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The Girl With No Name #1
Het meisje zonder naam
Londen, 1939. Lisa Becker is pas dertien jaar als ze aankomt in Londen. Haar moeder heeft voor Lisa een van de laatste felbegeerde plekken op een Kindertransport weten te bemachtigen - maar haar broertje blijft achter in Duitsland. Alleen in een vreemde stad, de taal niet machtig, moet Lisa zich proberen te redden. Dat gaat haar gelukkig vlot af met de hulp van haar pleegouders, en al snel maakt ze vrienden en vindt ze haar draai. Maar dan begint de Blitz. Tijdens een bombardement vlucht Lisa over straat, op weg naar een schuilplaats, als vlakbij een bom ontploft. Wanneer ze bijkomt in het ziekenhuis weet niemand wie ze is - zijzelf ook niet...
494 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2016
7824 people are currently reading
11813 people want to read
About the author
Diney Costeloe
33 books659 followersEncouraged by my publisher father, I have been writing all my life. When I was five, he took my first effort to his office and brought it back in a cardboard cover with the label, 'Tom's Party'written by Diney, published by Daddy.
I've never looked back and always have some writing on the go.
To date I have written 10 romantic novels under the name of Diney Delancey (I liked the shape of the name and it sounded like a romantic novelist) and four novels as Diney Costeloe.
All are also in large print and several recently published as e-books.
See my reviews on Amazon and on my website, http://www.dineycosteloe.co.uk or http://castlehavenbooks.co.uk
I've never looked back and always have some writing on the go.
To date I have written 10 romantic novels under the name of Diney Delancey (I liked the shape of the name and it sounded like a romantic novelist) and four novels as Diney Costeloe.
All are also in large print and several recently published as e-books.
See my reviews on Amazon and on my website, http://www.dineycosteloe.co.uk or http://castlehavenbooks.co.uk
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,108 reviews
April 9, 2016
I really struggled with this book. It had all the makings of a great war story and yet it fell completely flat for me. It is not often that I give up on a book - I usually persevere in the hope that something will click and it will be worth it. That was definitely not the case with this book. Unfortunately the writing was stilted and contained many editing errors that should have been picked up (although this may only be on the Kindle version). The authors attempt at writing dialogue in a London accent just didn't flow for me, and at times was really quite grating. Along with this the poor character development left me quite indifferent to what was going on - a hard thing to pull off in a war drama! I had such high hopes for this book especially after having enjoyed The Throwaway Children.
February 26, 2022
The Girl With No Name was the third book that I had read by Diney Costeloe and in my opinion this was the best of the ones I had read. I listened to the audiobook version that was well performed by Anna Bentinck. This was the first story in the series of The Girl With No Name. I had already read the second book in this series so I felt that I should go back and read the first one so I could understand the characters better. I was glad that I did. The Girl With No Name was compelling, sad yet full of hope and very well researched. Diney Costeloe was able to capture the timid and unsure feelings of the children that had arrived in England from Germany on the Kinder transport. Almost all of these young German children arrived in England not knowing the language and all alone. What a scary aspect for a young child! The Girl With No Name spanned across the years of World War II and beyond. The characters were well developed, complex and believable. Diney Costeloe was able to accurately describe life in London during the Blitz and what life looked like in the countryside of England during the war. She was also able to portray the difficulties the refugees faced when they first arrived and the too prevalent resentment the refugees encountered during those turbulent years. The destruction and devastation caused by the German bombs was felt by so many. Jobs were lost, homes destroyed and many found themselves homeless and at the mercy of kind neighbors or other institutions.
