De verloren familie

by Jenna Blum, Carolien Metaal (Translator)

De langverwachte nieuwe roman van de auteur van Het familieportret

Een ontroerend, indrukwekkend verhaal over de gevolgen van de Tweede Wereldoorlog voor een overlever

De Duits-Joodse Peter Rashkin heeft de concentratiekampen van de Tweede Wereldoorlog overleefd, maar verloor er zijn hele familie. Na de oorlog ontvlucht hij Europa en probeert hij in Amerika een nieuw leven op te bouwen. Hij trouwt en krijgt met zijn vrouw June een dochter, maar onder de oppervlakte van zijn geslaagde nieuwe leven sluimeren de herinneringen aan alles wat hij moest achterlaten.

Terwijl Peter en zijn gezin te maken krijgen met de snelle veranderingen en spanningen van de naoorlogse jaren in Amerika, dringt het verleden, dat Peter liever zou vergeten, zich steeds meer op. Als hij zijn dierbaren niet nog eens wil verliezen, kan hij de zwaarstwegende herinnering van allemaal niet langer wegstoppen: die aan zijn verloren familie…

De pers over Het familieportret

‘Een verhaal dat u niet snel zult vergeten.’ Libelle

'Mooi geschreven verhaal over een bijzonder leven.’ Noordhollands Dagblad

‘Een oorlogsverhaal om heel diep in te kruipen.’ Glamour

‘Met Het familieportret heeft Jenna Blum een klein meesterwerk afgeleverd. Op briljante wijze weet zij de andere kant van de oorlog, die van de Duitse slachtoffers, tot in het kleinste detail uit te diepen.’ 8weekly

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Holocaust, Audiobook, New York, Historical, Book Club

464 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 5, 2018

About the author

JENNA BLUM is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of novels THOSE WHO SAVE US (Harcourt, 2004), THE STORMCHASERS (Dutton, 2010), and THE LOST FAMILY (Harper Collins, 2018); the novella "The Lucky One" in GRAND CENTRAL (Berkeley/Penguin, July 2014); the audio course “The Author At Work: The Art of Writing Fiction” (Recorded Books, 2015); memoir WOODROW ON THE BENCH, about her last seven months with her beloved 15-year-old black Lab and what they taught her (Harper Collins, 2021); and WWII audiodrama THE KEY OF LOVE (Emerald Audio Network, 2023), available on any major podcast streaming platform.

Jenna's latest novel and first psychological thriller, MURDER YOUR DARLINGS, will be published by Harper Collins 01/13/26.

Jenna is the CoFounder/ CEO of online author platform A Mighty Blaze, and she's one of Oprah's Top 30 Women Writers. Jenna’s first novel, Those Who Save Us, was awarded the Ribalow Prize by Hadassah Magazine, adjudged by Elie Wiesel; it was a Borders pick and the #1 bestselling book in Holland. The Stormchasers, Jenna’s bestselling second novel, was a Target Emerging Authors pick, a Borders pick, and featured in French Elle. Her third bestseller, The Lost Family, was an Indiebound pick and garnered starred reviews from all four trades: Publishers’ Weekly, Kirkus, Booklist, LIbrary Journal. The bestselling memoir Woodrow on the Bench was a Midwestern Booksellers’ pick and is now available in paperback.

Jenna is based in Boston, where she taught at Boston University and at Grub Street Writers for over 20 years. Jenna currently teaches fiction, novel, and social media marketing for writers via Blaze Writers Project, based in Boston and online. She speaks nationally, internationally, and online about her work and writing life. Please visit Jenna on her website, www.jennablum.com, and on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Substack, BookBub, and TikTok.

Reviews

[Angela M · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Peter doesn’t speak of Auschwitz or the loss of his wife Masha and their three year old twin daughters. He cannot and he won’t - not to his friends, his family or even his new wife, June . He does not want to relive the roundup of Jews in Germany, but he does sometimes in his dreams. I’ve read quite a few Holocaust novels but not many about what it’s like to be a survivor years after. Certainly the non fiction and memoirs such as Night or But You Did Not Come Back and others are the most gut wrenching and heartbreaking and telling. While this is not a graphic depiction of the camps, Jenna Blum in this novel has done a good job of depicting one man’s grief and loss and in some ways it’s hard for me not to rate this higher because of that.

