“I feel a weird pang of jealousy toward his ancestral connection to a place. Maybe that’s one reason I’m keen to dig into the mysteries of Goswood Grove. I crave the sense of heritage that rises like mist from wet ground there, old secrets kept closely guarded.”
The newly hired teacher in Augustine, Louisiana, is having a hard time reaching her students. The school is the “poorer” of the two in the district and Miss Silva’s class copies of Animal Farm are getting fewer and fewer. Then, she hears that there’s a library in the mansion on the same grounds as the house she’s renting. Tracking down the owner gives her access to the books, but as she goes through them she finds more than just literature, she finds the history of the people connected to the mansion.
The history is tied back to Hannie, who was born a slave, but became a sharecropper as a teen. When the master of the mansion goes missing and Hannie sees his mistress’ child sneak into the mansion, she follows her. While trying to solve the mystery, she overhears a conversation that leads her to change her entire life. Family ties get discovered as Hannie, the girl and the master’s legitimate daughter try to find the master.
The Book of Lost Friends goes back and forth between the stories of Miss Silva and Hannie. Both stories are fascinating and tell how the people’s history in one small town in the south is intertwined between former slaves and their former masters. During Hannie’s journey, the girls start a book of lost friends, gathering information on people who are looking for the loved ones they were separated from, often by force.
Family and discovering history are the themes of The Book of Lost Friends. It is for mature readers, but is a well-written novel. I do wish there had been a few more chapters at the end delving just a bit more into each of the stories. However, I love how Hannie and Miss Silva are finally tied together.
Ever uncover a family secret? Share your experience in the comments!