The Girl With No Name was the story of a young Jewish girl, Lisa, who arrived from Germany on the Kinder transport. Lisa was sent on the Kinder transport to London by her mother. Her mother knew that she had to get Lisa away from Germany and the Nazis so she could grow up and have a chance at living a happy life. Lisa arrived on the train tired and scared. She was greeted by her foster parents who were childless but wanted to foster a child very badly. Since Lisa did not speak English and her foster parents did not speak German communication was quite difficult but they managed with hand gestures and a lot of patience. Lisa came to call her foster parents Aunt Naomi and Uncle Dan. She was enrolled at the local school and her teacher teamed Lisa up with a girl in her class who spoke both German and English. The two girls became good friends and soon enough Lisa was able to converse in English. She also learned how to read and write English. Life at school was not easy for Lisa, though. Many of the children disliked Lisa just because she was German and they bullied her. A boy a little older than Lisa came to her rescue and from that day on Lisa was never bullied again. This brave boy who came to Lisa’s rescue was called Heimlitch but he quickly changed his name to Harry Black. Harry had arrived on the same Kinder transport as Lisa. They had come from the same town in Germany. A bond and a friendship was quickly forged between Harry and Lisa. Harry became Lisa’s only link to her life back in Germany. Lisa and Harry began to spend time together but Lisa kept Harry a secret from Aunt Naomi and Uncle Dan. She knew that Harry was not the type of boy they would have approved of her spending time with.
One afternoon, Lisa met Harry in the park for one of their adventures. She had told Aunt Naomi that she was going to her school friend’s house for the afternoon. Harry and Lisa had a fun afternoon together but suddenly Lisa realized it had gotten rather late. She had to get to her friend’s house so Aunt Naomi wouldn’t become suspicious of Lisa’s real whereabouts. Harry walked Lisa to the bus but did not accompany her back. He told Lisa that he had business to do and was meeting someone. Harry no longer attended school. He now held down a job. Lisa was not too pleased to have go back by herself but she did. An air raid siren started blasting on her way home. The bus driver evacuated all the passengers on the bus and instructed them to take shelter down in tubes. Lisa suffered from claustrophobia and refused to go underground. She began to panic. A man caught sight of her and pulled her to the ground just as a bomb exploded. The man’s body had protected Lisa but he had died as a result. Lisa was discovered when the air raid was over. She had broken her arm and developed amnesia. The man had died. The authorities who found Lisa assumed that Lisa was his daughter. His identity papers gave his last name as Smith. Lisa was taken to a hospital. When she regained consciousness Lisa could not even remember her name or where she lived. The nurses at the hospital assumed that the man who died protecting her from the bomb was her father. His surname was Smith so they assumed Lisa’s surname was Smith as well. That was all anyone knew about Lisa. When Lisa's arm finally healed and she was ready to leave the hospital one of the nurses gave Lisa her own Christian name of Charlotte. Lisa became Charlotte Smith just like that. With no known relatives Charlotte Smith was sent to a children’s home in London. The location of the children’s home made the children quite vulnerable to being hit by German bombs. War was raging all around her. Could Lisa survive the war? What would happen to Lisa now? Were her foster parents and Harry lost to her forever? Would she regain her memory and remember her real name and where she was from?
Diney Costeloe’s research was impeccable in this novel. She was able to capture the panic, destruction and devastation that the Blitz caused. She depicted and included vivid descriptions of the necessary but dreaded blackout curtains, rationing, lack of basic necessities, the constant and dreaded air raid sirens, the dark and crowded bomb shelters, the raging fires that plagued all of London, the numerous collapsed buildings, the emergence of cellar rats, and the determination and grit of the British citizens to defeat the Nazis. I really enjoyed The Girl With No Name and highly recommend it.
The Girl With No Name was the story of a young Jewish girl, Lisa, who arrived from Germany on the Kinder transport. Lisa was sent on the Kinder transport to London by her mother. Her mother knew that she had to get Lisa away from Germany and the Nazis so she could grow up and have a chance at living a happy life. Lisa arrived on the train tired and scared. She was greeted by her foster parents who were childless but wanted to foster a child very badly. Since Lisa did not speak English and her foster parents did not speak German communication was quite difficult but they managed with hand gestures and a lot of patience. Lisa came to call her foster parents Aunt Naomi and Uncle Dan. She was enrolled at the local school and her teacher teamed Lisa up with a girl in her class who spoke both German and English. The two girls became good friends and soon enough Lisa was able to converse in English. She also learned how to read and write English. Life at school was not easy for Lisa, though. Many of the children disliked Lisa just because she was German and they bullied her. A boy a little older than Lisa came to her rescue and from that day on Lisa was never bullied again. This brave boy who came to Lisa’s rescue was called Heimlitch but he quickly changed his name to Harry Black. Harry had arrived on the same Kinder transport as Lisa. They had come from the same town in Germany. A bond and a friendship was quickly forged between Harry and Lisa. Harry became Lisa’s only link to her life back in Germany. Lisa and Harry began to spend time together but Lisa kept Harry a secret from Aunt Naomi and Uncle Dan. She knew that Harry was not the type of boy they would have approved of her spending time with.
