deep sense of shame over what happened – she really shouldn’t, as she did what ever mother would have done. Jo was searching for herself and I’m glad she found some peace in the end.
Overall, it’s a beautiful, but harrowing story. Very well researched. Perfect for all fans of historical fiction.
August 31, 2023
Based on a true story, The Lost Diary is the story of bravery in the face of war and the pain that they faced along side of the tough decisions they made in the midst of it all and the rippling affects they have for generations afterwards.
Jo is dealing with her own issues, namely a divorce and some angst with her ex, when her mother requires surgery so she has her move in with her temporarily to help her while she recovers. In the meantime, they decide to do some renovations to her mother’s house while she’s out of it anyway, as it’s been many years since it’s been updated. One day while she’s over taking a look at how things are going, Jo finds a diary hidden in one of the old kitchen cabinets. This hidden journal links her to a brave woman who risked everything to keep herself and those she loved alive. Jo doesn’t know whether to tell her mother and upset her and risk her healing process, but she also has so many questions and so many “what if’s” that she just can’t resist the opportunity to find out more about her mothers story.
This piece of historical fiction had me all over in my feelings. It was full of intrigue, hopelessness, desperation and life on the edge and then there were moments of tenderness and found family and genuine love. Heart wrenching and well written read.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.
Jo is dealing with her own issues, namely a divorce and some angst with her ex, when her mother requires surgery so she has her move in with her temporarily to help her while she recovers. In the meantime, they decide to do some renovations to her mother’s house while she’s out of it anyway, as it’s been many years since it’s been updated. One day while she’s over taking a look at how things are going, Jo finds a diary hidden in one of the old kitchen cabinets. This hidden journal links her to a brave woman who risked everything to keep herself and those she loved alive. Jo doesn’t know whether to tell her mother and upset her and risk her healing process, but she also has so many questions and so many “what if’s” that she just can’t resist the opportunity to find out more about her mothers story.
This piece of historical fiction had me all over in my feelings. It was full of intrigue, hopelessness, desperation and life on the edge and then there were moments of tenderness and found family and genuine love. Heart wrenching and well written read.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.
September 2, 2023
Germany 1945, Katja is a spy, risking her life for those around her. She delivers letters in the dead of night as that is the safest time to travel. This particular night she is on edge after almost being captured earlier that day. She wonders if she were to get caught, what would happen to her baby? London, present day, Jo is clearing out her mother Katja's home when she discovers a diary hidden in the back of a kitchen cupboard. She begins to read through the pages of the old diary, and soon realizes that it belonged to her father. He was a Prisoner of War during World War II and he kept a diary, writing down everything he could about the war, the people around him and the people he left behind. As Jo flips through the pages, she has so many questions and finally some answers. This story is a gripping tale of wartime bravery, the horrible way people were treated, and the choices that were made that affected so many families for years to come.
The Lost Diary written by author Rose Alexander, is a wonderful time slip story. It takes the reader from war torn Berlin in 1945 to London 1994. This story is one that will stay with you for a while after you finish the book. It is based on a true story which makes it even more heartbreaking. The tears flowed over and over again so keep the Kleenex Box close by. This was a wonderfully written story that reminds you that the truth will always prevail. I loved this story and I highly recommend it.
The Lost Diary written by author Rose Alexander, is a wonderful time slip story. It takes the reader from war torn Berlin in 1945 to London 1994. This story is one that will stay with you for a while after you finish the book. It is based on a true story which makes it even more heartbreaking. The tears flowed over and over again so keep the Kleenex Box close by. This was a wonderfully written story that reminds you that the truth will always prevail. I loved this story and I highly recommend it.
September 4, 2023
This is simply a beautiful and breathtaking book. Alexander weaves together the two timelines to tell a wonderful story full of fear, strength, sorrow, grief, and light. As always with historical fiction, I love learning something new about the historical time period – especially one like WWII when you think that you know most of what happened. I didn’t live through WWII, but I can’t even imagine what it would be like. My grandfather fought in the war but I wasn’t old enough to understand and ask him about his time before he passed. This book shows the importance of asking questions and learning more about history – to make sure we don’t repeat it.
I also like that there was more than one “storyline” here. There was Jo learning about Katja’s experience, Jo learning about her father’s experience through his diary, and also Jo going through her own martial issues. All of these storylines were brought together perfectly.
This is a must read for anyone that enjoys historical fiction.
I also like that there was more than one “storyline” here. There was Jo learning about Katja’s experience, Jo learning about her father’s experience through his diary, and also Jo going through her own martial issues. All of these storylines were brought together perfectly.
