This work of historical fiction is a dual-timeline story based on the rescue of 108 children from the Vénissieux internment camp on the outskirts of Lyon, in the Free Zone of France in 1942, and the experience of Valérie Portheret, a French historian who, after discovering a box with the children's files, spent more than twenty-five years finding most of those children and giving them back their true identities. The author's notes on the true events at the end of the book are as fascinating as the story he has written. The novel more thoroughly covers the 1942 storyline, and I enjoyed learning more about Ms Portheret. I enjoy Mario Escobar's writing style, and appreciate the work of his translator, Gretchen Abernathy, in making his novels available in English. His writing is crisp and he truly embraces “show don't tell” in getting the emotions of his characters across to his readers.
I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of The Forgotten Names from Harper Muse without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.
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