One afternoon, Lisa met Harry in the park for one of their adventures. She had told Aunt Naomi that she was going to her school friend’s house for the afternoon. Harry and Lisa had a fun afternoon together but suddenly Lisa realized it had gotten rather late. She had to get to her friend’s house so Aunt Naomi wouldn’t become suspicious of Lisa’s real whereabouts. Harry walked Lisa to the bus but did not accompany her back. He told Lisa that he had business to do and was meeting someone. Harry no longer attended school. He now held down a job. Lisa was not too pleased to have go back by herself but she did. An air raid siren started blasting on her way home. The bus driver evacuated all the passengers on the bus and instructed them to take shelter down in tubes. Lisa suffered from claustrophobia and refused to go underground. She began to panic. A man caught sight of her and pulled her to the ground just as a bomb exploded. The man’s body had protected Lisa but he had died as a result. Lisa was discovered when the air raid was over. She had broken her arm and developed amnesia. The man had died. The authorities who found Lisa assumed that Lisa was his daughter. His identity papers gave his last name as Smith. Lisa was taken to a hospital. When she regained consciousness Lisa could not even remember her name or where she lived. The nurses at the hospital assumed that the man who died protecting her from the bomb was her father. His surname was Smith so they assumed Lisa’s surname was Smith as well. That was all anyone knew about Lisa. When Lisa's arm finally healed and she was ready to leave the hospital one of the nurses gave Lisa her own Christian name of Charlotte. Lisa became Charlotte Smith just like that. With no known relatives Charlotte Smith was sent to a children’s home in London. The location of the children’s home made the children quite vulnerable to being hit by German bombs. War was raging all around her. Could Lisa survive the war? What would happen to Lisa now? Were her foster parents and Harry lost to her forever? Would she regain her memory and remember her real name and where she was from?
Diney Costeloe’s research was impeccable in this novel. She was able to capture the panic, destruction and devastation that the Blitz caused. She depicted and included vivid descriptions of the necessary but dreaded blackout curtains, rationing, lack of basic necessities, the constant and dreaded air raid sirens, the dark and crowded bomb shelters, the raging fires that plagued all of London, the numerous collapsed buildings, the emergence of cellar rats, and the determination and grit of the British citizens to defeat the Nazis. I really enjoyed The Girl With No Name and highly recommend it.
April 11, 2020
I haven't done a DNF is a while. I thought this story had a good premise; WWII, an orphan girl that gets bombed in the middle of a raid and loses her memory... Sounds intriguing right? UNTIL...
You start getting further into the dialogue and start thinking there's something fishy with the way the characters are talking.... hmmmm... Sometimes they have British slang and sometimes they start talking like they came out of Harlem, NY or sometimes like Neanderthals learning the English language. It made me lose interest in the characters. It made no sense. Most of the time, in a direct conversation, they wouldn't start the sentence with I; it would just seem to start in the middle of a thought. It was too distracting to say the least. As for the story. It started fine then just wouldn't move along to the next phase and I didn't find the cast drawing me in.
"What my boss say when I don't come?" demanded Harry. (No 'does') page 150
"We got to talk," she said, almost as soon as he he was through the door. (no 'have') page 151
And so on.... Forgettable and odd.....
You start getting further into the dialogue and start thinking there's something fishy with the way the characters are talking.... hmmmm... Sometimes they have British slang and sometimes they start talking like they came out of Harlem, NY or sometimes like Neanderthals learning the English language. It made me lose interest in the characters. It made no sense. Most of the time, in a direct conversation, they wouldn't start the sentence with I; it would just seem to start in the middle of a thought. It was too distracting to say the least. As for the story. It started fine then just wouldn't move along to the next phase and I didn't find the cast drawing me in.