This is a must read for anyone that enjoys historical fiction.
October 8, 2023
My only negative of otherwise very gripping story, is it seem to drag a bit from the big reveal to the tear jerking end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 3, 2023
Loved it. Such struggle, coupled with the greatest strength. So much loss but they love deeply. Humanity at its very worst and very best .
August 15, 2023
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! The Lost Diary by Rose Alexander is another heartbreaking story set during the second world war. Katja, a young german woman living in Berlin at the beginning of the war, packs up and leaves with her child and elderly neighbour to live out the war in eastern Europe. Once the war ends, she is forced to leave her new village and return to Berlin covering about 250 km on foot. The novel is a series of flashbacks told by an aging Katja when her daughter finds an old diary in her home while renovating. The journey back to Berlin told through her mother's eyes is nothing shy of heroic. She is able to find the strength to not only save herself but also many others who come to rely on her. Throughout the narrative, Katja unravels the secrets that she has held in for well over half her life. Will her daughter be able to forgive her once she's confronted with the unimaginable? Will her mother's harrowing journey help her to understand her mother's stoic and, at times, withdrawn personality? Will Joanna come to realize that the "hardships" she is facing in her own life will never compare to what her mother had to endure? This true story of strength, hope and selfless love moved me to tears and I would definitely recommend to others.
August 4, 2023
What a lovely story. It’s woven together beautifully from three different points of view- Katja (the Mum), Lou (the Dad) both told their stories during the war, and then Jo (their daughter) tells her story in the current time. It’s hard for me, living comfortably in Australia, to understand what life was like in the war, but this story gives me a good idea especially since it is based on a true story. People were so brave back then and had so many terrible experiences, no wonder some of them wouldn’t talk about the war and acted cold and very shut off. For Jo, it was her mother, Katja, who seemed cold during her childhood and Jo could never understand why her mother couldn’t be warm and loving. The story is finished off very well with all questions answered and you'll find yourself thinking 'of course, that explains it all'.
August 21, 2023
What a rollercoaster of emotions is this tale for them, & for us too. And to find out that it is based on the true stories of members of Rose’s family is incredible. The fortitude of Katja throughout all that happened to her is truly exceptional. Small wonder it left her somewhat emotionally cripple. At first there are two timelines: Katja’s story from 1943-1945, & her present day life with her daughter in 1994. Then we are introduced to Lou’s wartime experiences. Their stories unwind, unbelievable sadness, horror, terrible hardships. Modern day betrayal; devastating lies; identity threatened. There is hope. The truth brings freedom & the future looks promising. A brilliantly narrated story that will keep you page-turning. Enjoy!
I received an ARC from NetGalley & Bookouture. I am writing a voluntary, honest review
I received an ARC from NetGalley & Bookouture. I am writing a voluntary, honest review
February 19, 2024
A fascinating war love story really but with a difference. Told from the German perspective time which was thought provoking and in places heartbreaking. It really brought to life the challenges of war for normal people.
August 14, 2023
When Jo checks in on the building contractors doing some work on her mothers apartment some surprises were found…hidden behind an old mantle is a piece of paper with some German words written on it, a dried flower and a diary of sorts. These things are all a mystery to her but she knows that her mother Katja had a rough time during WWII and might be willing to finally provide some insight on that terrible time.
This story was not just a wartime story about a refugee and her experiences but one that takes a look at a mother/daughter relationship and how those wartime experiences shaped it. It also touches on the guilt that so many people felt post WWII and all that they carried with them internally for so many years. That dynamic is always interesting to me and I loved reading about from a different perspective.
There is a bit of a side story in the book that made me give it a 4 star rating. While traveling down memory lane with her mom, Jo is in the midst of a divorce. I don’t think it was necessary to mention it as much as it was. So that dragged it down a little for me. Having said that…I definitely recommend this book for anyone who is looking for a different perspective of WWII. It’s about ordinary people and their experiences.
Thanks so much to Rose Alexander, NetGalley & Bookouture for a chance to read this story before it hits the shelves!
This story was not just a wartime story about a refugee and her experiences but one that takes a look at a mother/daughter relationship and how those wartime experiences shaped it. It also touches on the guilt that so many people felt post WWII and all that they carried with them internally for so many years. That dynamic is always interesting to me and I loved reading about from a different perspective.
There is a bit of a side story in the book that made me give it a 4 star rating. While traveling down memory lane with her mom, Jo is in the midst of a divorce. I don’t think it was necessary to mention it as much as it was. So that dragged it down a little for me. Having said that…I definitely recommend this book for anyone who is looking for a different perspective of WWII. It’s about ordinary people and their experiences.