It’s been fifteen years since Peter made it to New York and is running a restaurant called Masha’s, honoring his wife who was a chef in Germany. (I loved the menus and descriptions of the dishes.) He is still clearly haunted by his past, blaming himself for not getting his wife and daughters out of Germany in time. He tries to move forward, marries and has a daughter. The novel spans from the mid 1960’s to the mid 1980’s and is told from three points of view in three parts - Peter’s, his wife June’s and his daughter Elsbeth. While I could understand June’s unhappiness and her feeling that she “can’t compete with ghosts”, her part of the story felt a little melodramatic and soap operaish and she was for the most part not a very likable character. Elsbeth’s was actually quite sad and disturbing.

Peter’s need to keep his memories and grief separate is central to the novel, and in doing so he is never able to bring all of himself to his relationship with June and there is clearly an impact on his family. I wasn’t clear on whether Blum wants the reader to believe that all that happened was because of Peter’s burdens. I just couldn’t buy into that fully, if that is the case. It was hard for me to rate this because I felt so fully connected to Peter’s grief, much less connected to June, but I did feel sorry for Elsbeth. This couldn’t really have ended any other way, but I’ll admit I would have loved to have heard the conversation between Peter and his daughter that will start as this story ends. 3.5 stars - worth reading in spite of the reservations.

I received an advanced copy of this book from HarperCollins through Edelweiss.

[Jenna Blum · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best third novel I ever wrote! I hope you love it, too. :) *out from Harper Collins 6.5.18!*

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peter lost everything important to him in the war, in fact he almost lost himself. Finally, after the liberation of the concentration camp he makes it to America, where he becomes a chef and part owner of a well respected restaurant. This is where he first sees June, twenty years his junior, on her way to becoming a top model. Her vivacity and innocence attracts Peter, and he soon looks on her as the way to start a new life, a second chance.

The long effects of trauma, loss and grief, strong tentacles that will follow Peter and his new family. June is at times, well truthfully for me many times, a character that is hard to like. Though I admit I did feel sorry for her occasionally, trying to penetrates Peter's reserve, her wanting to have her own life. Their daughter Elsbeth goes through some troubling times, but she was easier for me to understand. The author does a wonderful job painting a picture of the righties punk scene in Manhattan. The avant garde artists, controversial art shows, and a young girl who gets caught up in something she little understands.

A good story, a relateable family and a look into the sixties, seventies and eighties. Quite well done.

ARC from Edelweiss.

[Jennifer Blankfein · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Lost Family is a beautifully written novel by Jenna Blum, author of the bestseller, Those Who Save Us. The story begins in 1965 Manhattan. World War II is over but the haunting memories are omnipresent for Peter Rashkin. He survived Auschwitz but tragically lost his beloved wife and twin daughters, and Peter is trying to start a new life for himself. His extended family, the few that are still alive, have encouraged him to meet a nice Jewish girl and get on with life. He owns and runs a restaurant called Masha, his lost wife’s namesake, and with a hole in his heart, emotional damage beyond repair, and physical scars on his body to prove it, Peter presses on. He develops a relationship with June, a beautiful model twenty years younger, and although he cannot escape his torturous past, he hides his emotional and physical scars and gives what he can toward this new and exciting relationship.

Two decades later, Peter, his wife June and their daughter Elsbeth continue to struggle with Peter’s ghosts, the scars of war, and the legacy of the Holocaust and all the victims. This emotional story touches upon many things, including the difficult restaurant business, high fashion modeling, the excitement and pitfalls of infidelity and the disturbing effects of eating disorders, but the basis of the emotional grief and ongoing challenges that engulfs the Rashkin family stems from personal loss, suffering and the terrors of World War II. Such a compassionate and engaging novel, don’t miss this great read. For all reviews follow my blog Book Nation by Jen.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This absorbing novel begins in the 1960s. Peter Rashkin, a German-Jewish man and a concentration camp survivor, is a chef and co-owner of a successful restaurant he has named after his wife, Masha, who didn't survive the Holocaust. She and their 3-year old twin daughters were never seen again after being herded by the Nazis during a terror-filled purge. Peter blames himself for their separation, and is plagued by the guilt and loss of his family. He eventually falls in love with, and marries, a much younger woman, June, an internationally-renown model. They have one daughter, Elspeth.

The story is told from the perspectives of Peter, June and Elspeth in separate sections, and revolves around Peter, whose obsession with the past permits him from enjoying the present. The family unit slowly disintegrates with each of the three distancing themselves from the rest with predictably disastrous results and the possibility of unexpected reconciliations. The haunting prose in this novel is evocative of Blum's previous memorable novel, Those Who Save Us.