"What my boss say when I don't come?" demanded Harry. (No 'does') page 150
"We got to talk," she said, almost as soon as he he was through the door. (no 'have') page 151
And so on.... Forgettable and odd.....
April 25, 2022
The Girl with no Name by Diney Costeloe. It was a good book. I really enjoyed it. Interesting how Lisa/Charlotte had boyfriends from entirely different backgrounds. The dark dangerous and good nice boy from a nice family. Lisa has had a sad hard life. Escaping Germany and leaving her family during WW2 to a foster family in London. Getting lost during the blitz and on to a new family. Nice story of adventure and survival. Wasn’t just another WW2 book.
May 15, 2016
A story with so much potential but the way it was written let it down. The characters weren't explored deeply enough and the trauma from life experiences was washed over. It was rather like reading something written for a teenager.
I didn't give up on it but there were times that it was written so simply I became frustrated with the lack of character dimension. Insight into the terrors of the London Bombings was good and was captured well but I would have preferred the author to scratch a little deeper.
I didn't give up on it but there were times that it was written so simply I became frustrated with the lack of character dimension. Insight into the terrors of the London Bombings was good and was captured well but I would have preferred the author to scratch a little deeper.
August 21, 2016
The Girl With No Name by Diney Costeloe is a historical fiction and set during World War II. It has action both in Germany and England. It is an epic read and one that tugs at the reader's heart.
Diney Costeloe has perfectly captured the traumatic atmosphere of the war years both in London and the countryside. The resolve of the British spirit could not be broken by Hitler. "Offices, factories, churches, homes, all targeted to instil fear and misery, to destroy the morale of the Londoners." The carry on atmosphere of the people prevailed inspite of the blitz. Londoners pulled together, overcoming against all the odds.
War for the German Jews was catastrophic. Many had fought for Germany during the First World War and saw themselves as German "first and foremost." As the Jewish people were targeted so that had to decide to hide or flee. The kindertransport brought out the desperation and braveness of the parents of the children involved. "It took brave women with deep love for their children to do that." The children were equally brave as many arrived in England unable to speak the language and alone. Diney Costeloe has captured their fear perfectly.
The novel has the theme of searching. In times of war, people were searching for safety and for others. Lisa spends the whole novel searching not only for others but for herself - who is she?
Names are very important. A name change can also signify a character change or a change of circumstances. Lieselotte's name is made up of both Lisa and Charlotte. This is significant as she is two halves of the same person.
There is a wonderful air of love and care pervading the whole novel. In times of war, people seem to appreciate their loved ones more. They also open up their homes and hearts to those in need. A child in need can melt the hardest heart.
There is the theme of hope. "She had been keeping a tiny flame of hope alive in her heart." Hope can keep people going through even the most hopeless of circumstances.
There is the most wonderful feeling of community in both London and Somerset. They were two very different communities but united by the fact that they pulled together to help those in need.
It's not all good times and camaraderie. The black market and criminals put in an appearance too. The reader is always hoping they get their comeuppance!
The devastation of both lives and property is portrayed in the novel. The reader gets just a small flavour of the times which must have been horrendous.
The Girl With No Name was a fabulous epic tale and a compulsive read. The reader can 'feel' the spirit of the people. It was lovely to read a novel where I recognised the settings in both London and Somerset. This is my first novel by Diney Costeloe and i shall certainly be seeking more.
Highly recommended.
Diney Costeloe has perfectly captured the traumatic atmosphere of the war years both in London and the countryside. The resolve of the British spirit could not be broken by Hitler. "Offices, factories, churches, homes, all targeted to instil fear and misery, to destroy the morale of the Londoners." The carry on atmosphere of the people prevailed inspite of the blitz. Londoners pulled together, overcoming against all the odds.
War for the German Jews was catastrophic. Many had fought for Germany during the First World War and saw themselves as German "first and foremost." As the Jewish people were targeted so that had to decide to hide or flee. The kindertransport brought out the desperation and braveness of the parents of the children involved. "It took brave women with deep love for their children to do that." The children were equally brave as many arrived in England unable to speak the language and alone. Diney Costeloe has captured their fear perfectly.
The novel has the theme of searching. In times of war, people were searching for safety and for others. Lisa spends the whole novel searching not only for others but for herself - who is she?