Thanks so much to Rose Alexander, NetGalley & Bookouture for a chance to read this story before it hits the shelves!
September 1, 2023
I haven’t read a book by Rose Alexander since reading Under an Amber Sky published way back in 2017 but I always remember how much I adored that story so when I saw she had a new book, The Lost Diary, I was keen to give it a try. This story based on true events is told through the dual timeline format which I always enjoy in books and the author expertly weaves the past and present together to create a tale full of survival, life and death all told from different perspectives which demonstrates the horrors of war and how one woman’s trauma and secrets have stayed with her for a very long time. I did find this book to have a very slow start where I was waiting and waiting for something to happen. I felt setting the scene and the general tone of the book took too long to emerge but once I reached the halfway point things completely changed. I became deeply invested in Katja’s story and coming towards the end there were so many startling revelations that I found myself thinking yes this is a great read and it reminds me of the historical fiction of old where you are led down the garden path for the majority of the story and then bang everything gets turned on its head. What you thought was true was not and in fact the author has very cleverly pulled the wool over the readers eyes. Yes, the first half was unnecessarily long in my mind but the second half more than made up for that.
A brief prologue sets the scene in Berlin in 1945, the city has been divided into Russian and British zones and the residents are suffering hunger and hardship.They are just trying to exist and survive and make it through each day. A young woman is now working as a bus conductress and one day a man catches her eye and a sliver of recognition occurs.He asks a question which instantly arouses the readers interest. To be honest when I reached the final pages of the book I had genuinely forgotten about the prologue so I felt I was jolted back to this when the jigsaw pieces finally started to slot together and it brought a smile to my face upon realising how clever Rose Alexander had been with the overall plotting of the book. The book then properly begins in London in 1994 where Jo is caring for her mother Katja following an operation. Whilst Katja recovers her flat is undergoing a complete renovation and its during this time that secrets from the past come to light.
The narrative moves back and forth between the past and the present day and does so seamlessly as Jo starts to learn more about the mother who has always been so prickly, often lacking empathy and never very maternal. She has longed to know the details of her heritage and to better understand her origins but Katja has remained tight lipped and closed off. As the 50 year anniversary of the wars conclusion nears, a newspaper article is seeking stories of people who lived during that time. Will Katja finally be willing to open up and will Jo be able to accept what she uncovers?
Katja is haunted by shame and Jo wants to find out why? Jo was a great support to Katja despite not having the best relationship with her. It was almost as if she knew Katja was reaching that point where she could reveal more of herself and in doing so it would help explain why she perhaps was not the warmest of mothers. When a piece of paper with a dried flower is found during the renovations Jo’s curiosity is sparked even further and bit by bit as Katja recuperates she tells Jo everything that she has kept in the darkest recess of her heart and mind for so long.
Being completely honest, I was far more involved in Katja’s story than I was Jo’s. The author details how Jo is going through a separation, with her husband seeking the house and a divorce, and she is anxious and upset that this is occurring. It didn’t dominate the storyline but I just wanted to get back to reading about Katja. I thought it was brilliant that Katja was German so we read of her experiences from the ordinary German citizen’s perspective. I think more often than not we tend to forget and it’s not regularly written how the German population suffered too during the war. Katja lives in Berlin and runs a grocery shop with her husband, Horst, who is away fighting in the war. She gives birth to a boy named Hans with the help of a neighbour Gerta. When Horst is declared missing and presumed dead and the conflict in Berlin increases with bombs being dropped nightly on the city Katja knows she needs to get out. With Gerta by her side she makes her way to the Sudetenland escaping the blood, death, hatred and starvation. For several years they live in relative safety and peace and Katja gets a job as a helper in a convalescent home where she meets a pilot and undertakes some daring exploits. Here is where I felt the book needed to move on a bit. There wasn’t much happening and it felt as if there was a real lull. It’s only as I neared the end, I realised how important this time period was in the overall story.
By the time I reached the halfway point it was as if I was reading a completely different story and all the action and emotions along with plenty of surprises that I had desperately wanted much earlier on came to the fore. Jo discovers a diary and it’s not written by Katja which means she can’t keep lying anymore. At first I found the diary extracts rather out of context with Katja’s story but then they began to make sense as the layers were peeled back. The diary is raw, detailed and heartfelt and leads Jo on a voyage of discovery into her parents past revealing a story of trauma, horror, sadness, loss and misery but one also of remarkable strength and dignity. Alongside the diary entries Katja’s details her experiences of fleeing the small town of Meindorf in the Sudetenland as the Russians approach and from that point on my heart was in my mouth. My opinion of Katja completely changed. She showed her true character. Her strength and fortitude and her ability to be a leader and keep things going when the worst was occurring all around her.