[Allie · Rating 1 out of 5]

About halfway through the book, the story turned into a bad soap opera. During the first half of the book, the character development seemed to be moving along pretty nicely. Then it all falls apart as the story focuses on Peter's new wife, who was a runway model when he met her. So the second half of the book went a rambling story line, that also contained useless dialogue between characters that didn't add any value to the story at all. I got the sense that the author didn't really think this through, and was just lazy about the last half of the book.

So June (Peter's beautiful wife) gets incredibly bored some 10 years into their marriage, with being a housewife and with Peter always being at the restaurant, that she has an affair with her tennis pro, Gregg. Talk about cliche. There is ZERO character development of this Gregg guy, and pretty quickly, the guy is practically stalking her. I actually thought that was the direction that this story was going in. He would call her at her house, show up at her door, even followed her to Minneapolis when she flew there from NY to visit her mother. But, it only seemed to the reader that he was stalking her, because there was no character development, and no reason to think that June had fallen in love with him. The only thing that the author wrote about Gregg was how he immediately jumped her bones every time he saw her. June kept seeing the guy and was thinking about leaving Peter for him (the guy was 8 years younger than June and had no job) - so that's when I realized he wasn't stalking her. Plus, (more cliche), the Gregg was a veteran from Vietnam, and had nightmares, and punched June in the face once in his sleep. Good grief. Of course, in the end she doesn't leave Peter for Gregg, because Peter has a heart attack and she is guilted into staying. Their daughter Elsbeth, who was a complete brat as a toddler, ended up being a brat as a teen, and being fat, with an eating disorder. There was ZERO character development on this kid, because the author jumped the story to ten years later when suddenly we are facing a fat Elsbeth who is pissed off in the backseat of their car going their monthly family trip to Sol's house (Sol was Peter's father's cousin, who got Peter out of Germany back in WWII after his wife and daughters were possibly killed in Auschwitz). The last third of the book is focusing on Elsbeth, who really I didn't care at all about, considering there was zero character development of this girl.
I would say that the whole last half of the book had nothing at all to do with Peter, and was basically a soap opera. This book was such a disappointment because her other novel, Those Who Save Us, was quite the opposite in style and character development. I was really ticked off that I purchased and wasted my time on this one.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I have an author crush on Jenna Blum. (Is that a thing?) She is just the greatest. I've been following her on social media since falling in love with her first book, Those Who Save Us many years ago and if you aren't following her, do it! Even if you don't read her books, you'll be bombarded with pictures of her dog Woodrow and her storm chasing fiancé and pictures of storms and so many other things and I could go on but I'm already showing stalker behavior which I'm not, I swear, she's just a neat gal. Did any of this influence my rating? Absolutely not. This book was an exquisite, heart-wrenching gem.

The Lost Family is a story told in three parts which spans three decades but encompasses events that take place prior to those decades. In 1965 we meet Peter Rashkin. He lost his family in The Holocaust and is now living in New York, running a successful restaurant. I was salivating during the food scenes. I don't even eat meat but everything sounded so delicious. Peter meets June, an aspiring model nearly 20 years his junior. Part two of the story brings us to 1975 and is told from June's point of view. The two have a daughter, Elsbeth (Ellie), who's narrative is told in the last section of the story and begins in 1985. There is a lot that happens between 1965 and the end of the book in 1986. (approximately) Too much to describe and too much to spoil.

I was utterly under this book's spell. It happened quietly. I was enjoying it, things were progressing nicely. Before I knew it, I was thinking about Peter while not reading it, worrying about Elsbeth while driving and wrestling with my feelings for June at random times of the day. They burrowed their way into my heart so much so that when I finished, I felt a genuine disappointment at having to say goodbye to them. And don't get me started on my food cravings. I'm still fighting urges to go to a fancy restaurant and spend money I don't have on expensive, gorgeous looking food.

The Lost Family is about so many things. Family of course but it's also about grief and guilt, forgiveness and strength, memory and pain, love and comfort. It's been eight years since Blum's last novel and I can honestly say it was worth waiting for.

[Monica H at The Readathon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't give many two star reviews, and I do not like giving two star reviews. It makes me sad. Anyway, I loved the first third of this book! I loved Peter and learning about his story. His history made him a character I empathized with. The writing was so good! It was engaging and drew me right in. I was so excited at the end of part one.

