It is 1917 in St. Perronne, France, and German soldiers have occupied the little town in the midst of World War I. Two sisters must support their younger brother and children from starvation while anxiously waiting for their husbands to come back alive.
Sophie Lefevre is a headstrong, young woman with very little left in possessions to remember her husband, Edouard, by. He is an artist whom she fell in love with while living in Paris, and when the war took him away, she traveled to St. Perronne to be with her family.Hanging on the wall of the family-run hotel, Le Coq Rouge, is a portrait of Sophie that her husband painted. While it is a risk to leave it exposed where the Germans could call it a defiance for the painting’s boldness, the local Kommandant takes to it. He has an appreciation for art and beauty, and might even extend that appreciation to the subject of the painting. He orders Sophie and her sister to cook for his soldiers every night.
Hanging on the wall of the family-run hotel, Le Coq Rouge, is a portrait of Sophie that her husband painted. While it is a risk to leave it exposed where the Germans could call it a defiance for the painting’s boldness, the local Kommandant takes to it. He has an appreciation for art and beauty, and might even extend that appreciation to the subject of the painting.
The Kommandant orders Sophie and her sister to cook for his soldiers every night. While the residents of St. Perronne suffer under tight rations, Sophie’s family are somewhat spared from starvation by the leftover scraps from dinner. The Kommandant pays Sophie special attention, seeking conversation with her, which only causes her trouble from the ugly rumors that get spread around the town. Sophie, however loyal to her husband, tries to think of any way this man can help get him back home.
Then, the story jumps to what seems to be the present. It is London, and Sophie’s portrait has a new owner. The portrait was a gift from a husband, now deceased, to his wife, Liv. When Sophie’s family puts out a requisition notice on the portrait, the new owner wants to seek the truth behind what happened to Sophie without having to give the portrait up.
Simply put, The Girl You Left Behind weaves an intricate story about a woman’s love for her husband and the depths of what she would do to get her back. Jojo Moyes throws so many elements of surprise, despair, frustration, and joy into the story, which makes it hard to put down. Moyes is a wonderful writer and her talent shines in this beautiful tale.
This is a story that will stick with you. For some reason, days after finishing the book, I can’t stop thinking about it. Particularly, I can’t stop thinking about how this book made me feel. I just loved this story. I loved reading the first half about Sophie, and the risks she took, and the judgment she faced for doing what she thought was right. When the story got to part two and a new voice took over, I just thought, “What?? Bring Sophie back!” Don’t worry, we do still get her back a little.
Liv’s story is still interesting to read about, although it is not the same crazy experiences Sophie went through during World War I. Yet, readers will still be able to connect with Liv as they would for any piece of art they may be attached to, as Liv is with Sophie’s portrait.
As someone who has always found World War I-II an interesting time period to study, I was immediately drawn to this story. I was hooked from the first chapter when introduced to Sophie Lefevre and her strong backbone to protect her family, while also embarrassing the new Kommandant behind his back.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys suspense, drama, and a hint of a love story.
Photo credit: http://groupreads.blogspot.com/2014/09/the-girl-you-left-behind-discussion.html
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