The chapters detailing Katja’s walk to Berlin were brilliant. I could visualise everything so clearly in my head even though at times I didn’t want to because no detail was spared and there were things that occurred that were beyond heart-breaking and horrible. As Jo learns the true extent of her mother’s story I think it allowed for fundamental changes to occur in their relationship. Barriers were broken down and they were more relaxed in each others company. The revelations kept coming even as I reached the final chapter or two and that’s what a good book should do keep you rapidly turning the pages until the very last possible moment and leaving you surprised but yet at the same time satisfied with what you are reading. I do think though the subtle hints regards Jo and a certain someone weren’t really necessary to the end parts of the story and it didn’t feel realistic but rather a bit far fetched and forced. So I kind of glossed over this and focused on herself and Katja and the truth emerging into the open.
The Lost Diary is an excellent read despite the slow burner of a starter. Forgiveness and love are two emotions that rise to the surface and it’s the journey as to how the characters get there that is incredible and inspiring. I look forward to reading much more from Rose Alexander and I certainly won’t be leaving it as long in future to read one of her stories.
A brief prologue sets the scene in Berlin in 1945, the city has been divided into Russian and British zones and the residents are suffering hunger and hardship.They are just trying to exist and survive and make it through each day. A young woman is now working as a bus conductress and one day a man catches her eye and a sliver of recognition occurs.He asks a question which instantly arouses the readers interest. To be honest when I reached the final pages of the book I had genuinely forgotten about the prologue so I felt I was jolted back to this when the jigsaw pieces finally started to slot together and it brought a smile to my face upon realising how clever Rose Alexander had been with the overall plotting of the book. The book then properly begins in London in 1994 where Jo is caring for her mother Katja following an operation. Whilst Katja recovers her flat is undergoing a complete renovation and its during this time that secrets from the past come to light.
The narrative moves back and forth between the past and the present day and does so seamlessly as Jo starts to learn more about the mother who has always been so prickly, often lacking empathy and never very maternal. She has longed to know the details of her heritage and to better understand her origins but Katja has remained tight lipped and closed off. As the 50 year anniversary of the wars conclusion nears, a newspaper article is seeking stories of people who lived during that time. Will Katja finally be willing to open up and will Jo be able to accept what she uncovers?
Katja is haunted by shame and Jo wants to find out why? Jo was a great support to Katja despite not having the best relationship with her. It was almost as if she knew Katja was reaching that point where she could reveal more of herself and in doing so it would help explain why she perhaps was not the warmest of mothers. When a piece of paper with a dried flower is found during the renovations Jo’s curiosity is sparked even further and bit by bit as Katja recuperates she tells Jo everything that she has kept in the darkest recess of her heart and mind for so long.
Being completely honest, I was far more involved in Katja’s story than I was Jo’s. The author details how Jo is going through a separation, with her husband seeking the house and a divorce, and she is anxious and upset that this is occurring. It didn’t dominate the storyline but I just wanted to get back to reading about Katja. I thought it was brilliant that Katja was German so we read of her experiences from the ordinary German citizen’s perspective. I think more often than not we tend to forget and it’s not regularly written how the German population suffered too during the war. Katja lives in Berlin and runs a grocery shop with her husband, Horst, who is away fighting in the war. She gives birth to a boy named Hans with the help of a neighbour Gerta. When Horst is declared missing and presumed dead and the conflict in Berlin increases with bombs being dropped nightly on the city Katja knows she needs to get out. With Gerta by her side she makes her way to the Sudetenland escaping the blood, death, hatred and starvation. For several years they live in relative safety and peace and Katja gets a job as a helper in a convalescent home where she meets a pilot and undertakes some daring exploits. Here is where I felt the book needed to move on a bit. There wasn’t much happening and it felt as if there was a real lull. It’s only as I neared the end, I realised how important this time period was in the overall story.