And then it all went downhill. I felt like I was watching a train wreck. It just got worse and worse. :( June becomes a very unlikable character in this part. VERY unlikable. She's whiny, selfish, and makes some very poor choices. This part made me uncomfortable to read. I didn't like June's actions at all. I couldn't relate to her or her choices.

Then when you get to part three and it's Elsbeth's story, it gets worse. This part made me VERY uncomfortable to read, sick to my stomach in some parts. Elsbeth is a messed up kid. She looks for affection and love in the wrong places, and has experiences no teenager should have. Her parents are both so involved with their own selves that Elsbeth kind of gets overlooked. I didn't like this part at all. It seriously made me ill thinking about her going through these things. If I hadn't been reading this for a review I would not have finished.

I was very disappointed in this book because the first third was so good, and it had so much potential. This book is rated R and recommended only for adults (Profanity, lots of "intimacy," and adult themes such as eating disorders). You may read my full review on my book review blog: https://thereadathon.com. I did receive a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Pam Jenoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Those of you who, like me, waited eagerly for a new book by Blum (author of Those Who Save Us) will be richly rewarded: The Lost Family is the story of Peter, who is rebuilding his life in 1960s Manhattan after surviving the unthinkable. The Lost Family is a remarkable tribute to the human spirit, the long shadow of the past and the truths that are always with us.

[MaryBeth's Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jenna Blum's beautifully written novel, The Lost Family, is set in New York City from the 1960's-1980's. It opens with Peter Rashkin, a Holocaust survivor, running his famous restaurant, Masha's, when June Bouquet walks in and changes his life. As hard as Peter tries to forget his past and not let anyone invade his present and future, there is something about June that draws him in. When June becomes pregnant, Peter proposes and tries to forget his past. But the horrors of the Holocaust and what happened to Peter and his family is too much to bear and recover from. Over the next twenty years we witness the past invading the future of the Rashkin family and threaten to tear them apart.

This book is told from three different perspectives, starting with Peter. I was immediately drawn in, but found myself wishing the whole book had been told from Peter's perspective, as that ended up being my favorite part. Despite this, I flew through the book. Definitely recommend.

[The Lit Bitch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a book that I actually passed on initially. Yes it sounded good and like something that would be right up my alley. But my summer reading schedule always fills up so fast and I just didn’t have room for this book so basically I had to pass.

I did however agree to do a special feature on this book as I think it would appeal to many of my readers. As I was working on the special feature, I felt really sad that I wasn’t reading this book because it sounded so good.

After some very aggressive reading and maneuvering, I was able to fit this book in. There were many times that I stayed up way later than I should have reading this book…..not just so I could finish it, but because it was an excellent read!

This is a new to me author and not one that I have heard a whole lot about. I gathered from the summary and pitch that she was a best selling author but yet I hadn’t heard or read any of her books—which is not unusual but sometimes I am a get a little wary that maybe the author was on the best seller list but way down the list or in some weird random capacity. Seeing as how I don’t actually live under a rock when it comes to literature, when I haven’t heard of a ‘best selling author’, I sometimes get a little nervous about picking a book up.

This book was an excellent read though. I am now shocked that I haven’t heard of this author before! Her writing skills are sharp and well honed and the story it self is the right mixture of sadness, pain, and hope. It’s set in kind of this obscure period after WWII where society is dealing with the fall out of a post war world. It’s a time period that I haven’t read too much about. Most of the 1960s books I’ve read have been historical based for my masters or more focused on space race or politics and not the politics or fall out from a world war twenty years previously.

I liked how well the setting worked and the idea of an older man and younger woman trying to make the best of things romantically and in their lives. This book is definitely not a short easy read. It’s an emotional read with characters that battle many demons in their lives and try to over come their situations. While I wasn’t looking for an emotionally heavy book, I admired the spirit of the characters and how they worked so hard to over come their past. I loved that this was a book that explored a lot of different angles…..family, loss, guilt, romance. So many elements and each one powerful.

This was an outstanding read and one that kind of snuck up on me. I wasn’t expecting to like this book as much as I did. I read it very quickly (not because I had to but because it was so moving), this was one of those times that I was so so so thankful that I did not pass on this book and that I made room for it in my schedule. It was a moving, emotional roller coaster, have tissues ready with this one! I hope to see this one high up on the best seller list, because it has earned it!

