Summary:
1921. Families are desperately trying to piece together the fragments of their broken lives. While many survivors of the Great War have been reunited with their loved ones, Edie’s husband Francis has not come home. He is considered ‘missing in action’, but when Edie receives a mysterious photograph taken by Francis in the post, hope flares. And so she begins to search.
Harry, Francis’s brother, fought alongside him. He too longs for Francis to be alive, so they can forgive each other for the last things they ever said. Both brothers shared a love of photography and it is that which brings Harry back to the Western Front. Hired by grieving families to photograph gravesites, as he travels through battle-scarred France gathering news for British wives and mothers, Harry also searches for evidence of his brother.
And as Harry and Edie’s paths converge, they get closer to a startling truth.
An incredibly moving account of an often-forgotten moment in history, The Photographer of the Lost tells the story of the thousands of soldiers who were lost amid the chaos and ruins, and the even greater number of men and women desperate to find them again.
✨✨MY THOUGHTS ✨✨
Thanks to Darkroom Tours for giving me the opportunity to be a part of this wonderful tour.
We all know the significance of the Great War. All the bloodshed and all the young men who fought bitterly for their countries. they were all a son, brother, uncle, husband or someone loved to the people they left at home.
Imagine how you would feel if your loved one went off to fight and never came home. This is what happened to Edie, she received the letter to say her husband Francis was “missing, believed to be dead.” This is no guarantee it was no definite just a belief. But, the truth of it was that he wasn’t with her. And, she had to find out the truth.
Harry, Francis’s brother who also fought in the war. Has taken up photography, and is now being commissioned by grieving families to take photos of graves or the last know sighting place if their dearly beloved. This was a very emotional story to read. As it hits home that this really happened and a lot of families are left without answers.
We get to live the search of Francis through the points of view of both Harry and Edie. Who each have their own personal journey and findings to deal with.
The scenes of the battles are very raw and we get a real sense of how it would have been. Scott has written this well and emphasises the brutality of the war.
It is a very emotional and heart wrenching read. It may be a fictitious story, but as the phrase says “Lest We Forget” The memory of valour, courage, mateship and sacrifice can be inspiring and uplifting. Those boys fought for their country.
Caroline completed a PhD in History at the University of Durham. She developed a particular interest in the impact of the First World War on the landscape of Belgium and France, and in the experience of women during the conflict – fascinations that she was able to pursue while she spent several years working as a researcher for a Belgian company. Caroline is originally from Lancashire, but now lives in southwest France.
Twitter: http://twitter.com/CScottBooks
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44451996-the-photographer-of-the-lost
Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Photographer-Lost-Caroline-Scott-ebook/dp/B07NVSR8ZQ
Honestmamreader 