By the time I reached the halfway point it was as if I was reading a completely different story and all the action and emotions along with plenty of surprises that I had desperately wanted much earlier on came to the fore. Jo discovers a diary and it’s not written by Katja which means she can’t keep lying anymore. At first I found the diary extracts rather out of context with Katja’s story but then they began to make sense as the layers were peeled back. The diary is raw, detailed and heartfelt and leads Jo on a voyage of discovery into her parents past revealing a story of trauma, horror, sadness, loss and misery but one also of remarkable strength and dignity. Alongside the diary entries Katja’s details her experiences of fleeing the small town of Meindorf in the Sudetenland as the Russians approach and from that point on my heart was in my mouth. My opinion of Katja completely changed. She showed her true character. Her strength and fortitude and her ability to be a leader and keep things going when the worst was occurring all around her.
The chapters detailing Katja’s walk to Berlin were brilliant. I could visualise everything so clearly in my head even though at times I didn’t want to because no detail was spared and there were things that occurred that were beyond heart-breaking and horrible. As Jo learns the true extent of her mother’s story I think it allowed for fundamental changes to occur in their relationship. Barriers were broken down and they were more relaxed in each others company. The revelations kept coming even as I reached the final chapter or two and that’s what a good book should do keep you rapidly turning the pages until the very last possible moment and leaving you surprised but yet at the same time satisfied with what you are reading. I do think though the subtle hints regards Jo and a certain someone weren’t really necessary to the end parts of the story and it didn’t feel realistic but rather a bit far fetched and forced. So I kind of glossed over this and focused on herself and Katja and the truth emerging into the open.
The Lost Diary is an excellent read despite the slow burner of a starter. Forgiveness and love are two emotions that rise to the surface and it’s the journey as to how the characters get there that is incredible and inspiring. I look forward to reading much more from Rose Alexander and I certainly won’t be leaving it as long in future to read one of her stories.
August 27, 2023
The Lost Diary by Rose Alexander is a powerful dual timeline novel that totally consumed me.
The novel is set during World War II in Berlin and the Sudetenland, and also in London in 1994 as Britain is preparing to celebrate the fifty years anniversary since the end of World War II.
People want to hear war stories from their grandparents/parents. Silence has been kept for nearly fifty years. Now it’s the time to reveal long hidden secrets.
We hear the stories of Katja and Lou. Hers is told verbally, his is in the form of a diary. Finally, a daughter hears her parent’s stories.
Seeing World War II from the point of view of a German girl is a different perspective and one I had not thought of before. We witness the effect Allied bombing had on lives and see that not all Germans were Nazis. “It was inevitable that ordinary people should reap what their ruler had sown.” The women and children, the old and the young were all caught up in a war they did not want.
Kind hearts do what they can. We witness the bravery needed to stand up against the Nazis. Trust was in short supply as neighbours informed on each other, and people disappeared.
Was disillusioned many. Some wounded soldiers witnessed first hand the futility of war, and did what they could to sabotage the Nazi war efforts.
As the end of the war loomed large, Hitler and the Nazis took ever more desperate measures.
We follow the enforced mass migration back to Berlin in 1945. Ordinary people faced hunger and hardship.
We witness the terrible brutality inflicted on women of all ages, as the Soviets marched into Berlin. In contrast we see the kind heart of a British soldier who had compassion on the German refugees of war. “They’re people… They didn’t cause any of this. Surely it’s better to be kind than to be consumed by hatred.”
People did what they could in order to survive and feed their children. Moral codes altered, being totally abandoned by the Soviets who were beyond cruel, having no moral codes at all.
As a daughter hears her parent’s tales, she realizes how their experiences shaped them. Her father was a British P.O.W and her mother a German girl. They had very different experiences but both retained loving, compassionate hearts.
The Lost Diary was a powerful, heartbreaking read that played with my emotions. The characters were well drawn, likable and realistic.
This is a book from a very different perspective but still shows the horrors of war. It needs to be read in memory of all the innocents caught up in a war they did not want.
I received a free copy from the publishers for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
The novel is set during World War II in Berlin and the Sudetenland, and also in London in 1994 as Britain is preparing to celebrate the fifty years anniversary since the end of World War II.
People want to hear war stories from their grandparents/parents. Silence has been kept for nearly fifty years. Now it’s the time to reveal long hidden secrets.
We hear the stories of Katja and Lou. Hers is told verbally, his is in the form of a diary. Finally, a daughter hears her parent’s stories.
Seeing World War II from the point of view of a German girl is a different perspective and one I had not thought of before. We witness the effect Allied bombing had on lives and see that not all Germans were Nazis. “It was inevitable that ordinary people should reap what their ruler had sown.” The women and children, the old and the young were all caught up in a war they did not want.
Kind hearts do what they can. We witness the bravery needed to stand up against the Nazis. Trust was in short supply as neighbours informed on each other, and people disappeared.
