Reviewed by Emma Crowley
Celina has given up hope of ever leaving Auschwitz. Only memories of her beloved husband Noah keep her sane—her childhood sweetheart, her protector, once her entire world. If she allows herself to remember that he was killed, she knows she’ll be lost too…
Now, as the Soviets liberate the camp, Celina screams when a man in a German uniform grabs her. But the familiar green and gold sparkling in his eyes steals her breath. He looks exactly like Noah. But it can’t be him. Not here, not in this uniform…
As a Soviet officer hauls him away, Celina can’t let him go without making absolutely sure. Did her husband somehow survive the war, disguised as a German soldier?
To find the truth, she must follow as the Germans—now prisoners themselves—are marched away through the snowy forests of Poland. Staying hidden, and staying alive, will prove almost impossible.
But if it’s really Noah—and he’s still the good man Celina fell in love with—can she find a way to rescue him before she loses him all over again?
Many thanks to Bookouture via NetGalley for my copy of The Lost Husband to review and to Sharon for having my review on the blog.
It’s been some time since I have read anything by historical fiction author Shari J.Ryan and after reading this incredible story, The Lost Husband, I can’t for the life of me figure out why she fell off my reading radar. I read lots of books in this genre particularly centred around World War Two and despite the subject matter and its importance I find myself at times becoming a bit tired reading of the same thing. It can feel as if I have read this all before but in this book a whole new perspective on the war was provided and I found my interest piqued once again. What sets this story apart is that it is focused on the months following the liberation of Auschwitz by the Russians in January 1945. Too often in books as you near the end the conclusion of the war is mentioned and then a brief epilogue is given to wrap things up but in this case it was totally different and as the author herself says , liberation was another chapter in finding a way to survive. The story of Celina and Noah proves this and instead of the plotlines that I have become familiar with in this genre I was taken on an incredible journey with love and hope being the two dominant themes that run throughout.
The horrors of the Holocaust are combined with a story of survival, strength, tenacity, love and hope. Set during the months following the Russian liberation of Auschwitz it tells the story of Celina as she navigates her way back to freedom but one thing is holding her back. Long believing her husband to be dead following a shooting in Amsterdam and as chaos reigns with the Germans fleeing the camp and herself in a state of weakness and illness following a bout of dysentery that left her hovering between life and death she thinks she saw Noah trying to help her. But it couldn’t have been the husband she mourned and longed to be with. For why would he be dressed in a German SS officer’s uniform? The opening chapter was incredibly powerful and did not spare the imagery as the writing was so descriptive and immersive. The readers attention is quickly caught and as with Celina, you find it difficult to comprehend that her husband was at the camp let alone someone who could have changed sides.
From this point on every few chapters alternate between the present day (as in the early months of 1945) and Amsterdam in the early years of the war. A clear picture is built up of life for Noah and Celina in Amsterdam as persecution of Jews increases and Hitler and National Socialism expand their reign of terror. Eventually the two strands of the story start to collide. I must admit as well written as the chapters were that uncovered Celina’s story and how she came to be in Auschwitz, it’s the more modern aspect (we will call it that) that completely had me in its thrall. But the inclusion of the backstory was necessary in order to comprehend and appreciate what was unfolding and to show a woman’s love will never diminish and to always believe in what your gut is telling you. Celina was fighting a war she didn’t want to be part of and all because of her religion but as the gates of the camp lie open despite her mental and physical state she is determined to reach safety in the hopes of starting a new life post war. But she can’t shake the feeling that it was Noah that she saw at the camp whilst others believe it is her memory playing tricks on her following significant trauma.
I loved the character of Celina. I felt I was with her every step of her journey as herself and a fellow inmate Avi, whom she meets travel through the snow covered landscapes of Poland in the depths of winter trying to reach a place where help and aid can be offered. Along the way they encounter Elias and in turn they make up a formidable trio. Avi was a fantastic character who I believe deserves a book of her own. She was blunt and forthright and took no nonsense from anyone. She never displayed her vulnerable side. It was sarcasm, feistiness and a tough, spunky attitude that propelled her forward at times when Celina was wavering. Celina, I felt was so caught up in trying to establish whether it was Noah or not that at times she placed the trio in unnecessary danger. But yet these qualities need to be admired. She was fuelled by the memories and experiences she shared with Noah and given the traumas she has endured -which I will not go into as they are sufficiently explained through the chapters that recollect her story- I can fully understand and appreciate that she had one goal on her mind and would not deviate from it until she discovered some solid evidence and the truth once and for all. The journey through Poland was brilliantly described and made for a haunting and atmospheric read where the darkest side of humanity was exposed. One would think following freedom from the camp that everything would be ok. But the war remained ongoing throughout the continent and danger lurked around every corner. After all the Russians may have reached the camp but that did not mean that they were as welcoming and forthcoming as they should have been. Peril, menace, uncertainty, jeopardy and hazards meet the trio at every corner, and the reader wonders have they survived the depths of hell only to emerge into a further ring of fire?
The Lost Husband, surprised me in how much I became involved in the story and reminded me just how good a writer Shari J.Ryan truly is. Survival, devotion, dedication, love and passion are what drives Celina on and as we neared the end of the book there were a few major surprises as the truth slowly started to be revealed. Yes, there was few moments where I felt I had to suspend my disbelief that something could have occurred given the overall situation. This is in relation to something Christoph ( a long time friend of Celina and Noah from Amsterdam) does. Well in fact two things but I won’t go into detail.I just felt that it wouldn’t have been practical or possible to have occurred but for the sake of moving the plot on/resolving things they needed to happen and I will forgive the author this.If you want something a bit different from your usual WW2 historical fiction than this is the book for you as it highlights the physiological impact of trauma proves love and devotion are enduring and that bravery and resilience will help you navigate the most gruelling and testing of times.
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