See my full review here

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Lost Family is a heartbreakingly beautiful tale of a family that spans generations and is structured in an intriguing way. It begins with Peter in 1965 beginning when he meets his wife, June then it switches to her point of view in 1975 when she gets pregnant and then finally to their daughter Elsbeth’s perspective in 1985. I really enjoyed getting to know each character individually as well as through the eyes of each other, it provided a depth of character and made me feel like I got an intimate look at the family.

While I enjoyed each characters section I found myself most invested in Peter, his story was both terribly sad and wonderfully inspiring. He’s a chef and owner of Masha’s and the food descriptions were to die for, there’s always something about books that discuss food that makes me happy (and hungry!) His struggles as an emigrant were so vividly rendered and the brief glimpses of his life before he settle in NYC were haunting.

If you like smart historical fiction with emotional depth and intimate portrayal of one family’s struggles over the years then check this one out. My first read by Blum but most certainly not my last.

The Lost Family in three words: Evocative, Sweeping and Vulnerable.

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Years ago, in one of my previous jobs, I had the privilege to meet many holocaust survivors who shared their heartbreaking stories of survival and new beginnings in other countries far from their home. Although I greatly admired their resilience and the human survival spirit, and their capacity to forgive and start over, I also realised that there was often a huge price to pay for the trauma they had endured. One was survivor’s guilt, of having escaped the death camps when so many of their family and friends were not able to. Although they had moved on, married and had children in their new country, many said that they were not able to share their experiences with those nearest and dearest to them, and that the past remained an ever present ghost in their lives, which their families could not understand. This lasting effect of trauma is the very thing Blum explores in her latest novel, The Lost Family. Peter Rashkin, a German Jew who has managed to escape the death camps and has fled to America to start a new life, is still haunted by the death of his wife and their small twin daughters during the war. When he meets the vivacious, beautiful and innocent model June Bouquet, he thinks that she will be his salvation, the woman who will rescue him from his grief and allow him to move on. But Peter’s trauma is a heavy burden, one that will threaten to destroy his marriage and affect his daughter Elsbeth, who grows up in the shadow of the ghosts of her half-sisters, even though Peter will never talk about them.

Blum’s novel is told in three distinctive parts. Part one is told from Peter’s POV, as he is trying to make a new start in America, working in his restaurant Masha’s in New York. It is there that he first meets and falls in love with June, whose youth and happiness seems to be the perfect cure for his grief. June, who has grown up without a father, is drawn to the much older and mysterious Peter, basking in his adoration. When a shocked June first finds out about Masha’s and the twins’ deaths and suggests that Peter see a therapist to talk about his trauma, he replies: “Why would I need an analyst? I am happy now. I have you.” Part two is set ten years later as an unhappy June reflects on motherhood, marriage and her lost dreams, trying to find a way out of her lonely life. The last part, another decade on, tells about sixteen-year-old Elsbeth, who is propelled into adulthood through a chance encounter. For me, the first part of the novel was definitely my favourite. I loved the atmospheric setting and the descriptions of the magical food creations Peter serves up in his restaurant, named after his dead wife. As he first meets June and falls in love, for the first time hoping that the future will bring a new beginning, I so much hoped that he would be able to find happiness.

The latter two thirds of the book are a lot more difficult to read, as they deal with the fall-out of Peter’s past on the other family members, who will never be able to grasp the full extent of the trauma but are nonetheless deeply affected by it. As the granddaughter of a POW I recognised the signs of PTSD in Peter, which also scarred my grandfather, and therefore his children, including my mother. Blum paints an insightful and realistic picture of a marriage where both partners are trying to find salvation in each other to escape the past, but which ends up drowning them. It is, at times, unspeakably sad and tragic to read. There were a few things left unanswered that stayed in my mind long after I finished reading, and I realised how deeply this story had troubled me.

In summary, Blum’s novel The Lost Family is an insightful portrayal of a family shaped by loss and grief. With its atmospheric setting and believable characters, it effortlessly propelled me into a New York of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s, as each of the family members drift away from each other, flotsam of a war that left a heavy burden of grief to carry. This is a topic not often explored in novels, and although it left me feeling unspeakably sad, it was a poignant reminder of the burden of the past impacting on our relationships and shaping future generations. I look forward to reading more from this author in future.

3.25 stars

Thank you to Edelweiss and Harper Books for the free electronic copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.