Was disillusioned many. Some wounded soldiers witnessed first hand the futility of war, and did what they could to sabotage the Nazi war efforts.
As the end of the war loomed large, Hitler and the Nazis took ever more desperate measures.
We follow the enforced mass migration back to Berlin in 1945. Ordinary people faced hunger and hardship.
We witness the terrible brutality inflicted on women of all ages, as the Soviets marched into Berlin. In contrast we see the kind heart of a British soldier who had compassion on the German refugees of war. “They’re people… They didn’t cause any of this. Surely it’s better to be kind than to be consumed by hatred.”
People did what they could in order to survive and feed their children. Moral codes altered, being totally abandoned by the Soviets who were beyond cruel, having no moral codes at all.
As a daughter hears her parent’s tales, she realizes how their experiences shaped them. Her father was a British P.O.W and her mother a German girl. They had very different experiences but both retained loving, compassionate hearts.
The Lost Diary was a powerful, heartbreaking read that played with my emotions. The characters were well drawn, likable and realistic.
This is a book from a very different perspective but still shows the horrors of war. It needs to be read in memory of all the innocents caught up in a war they did not want.
I received a free copy from the publishers for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
September 28, 2024
The Lost Diary is a story told in a few voices and timelines: the first takes place in 1994 in the UK. Jo finds out that the Government is asking for personal stories of wartime remembrances, so she asks her mother, Katia, to tell her story. And what a story it was - of her life as a young widowed German single mom who traveled to the Sudetenland during the war to escape the bombing of Berlin with her elderly neighbor, and then their long trek back to Germany at the end of the war after being expelled from that area along with the many other refugees fleeing across Europe. The second voice is that of Katia, Jo's mother, talking about the struggles and deprivations she faced during the war years. Another voice is that of Jo's deceased father as Jo reads his story in his war diary which she finds when renovating her mother's home. This story was difficult to listen to at times (stories with Nazis tend to be like that) but there was so much going on - and so many plot twists - that I found myself listening to this audiobook every free moment I had. I highly recommend! Looking forward to reading more by this author.
September 3, 2023
I have no words to describe how wonderful this book was and the development of the characters.
Alexander did a marvelous job weaving past with present.
I enjoyed Johanna's story bc it was from her point of view and that's my favorite thing in a book.
Katja's story was so emotionally hard to read. You could feel her pain and sadness along with everyone else's during wartime. But her story along with the other survivors needed their story told.
I liked Lou's story too. It wasn’t his fault that he got stuck where he did. I thought it was a wonderful idea to write everything down that happened to you.
I keep a diary myself. It helps to relieve things off my mind.
I loved everything about this book. Katja and Johanna refused to let me put their story down until it was finished. I love when a book does that for me.
I happily give this story 5 stars! I highly recommend this book too.
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Alexander did a marvelous job weaving past with present.
I enjoyed Johanna's story bc it was from her point of view and that's my favorite thing in a book.
Katja's story was so emotionally hard to read. You could feel her pain and sadness along with everyone else's during wartime. But her story along with the other survivors needed their story told.
I liked Lou's story too. It wasn’t his fault that he got stuck where he did. I thought it was a wonderful idea to write everything down that happened to you.
I keep a diary myself. It helps to relieve things off my mind.
I loved everything about this book. Katja and Johanna refused to let me put their story down until it was finished. I love when a book does that for me.
I happily give this story 5 stars! I highly recommend this book too.
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
September 14, 2023
The Lost Diary explores the experiences of a young woman living in Germany in WWII and that of an English POW. This is a dual timeline story that follows Jo who finds her mother’s diary and from reading it she learns about her mother Katja’s past. Katja lived during WW2 and endured some terrible conditions and difficult times which Jo was totally unaware of.
The novel, based on the author's family's experiences moves back and forwards as you follow the stories during WW2 and the present time. You learn about Jo’s parents lives, how they met and everything they had to deal with which was unbelievable and you really have to marvel at their will to survive. These stories were really gripping, moving and sad at times and you did not want to put the book down.
The Lost Diary is an excellent read. Love and forgiveness and the things you do for love are the key to this truly inspiring story. The ending was amazing. If you enjoy books set during WWII, and are based on true events then this book is for you.
The novel, based on the author's family's experiences moves back and forwards as you follow the stories during WW2 and the present time. You learn about Jo’s parents lives, how they met and everything they had to deal with which was unbelievable and you really have to marvel at their will to survive. These stories were really gripping, moving and sad at times and you did not want to put the book down.