Names are very important. A name change can also signify a character change or a change of circumstances. Lieselotte's name is made up of both Lisa and Charlotte. This is significant as she is two halves of the same person.
There is a wonderful air of love and care pervading the whole novel. In times of war, people seem to appreciate their loved ones more. They also open up their homes and hearts to those in need. A child in need can melt the hardest heart.
There is the theme of hope. "She had been keeping a tiny flame of hope alive in her heart." Hope can keep people going through even the most hopeless of circumstances.
There is the most wonderful feeling of community in both London and Somerset. They were two very different communities but united by the fact that they pulled together to help those in need.
It's not all good times and camaraderie. The black market and criminals put in an appearance too. The reader is always hoping they get their comeuppance!
The devastation of both lives and property is portrayed in the novel. The reader gets just a small flavour of the times which must have been horrendous.
The Girl With No Name was a fabulous epic tale and a compulsive read. The reader can 'feel' the spirit of the people. It was lovely to read a novel where I recognised the settings in both London and Somerset. This is my first novel by Diney Costeloe and i shall certainly be seeking more.
Highly recommended.
March 13, 2022
To my surprise I really liked this book. I have never read anything by Diney Costeloe before, thinking it would be too sweet, too romantic for me, but I was pleasantly surprised. I wanted to know what would happen next to the characters and the story had a flow to it.
April 4, 2016
4.5 stars
This book tells the story of Lisa Becker, a young German non-practicing Jewish girl age 13 transported to England to avoid the reach of the Nazi's and their "final solution". From the early pages of the story my interest was fully captured and I didn't want to stop reading. On arrival in England, Lisa is placed with a couple who speak no German and really can't communicate with her. How she learns to speak English and develops a close relationship with them makes for an excellent story. She faces bullying in school from students who only see her as being "German" rather than understanding what prejudice and risk she faced in her homeland. A young boy from her hometown who came over on the same train saves her from the bullying that she is forced to deal with and they develop a close though secretive relationship.
The author really made me feel as if I knew what it was like to live in London during the Blitz. I could picture it in my mind. The book follows Lisa as she is injured in an air raid, loses her memory and ultimately is transported out of London for her safety's sake. Without giving away all the details, we follow her story as she becomes Charlotte and grows and matures throughout the war years. There are many twists and turns to her story and as would be expected in wartime,many difficult and sad moments. I believe this book would be of great interest to the young adult reader interested in learning more about what it was like to live in England during the war. Having said that, it was also of great interest to me as an over 60 reader. I will definitely be reading more books by this author.
This book tells the story of Lisa Becker, a young German non-practicing Jewish girl age 13 transported to England to avoid the reach of the Nazi's and their "final solution". From the early pages of the story my interest was fully captured and I didn't want to stop reading. On arrival in England, Lisa is placed with a couple who speak no German and really can't communicate with her. How she learns to speak English and develops a close relationship with them makes for an excellent story. She faces bullying in school from students who only see her as being "German" rather than understanding what prejudice and risk she faced in her homeland. A young boy from her hometown who came over on the same train saves her from the bullying that she is forced to deal with and they develop a close though secretive relationship.
The author really made me feel as if I knew what it was like to live in London during the Blitz. I could picture it in my mind. The book follows Lisa as she is injured in an air raid, loses her memory and ultimately is transported out of London for her safety's sake. Without giving away all the details, we follow her story as she becomes Charlotte and grows and matures throughout the war years. There are many twists and turns to her story and as would be expected in wartime,many difficult and sad moments. I believe this book would be of great interest to the young adult reader interested in learning more about what it was like to live in England during the war. Having said that, it was also of great interest to me as an over 60 reader. I will definitely be reading more books by this author.
August 1, 2016
I almost gave up on this several times, but was too stubborn not to finish it. One dimensional characters, poorly written (felt as if it was intended for 10 year olds) and don't get me started on the amount of repetition and over explanation. Every scene of the story is spoon-fed to the reader. Despite the over explanation the characters are seriously under developed and not described in any detail. I really wanted to like it as it was a great premise for a story. To me it felt as if the author had a history book open and was filling in gaps between events from the war with a barely constructed story. Sorry, just not for me.
