“In the midst of tragedy, hope can blossom, even in the unlikeliest of places.”–The Book of Lost Friends
This book is by Lisa Wingate, author of the very compelling “Before We Were Yours.” Here she has crafted another masterful story that has its roots in actual “Lost Friends” advertisements found in Southern newspapers after the Civil War, as former slaves desperately searched for their loved ones. This is a dual timeline story set in Louisiana 1875 and Louisiana 1987. The earlier timeline details the story of three unlikely young women who band together and face the perils and treachery of the post Civil War South as they search for family members. The second timeline revolves around a new first year teacher assigned to a classroom in tiny, poverty stricken Augustine, Louisiana and how the discovery of the history of the three young women may help change everything. This is a powerful story and the real life advertisements put names and personal experiences with the horror of slavery that separated families.
Content Advisory: Sexual assault–implied but not described