The Lost Diary is an excellent read. Love and forgiveness and the things you do for love are the key to this truly inspiring story. The ending was amazing. If you enjoy books set during WWII, and are based on true events then this book is for you.
November 8, 2023
(3.75 rounded to 4.0) .
Jo Sawyer is approaching her 60th birthday. Her mother is staying with her while the apartment she grew up in was being renovated to equip ior handicapped access. The workers come upon a small book hidden behind an old fireplace mantle. Jo’s mother, Katya, denies knowing anything to do with the diary. It appears to be an accounting of Katja’s brutal wartime experiences. Katya has never spoken of the war or in fact any of her life before meeting Jo’s father, Lou. Lou has only said that her mother had a “hard” war. When Jo read the diary we are taken back to 1945 Germany. Katja’s words bring back the sweetness of a forbidden affair. Family secrets from WWII are still guarded zealously. The diary brings Jo an understanding of her mother’s life and since Katja is nearing the end of a long life, she is able to examine her life and see the impact of her choices on their lives. When Katja moved to the U.S., she met and married a recovering POW named Lou, who became Katja’s father. But the diary contained in a photo that shows Katja with a small blonde boy taken before the war, leaving two questions: Where did the small blonde boy go? And Where did Lou who never met Katja before the war get the photo? Jo, her daughter and a childhood friend become determined to find out who the child as? And why Katja had no information.
The book is in part a true story of the author’s grandparents wartime experience. This is the first look by this author i have read. But I enjoyed this book, although the mystery and the ending were well done is given rather predictable. But the characters were well drawn and sympathetic. The timing worked well. The prose and language were skillfully crafted. Recommend to readers of historical, WWII, women’s, San Francisco, espionage, diary and an element of magical realism and fantasy.
Jo Sawyer is approaching her 60th birthday. Her mother is staying with her while the apartment she grew up in was being renovated to equip ior handicapped access. The workers come upon a small book hidden behind an old fireplace mantle. Jo’s mother, Katya, denies knowing anything to do with the diary. It appears to be an accounting of Katja’s brutal wartime experiences. Katya has never spoken of the war or in fact any of her life before meeting Jo’s father, Lou. Lou has only said that her mother had a “hard” war. When Jo read the diary we are taken back to 1945 Germany. Katja’s words bring back the sweetness of a forbidden affair. Family secrets from WWII are still guarded zealously. The diary brings Jo an understanding of her mother’s life and since Katja is nearing the end of a long life, she is able to examine her life and see the impact of her choices on their lives. When Katja moved to the U.S., she met and married a recovering POW named Lou, who became Katja’s father. But the diary contained in a photo that shows Katja with a small blonde boy taken before the war, leaving two questions: Where did the small blonde boy go? And Where did Lou who never met Katja before the war get the photo? Jo, her daughter and a childhood friend become determined to find out who the child as? And why Katja had no information.
The book is in part a true story of the author’s grandparents wartime experience. This is the first look by this author i have read. But I enjoyed this book, although the mystery and the ending were well done is given rather predictable. But the characters were well drawn and sympathetic. The timing worked well. The prose and language were skillfully crafted. Recommend to readers of historical, WWII, women’s, San Francisco, espionage, diary and an element of magical realism and fantasy.
August 11, 2023
The Lost Diary is a heartbreaking account of one woman's struggle to keep herself and others safe during WWll. This dual timeline novel has alternating chapters between Katja in Germany during the 1940s as she tells her story, and her daughter Jo in London in 1994, when Jo found a diary her father had written of the time he was in a POW camp. She learns about her parent's past through her mother's telling of her story and her father's diary. Family secrets revealed keeps things interesting and the reader turning pages. The story is based on true events. It's so sad how so many people suffered during this period of history. Thanks to author Rose Alexander, Bookouture, and NetGalley. I received a complimentary copy of this ebook. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
August 23, 2023
Thanks to #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an #ARC of #TheLostDiary.
I have genuinely mixed feelings about this book, I found it quite long and a bit of a read at times, but I also have to say I looked forward to getting back to it every day.
This book follows a daughter discussing her WWII experience with her German-born mother, and reading a long lost diary from her father, discovering the hardships she had never before known.
I'm a fan of WWII books and it was interesting to get some perspective from German nationals in relation to their experiences. It is a hard-going read at times however.
I would hesitantly recommend this book, I marked down on the length and some unnecessary story filler.
I have genuinely mixed feelings about this book, I found it quite long and a bit of a read at times, but I also have to say I looked forward to getting back to it every day.
This book follows a daughter discussing her WWII experience with her German-born mother, and reading a long lost diary from her father, discovering the hardships she had never before known.