*blog* *facebook* *instagram*

[Kristen Cook - A Book Ninja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. What a story of pain and loss. The story of Peter and his first family was one of tragedy. It is a story that will stick with me for some time. The tragedy that he endured overshadowed the rest of his life influencing all the relationships from then on.

This is the second book by Blum that I have read and once again she did not fail to deliver.

I received an ARC from Edelweiss. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jenna Blum never disappoints. This story is really about haunting trauma, and how it affects a person psychologically, but also how it resonates and lives inside the people who love the traumatized. Peter is a Chef, a master restauranteur, who somehow survived the concentration camps, but lost his Aryan wife, and three twin girls, and blames himself for what could never have been in his control. this story takes place many years later, and is about his next chapter. His new wife and daughter, and their struggles to understand their role in the ongoing tale and narration of Peter's life. Its compelling.

I had so many thoughts about Cousin Sol and Ruth, some which reflect today's political climate. I understood them, and felt Peter was too harshly judging. Sol reminded me of my own father, and I did not feel his morals were over-archingly bad. In this climate they would be, but back then, he would have fit right in with where our culture was, and what it was like for the Jews, post -war. He is rough around the edges, and imperfect - but that was the time. Everyone was dealing with post war trauma, and he lived his story differently too. I appreciated every character, and the depth to which the author brought their vulnerability, desires, pain, and shining moments too, to light. The end was just so interesting, and I really loved it.

[Susan Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

While grieving one lost family, a man puts his new family on the line...will he lose them too? The Lost Family is a haunting look at a family...a family built from the ashes of loss and grief. I thought it was interesting that the story was divided into three sections; 1965, which is the father’s story; 1975 is the mother’s perspective; 1985 is told from the daughter’s point of view. Each of the three has a unique story to tell, and events of the past have an everlasting effect on the relationships of this family. The author does a fantastic job of putting the reader into each of the three decades, through fashion, food, music, and even the ever-changing atmosphere of New York City.

[Donna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh. I don't give two star reviews often, if I dislike a book that much I stop reading way before the end. The beginning was intriguing, I was so engaged by Peter's story. Then we got to June, who was frankly awful, and then we endured the daughter and the pornographer. I'm so sorry I kept reading

[Diane Yannick · Rating 4 out of 5]

**Perhaps this review has a spoiler. I’m not at all sure. It seems to me that if you read mainstream reviews before choosing a book, you know at least as much as I tell. If you only read Goodread reviews before choosing a book, I guess this could be a problem. Does anyone do this? Spoiler clarification needed.**


It’s hard not to get caught up in this story about a main character who lost those he loved most during the Nazi’s reign of horror. A horror so devastating that he can not find the words to talk about it. (This happens in real life—my dad never talked about his army experiences in WW II. My husband can’t find the words to talk about the deaths of his 3 children in a fire.) This inability to find words hinders future emotional attachments. An extreme work ethic takes over that space that was meant for emotions. For Peter, it was Masha, his beloved restaurant. Unready for remarriage, he does the right thing when his beautiful, younger girlfriend becomes pregnant. Having less baggage, June Bouquet, expects more of her husband than he is capable of giving. This interplay between Peter and June was beautifully and sensitively written. Their dependence on Uncle Sol was financially necessary but personally destructive.
The title is great as there is more than one lost family as those inevitable dominos fall.

Their daughter Elsbeth tells the last third, my least favorite part, of the story. Her eating disorder was way too predictable and made me lose the connection I felt to the rest of the story. I would have preferred that the story began and ended with Peter and June. Blum can write her pants off and carefully researches her subject. I will continue to read whatever she writes.

[Mieke Schepens · Rating 4 out of 5]

In drie delen, met als titel de namen van het gezin van Peter Rashkin, leren we deze gezinsleden goed kennen. Ieder heeft toch een eigen agenda, hoezeer ze ook bij elkaar betrokken zijn. Dat is ook een verloren familie, zoals de titel van het boek aangeeft. In het eerste deel ‘Peter 1965’ kijk je voornamelijk mee door de ogen van Peter, het tweede deel ‘June 1975’ is aan zijn vrouw June gewijd en tenslotte lees je over Elsbeth door de ogen van Elsbeth in ‘Elsbeth1985’. Op het voorblad van elk van de drie delen staat een quote die goed gekozen is voor de persoon uit wiens perspectief we voornamelijk dat deel lezen.

