The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate
Published April 7th 2020 by Ballantine Books
About the Book: A new novel inspired by historical events: a story of three young women on a journey in search of family amidst the destruction of the post-Civil War South, and of a modern-day teacher who rediscovers their story and its connection to her own students’ lives. Lisa Wingate brings to life stories from actual “Lost Friends” advertisements that appeared in Southern newspapers after the Civil War, as freed slaves desperately searched for loved ones who had been sold off.
Louisiana, 1875 In the tumultuous aftermath of Reconstruction, three young women set off as unwilling companions on a perilous quest: Lavinia, the pampered heir to a now-destitute plantation; Juneau Jane, her illegitimate free-born Creole half-sister; and Hannie, Lavinia’s former slave. Each carries private wounds and powerful secrets as they head for Texas, following dangerous roads rife with ruthless vigilantes and soldiers still fighting a war lost a decade before. For Lavinia and Juneau Jane, the journey is one of inheritance and financial desperation, but for Hannie, torn from her mother and eight siblings before slavery’s end, the pilgrimage westward reignites an agonizing question: Could her long-lost family still be out there? Beyond the swamps lie the seemingly limitless frontiers of Texas and, improbably, hope.
Louisiana, 1987 For first-year teacher Benedetta Silva, a subsidized job at a poor rural school seems like the ticket to canceling her hefty student debt–until she lands in a tiny, out-of-step Mississippi River town. Augustine, Louisiana, seems suspicious of new ideas and new people, and Benny can scarcely comprehend the lives of her poverty-stricken students. But amid the gnarled oaks and run-down plantation homes lies the century-old history of three young women, a long-ago journey, and a hidden book that could change everything.
5 Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I look forward to see what Lisa Wingate has written for us. She takes real events and writes realistic, heartbreaking stories that grab this reader. She does such an amazing job weaving together two timelines and this one is no exception.
Hannie Gossett, a young girl, watches as her family is taken from her and sold to different plantation owners. Her mama told her never to forget her family, and each of the children are given a poke sack with three blue glass beads off Grandmama’s necklace. When the civil war is over and Emancipation has been declared, Hannie sets off to search for her family. She is not alone, she is traveling with Lavinia Gossett, the daughter of her previous owners and a creole girl, the illegitimate daughter of her master, named Juneau Jane. These characters come together searching for their families, and deal with a lot of situations that are dangerous and frightening. Along the way, we hear about The Lost Friends letters and how the freed slaves tried to locate family. They play an important role in this story.
Fast forward to 1987 where we meet novice teacher, Benny. Her first teaching assignment is English in a small Louisiana town. She is hired to teach in the school where the students are from poor families, most of them people of colour. The curriculum has little to do with the life and interests of her students, who have taken to stealing and hiding the resources they do not want to read. They are often absent because their parents need them to look after younger siblings or to help their parents. Trying to find something to spark her students, she talks about “The Lost Friends” newspaper columns. She assigns them a research project to find out about their ancestors and put together a performance that will be part of a program to raise funds for the school and library. Once they begin this project, it takes off. Benny and the parents are quite thrilled, but not everyone in Augustine, Louisiana is happy.
I was curious how these two time periods would come together, but I shouldn’t have been worried. When the two timelines collide, it took my breath away. I was not expecting this ending at all, and I really enjoyed it. This is a character driven story that deals with race issues, the problems after the civil war affecting both emancipated slaves and others such as children of plantation owners, issues of poverty. I always learn something from Lisa Wingate’s books and I enjoy doing so. I definitely recommend this one to anyone who enjoys Historical Fiction from a time that you may not be familiar with.
August 18, 2020 at 4:57 pm
Fascinating review, which I found while searching for slavery related historical fiction to read as comps for my wip. I also had no idea that we could put an Add button for GoodReads here on our WP blogs! 🙂
Best regards,
Shira
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August 18, 2020 at 5:11 pm
I downloaded the image and them just link it to the book on goodreads. Easy to add. I hope you read this one, it is a good one. Thanks for stopping by.
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August 18, 2020 at 5:14 pm
Oh, so we can download the bookcover image, add it as a featured image or just another image in the post, and then link it to the GR book link? I had no idea. I’m hoping that the libraries open the online catalog soon so I can at least put a hold on this book. Thank you for reviewing it.
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August 18, 2020 at 10:15 pm
Yes, that is all you have to do. I am lucky, our library has had ebooks and audiobooks available during the pandemic and they are now open for curbside pickup.
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August 19, 2020 at 1:03 pm
Wow, excellent!
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July 20, 2020 at 11:22 pm
Not for me but looks good. Glad you enjoyed
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July 21, 2020 at 8:09 am
Thanks Shalini.
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July 20, 2020 at 9:27 am
I wondered about this book. Thanks for the great review 📚🤗
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July 20, 2020 at 12:27 pm
Thanks Michelle, I really enjoyed it.
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July 18, 2020 at 2:26 pm
Great review! x
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July 18, 2020 at 8:39 pm
Thanks Meggy.
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July 18, 2020 at 10:48 am
Awesome review Carla! I can’t wait to read this one!📚☕💜
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July 18, 2020 at 11:00 am
Thanks Susan, it is a good one. 💖📚
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July 18, 2020 at 9:23 am
This sounds like an excellent read. I’m definitely going to see if this is available on my library audio book app. Lovely review 🙂
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July 18, 2020 at 9:46 am
Thanks Hayley, I really enjoyed it and hope you can find it.
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July 18, 2020 at 8:46 am
Great review, Carla. 🙂 Sounds like a must-read historical/literary fiction. Thanks for sharing.
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July 18, 2020 at 9:46 am
Thanks Debjani. It was very good and I definitely recommend it.
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July 18, 2020 at 6:01 am
I am currently listing to an audio book that includes references to this devastating war.
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July 18, 2020 at 9:47 am
It was terrible and there are still some repercussions today.
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July 18, 2020 at 4:53 am
Wonderful review Carla I really like the sound of this one!
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July 18, 2020 at 9:47 am
Thanks Nicki. It is a good one.
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July 17, 2020 at 10:22 pm
Brilliant review Carla!
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July 18, 2020 at 9:47 am
Thanks Sandy.
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July 17, 2020 at 9:23 pm
I LOVE Lisa Wingate. Thanks for recommending this one.
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July 18, 2020 at 9:48 am
You are welcome Rae. She is one of my must read authors.
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July 17, 2020 at 8:49 pm
I love the present day teacher timeline! 🙌
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July 17, 2020 at 8:52 pm
I did as well Carol, even though it was very different from what I did in my job.
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