I'm a fan of WWII books and it was interesting to get some perspective from German nationals in relation to their experiences. It is a hard-going read at times however.
I would hesitantly recommend this book, I marked down on the length and some unnecessary story filler.
April 10, 2024
While her mother, Katja, resides with her while recouperating from a hospital stay, Johanna had decided to renovate her mother's apartment. It had belonged to her grandparents and then her parents and had never had anything done to it. Johanna's daughter Emma totally agreed.
When the workmen tore down the fireplace, Jo found a piece of paper with a flower in it. When she asked her mother about it, she had no idea. Later, Jo finds a diary which had belonged to her father who Katja never talked about. As Jo reads his diary, she talks to her mother about her experiences during the Holocaust. Katja was reluctant to talk about it and as she talked, Johanna quickly figured out why. She had opened a can of worms and must now suffer the consequences.
When the workmen tore down the fireplace, Jo found a piece of paper with a flower in it. When she asked her mother about it, she had no idea. Later, Jo finds a diary which had belonged to her father who Katja never talked about. As Jo reads his diary, she talks to her mother about her experiences during the Holocaust. Katja was reluctant to talk about it and as she talked, Johanna quickly figured out why. She had opened a can of worms and must now suffer the consequences.
August 20, 2024
This story covers three of the grimmest aspects of World War II, aspects not often covered in mass market lit: the Death Marches, German civilian refugees and rapes by Russian soldiers.
The personal story of Katja and Lou is gripping and we are kept guessing right until the very end.
The framework is of Katja at last telling her daughter Jo the true story of what happened to her and of Jo reading Lou’s story in the forgotten diary.
There is surprise after surprise.
Jo too has her problems but realises that they are of little significance compared to what happened to her parents.
Yet Katja’s narration of what happened also helps to solve Jo’s problems.
A fantastic read
The personal story of Katja and Lou is gripping and we are kept guessing right until the very end.
The framework is of Katja at last telling her daughter Jo the true story of what happened to her and of Jo reading Lou’s story in the forgotten diary.
There is surprise after surprise.
Jo too has her problems but realises that they are of little significance compared to what happened to her parents.
Yet Katja’s narration of what happened also helps to solve Jo’s problems.
A fantastic read
September 3, 2023
Why do we always want to read books that are heartbreaking and question humanity? This book is one of those!
It took me a few chapters to get into to this book, and it’s definitely got some down sides to it. But considering it’s a debut and based on her own family, Rose has done an amazing job and I look forward to reading more things of hers.
The rawness of this book connected with the family bound and hardship they have and had faced make this story one that people can feel strongly towards and sympathise with each character on some level.
I really recommend this book of you are a historical fiction, especially based around the world wars!
It took me a few chapters to get into to this book, and it’s definitely got some down sides to it. But considering it’s a debut and based on her own family, Rose has done an amazing job and I look forward to reading more things of hers.
The rawness of this book connected with the family bound and hardship they have and had faced make this story one that people can feel strongly towards and sympathise with each character on some level.
I really recommend this book of you are a historical fiction, especially based around the world wars!
October 10, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. This dual time line story about Katja and Lou during World War II, and their adult daughter, Jo during the 1990’s is an interesting read about the terrors of the war and an adult daughter’s discovery of her parents difficult and painful past. This book was historical fiction, part mystery, and part of a family rediscovery and closure. I enjoyed this book , however it had some disturbing and unsettling passages to read, but that is the horror of war and it is necessary to the plot of this story. I would highly recommend this book, it was well written and researched.
November 7, 2023
Oh my goodness, I was not ready for this one. I was not ready for the punches to the heart this delivered. I was not ready for this true-to-life account of war from the personal tales of families literally wrenched apart. I was not ready for Hans. The beauty of him, the innocence of him, the grief. A heartbreaking story from Rose Alexander. So many tales of war seem to deaden the nerves against the horror of it. This one just lit every nerve ending to a raging inferno. I really cannot do justice to this novel in words. One has to read the story. One has to live these people's lives as they did. Extraordinary writing by Rose Alexander.
August 30, 2023
Based on a incredible true story. Have you ever kept a diary? I haven't because I don't like the idea of having my most personal thoughts on paper. Keeping a diary during the war though I believe could be very liberating but also very emotional. This book was definitely a hard one to put down as I became more immersed in the story as I read. I would stop and look at the time and too my suprise three hours had flown by. So it's a easy one too get lost in. The characters are well represented and I respected them. Though heartbreaking it's also uplifting.
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