Het onderwerp van dit verhaal is hoe de gevolgen van de Tweede Wereldoorlog impact (kunnen) hebben op het leven van een overlever.
Het maakt daarvoor niets uit dat je de halve wereld over reist naar Amerika voor een nieuw begin.
Lees hier mijn recensie verder: https://graaggelezen.blogspot.nl/2017...

[Crystal King · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE LOST FAMILY is definitely my favorite Jenna Blum book. Don't get me wrong, I loved her other novels, but this one really grabbed me. It was a fantastic combination of heart, family, food and dark history. Blum is a masterful writer and a master of character development. I cared deeply about the world of Peter Rashkin and June Bouquet and the ghosts of the past that held the family in thrall. It's a big book in its span of three decades and the historical research that Blum did to bring it to life is impeccable. It's a novel of immigrants, a novel for foodies, a novel of family, a novel of beauty and a novel of love and loss. A novel you should definitely add to your TBR list ASAP.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars, one of my favorite authors.

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was classified as Historical Fiction and the main character, Peter, is a Jew and concentration camp survivor from WWII so I expected more pages to be devoted to his experiences as a prisoner but there are very few flashbacks in that regard. His reminiscing revolves around the family he lost in the war and centers more on the emotional scars he continues to deal with as a result. Even though, I wasn't expecting the story line to go the way it did, I actually found it fascinating to be given a glimpse into the causes and effects of a trouble marriage, including the point of view of the daughter. The characters are fleshed out so well that I didn't find myself rooting for one over the other. The writing allows the reader to be an objective observer and come to your own conclusions. 4.5 stars - recommend!

[Stephen Kiernan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This vivid novel purports to be about a man who lost his family in World War II. But it turns out to be about that man's American family in the late 20th century, and the ways in which its members are lost.
Sometimes watching sympathetic characters make misguided choices can be incredibly compelling.
Also, the prose is full of zingers -- quick character descriptions or concise images that pop on the page.
"Every time Elsbeth saw her grandparents, they seemed to have shrunk a little: Sol melting evermore downward, as if he were made of wax, and Ruth, drying out like a tiny mummy."

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful novel about family and is so well written that it will stay with me long after the last page was read. Peter lost his wife and twin daughters to the concentraton camps in WWII. He has moved to NYC to try to start his life over but is unable to let go of his past and think about his future. He marries June, hoping that her youth and love of life will help him learn how to enjoy life. They have a child, Elsbeth, who should bring joy to both parents but they have difficulty letting go of their pasts. Is Peter going to lose his new family, too?

I loved the way the book was set up. The first section 1965 is told from Peter's perspective, the second section, 1975 is told from June's perspective and the last section, 1985 is told from Elsbeth's. Using this technique, we get the deepest thoughts of all three main characters and learn to love them - flaws and all.

This is a wonderful well written book and my first book by Jenna Blum. I need to go back and read her earlier books now.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to the audio version of this novel. While it took me a while to get used to the narrator's voice, eventually it grew on me and I felt that he distinguished character voices pretty well. It was a longer audio book than I was used to (clocking in at 14 hours), but it moved quickly and did not drag at all.

I liked that each point in time had a different character perspective. Peter narrated 1965, June narrated 1975, and Elsbeth narrated 1985. It was nice to have the story changed around in this way and to see the characters through different eyes. Jenna Blum makes great use of description, imagery, and dialogue. I really felt like I was part of the story and invested in the characters. I could feel Peter's fear and panic during the flashbacks from the Holocaust. And I felt like I was inside both June and Elsbeth's heads at different points. While I didn't always agree with their actions, I understood the motivations behind them. Unfortunately for Peter, it was also easier to get frustrated with him when he wasn't narrating.

I want to warn anyone else who checks out the audio version to not listen around children. There are some scenes that are very mature in nature.

Overall, this was a well-written, captivating, and epic novel that I still think about almost a week after finishing.

