The writing seemed a bit flowery at time, but would then deliver a line that stopped me in my tracks. This is a love story in every sense- first loves, second loves, the love of family, the passion for art. The Lost Wife certainly speaks to me of man’s resilience in the face of insurmountable obstacles, and the power to love someone unceasingly throughout a lifetime. I especially wept when Lenka decides upon a special wedding gift to her granddaughter, as she is now finally sharing what has meant most to her all these years. The author, Alyson Richman, seems to have portrayed the characters and scenes so flawlessly that I felt transported through time, almost like a voyeur witnessing the experiences of Josef and Lenka. Although this book is not a fast moving, jubilant story, the writing is so amazingly beautiful, that to me, it is almost lyrical. Both thinking that the other has perished, the book juxtaposes between the voices of Josef and Lenka, as they each tell their story of how their lives unfolded after their separation. Josef and Lenka fall madly in love and are quickly married only to soon be separated by the predicaments of war in Prague during WWII. I was captivated by the story of a long lost love that endured for a lifetime through unspeakable adversities and hardship. I can honestly say that The Lost Wife is one of the most heart-wrenching stories I have read, with the scenes in the Terezin and Auschwitz concentration camps sadly depicting the atrocities and devastation endured by the Jewish prisoners.
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