Here are my movie casting suggestions. The story spans two decades, but they could go for a This is Us technique to age characters.
Peter: Ewan McGregor
June: Scout Taylor-Compton
Elsbeth (teen): Emily Hahn
Gregg: Liam Hemsworth
Julian: Gregg Sulkin
Liza: Natasha Calis
Sol: Dan Hedaya
Ruth: Lainie Kazan

[Kris (My Novelesque Life) · Rating 3 out of 5]

RATING: 3 STARS
2018; Harper/HarperCollins Canada
(Review Not on Blog)

I was excited to read this novel. It is set in 1960s (to 1980s) but also touches on World War II, in particular the holocaust. There wasn't anything wrong with the novel, but I just never got into it. As I read it, it was like reading an assignment. While I could read it, I did not really enjoy it or come away with anything. By this I mean, when I shut the audio off I did not think about the characters or story. For me, a good book is where I cannot stop thinking about it. I gave it three stars as I finished it, and there wasn't anything bad about it.


***I received an eARC from EDELWEISS***

[Maureen DeLuca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm giving this a 4 star read- but I'm UPSET! Why? Because of the ending!! I can only hope that Jenna Blum will continue on with the story.... !!!

[Jade · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been waiting for this one to be released for ages! I love Jenna Blum, she is a wonderful writer, and she is amazing at winding romance together with history, and real human interaction. She also seems to love NYC as much as I do, and it always makes me happy to read beautiful and accurate descriptions of the city that was my home for so many years.

The Lost Family is a story broken into three distinct times: 1965 when Peter and June meet, 1975 when they have relocated from NYC to NJ and have become parents to Elsbeth, and 1985 when Elsbeth is 15/16 years old. The first part is narrated by Peter, a German Jew who survived Auschwitz but lost his wife and two daughters to the war, now owner and head chef of the very popular Masha’s restaurant. The second part is narrated by June, beautiful ex model from the Midwest who is now a bored and disgruntled stay at home mother. The third part is narrated by Elsbeth, a confused teenager who feels unloved and unattractive. Peter’s loss and June’s unrequited dreams and unhappiness trickle down to Elsbeth who finds solace in places that are ultimately unhealthy and somewhat frightening.

I’m pretty sure it was Jenna Blum’s intention to create flawed characters that you can never really fall in love with. Usually that would bother me, not relating to at least one character, but I actually enjoyed this ability to watch from afar, wondering what would make them change, if anything. June was my least favorite, I found her selfish, vain, and annoying, but I did understand some of her choices. I gravitated mostly towards Peter because of his immense loss and his ability to create amazing dishes, but even he was too effaced and weak for real sympathy. And Elsbeth was just so naive, you just wanted to shake her! But they all worked so well in the story, real people who could be your neighbors. Real people with secrets and dreams and desires.

And the exquisite descriptions of food had my mouth watering, and I don’t even eat meat! I love the ongoing theme of food as a love language but also as a weapon of denial. Brilliant!

It’s funny because while I wish Jenna Blum would write faster (just because I love her books), I also love the anticipation of what she will come up with next, and the amount of research into every single detail that goes into her work. The Lost Family was well worth waiting for!

[Courtney Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid 3.5. Started slow, for me, but picked up rather quickly. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the whole story -- will give a real review soon.

A hard to put down story of pain, perseverance, despair, hope, loss, success, starting-over, and family. Excellent imagery throughout the book, even when describing the very hard-to-read scenes of Peter's previous life.

Overall, the story kept my interest enough that it turned into a real page turner. The story was going in directions that I wasn't expecting, which was nice. I like being surprised when reading. That being said, the idea of the "lost family" seemed to take a back seat to the "current family" that the story really became about. In the end, I was left wanting more. Wanting to know more about the "lost family" from Peter's perspective. Wanting to know what became of June. How Elsbeth fared. Just more.

[Celia · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's a cute story about how I came to read this book. In July, 2022, our book club selected The Lost Family: How DNA Testing Is Uncovering Secrets, Reuniting Relatives, and Upending Who We Are to read and discuss. One of our members accidentally read this book instead.

Serendipitous. She said she liked the book. I had to pick it up and read it right away.

The story takes the reader through three decades - 1965, 1975, 1985 - each told from the perspective of one of the three main characters:

Peter - a survivor of Auschwitz who is a famous chef in NYC

June - a glamorous model who works for The Ford Agency

Elsbeth - their daughter

The story is both engaging and tragic. Peter is haunted by his failure to save his first wife and daughters in Nazi Germany. June gives up her career as a model to marry Peter, but then begins to question her staid homemaker/mother life. Elsbeth, though pampered, throws herself into the drug-fueled, punk populated art world of the 1980's.

All three of these characters frustrated me. But their travails are real and cannot be ignored.

Good book for book club discussion. Maybe we should read and discuss this Lost Family too. 😄

4 stars