February 13, 2017
Added 2/4/17. (Published March 1st 2016)
(Read mostly during Jan. & Feb. 2017)
On 12/29/16, I bought this Kindle edition for 99 cents via BookBub and Amazon. It has turned out to be well worth it. It kept me engaged through-out. As I got into it, I kept going back to it more and more, preferring it over the other books I was reading at the same time.
The characters are well-fleshed out and very likable. The style of writing is straight-forward and very readable. The plot has enough forward motion and suspense to keep one reading. It involves the effects of WWII on the people, and especially on the children, of Germany and England. The bombings on London are made very real and one wonders how they ever survived it all.
I was born in 1934. So I was in grade-school in the USA during WW2 . I remember the black-out practice raids we had and how, when the air-raid whistle blew, we would go down into our finished cellar where black curtains were hung over the windows. The headlights on the cars were half-covered in black. I remember the ration-books too. The Londoners experienced all this plus the actual bombings and destruction that took place, not to mention the fear they lived under. As the years go by, fewer and fewer people will still be alive who actually lived through that period. This book brings it all back.
See an excellent Goodreads member review of this book at: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
[Review by Goodreads member, Julia Wilson]
Also see the following review by Bev at: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
(Read mostly during Jan. & Feb. 2017)
On 12/29/16, I bought this Kindle edition for 99 cents via BookBub and Amazon. It has turned out to be well worth it. It kept me engaged through-out. As I got into it, I kept going back to it more and more, preferring it over the other books I was reading at the same time.
The characters are well-fleshed out and very likable. The style of writing is straight-forward and very readable. The plot has enough forward motion and suspense to keep one reading. It involves the effects of WWII on the people, and especially on the children, of Germany and England. The bombings on London are made very real and one wonders how they ever survived it all.
I was born in 1934. So I was in grade-school in the USA during WW2 . I remember the black-out practice raids we had and how, when the air-raid whistle blew, we would go down into our finished cellar where black curtains were hung over the windows. The headlights on the cars were half-covered in black. I remember the ration-books too. The Londoners experienced all this plus the actual bombings and destruction that took place, not to mention the fear they lived under. As the years go by, fewer and fewer people will still be alive who actually lived through that period. This book brings it all back.
See an excellent Goodreads member review of this book at: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
[Review by Goodreads member, Julia Wilson]
Also see the following review by Bev at: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
February 19, 2020
Heel emotioneel boek over een Joods meisje dat in Duitsland woonde en wegens de vervolgingen daar naar Londen emigreert. Ze komt daar bij pleegouders terecht van wie ze stilaan begint te houden. Nadat ze echter gewond geraakt bij een bominslag als ze een eindje van huis is, is ze haar geheugen verloren. Omdat ze ook geen papieren op zak had, weet niemand wie ze is. Ze krijgt een nieuwe naam (Charlotte) en nadat ze een tijdje in een kindertehuis verbleven heeft, worden alle kinderen naar het platteland overgebracht omdat het in Londen te gevaarlijk wordt. Hier komt ze in huis bij een alleenstaande dame, met wie ze toch ook een innige relatie weet op te bouwen. Harry (in Londen) en Billy (in Wynsdown) zijn de jongemannen die allebei een oogje op Lisa/Charlotte hebben. Uiteindelijk zal ze moeten kiezen en ook besluiten hoe ze na de oorlog haar leven verder wil opbouwen.
Goed boek, niet echt fenomenaal, maar prettige lectuur.
Goed boek, niet echt fenomenaal, maar prettige lectuur.
August 5, 2016
AWE....SENSATIONAL READ!
This is a fascinating read about a young German-Jewish girl that is sent to England alone, by her mother. Her father, a doctor, was detained by the Gestapo. Her mother, realizing that their future looked bleak, due to the fact that her husband's mother was Jewish and her son was blind, decided to send Lisa to England, in the hope the child might survive WWII.
This story keeps you on the edge of your seat. The author has the amazing talent to take you on the journey of this child, from the terrors of the rise of Nazi Germany to the unknown and uncertainty of London. The journey has many twists and turns.
This is a heart warming, tear jerking and frightening trip of a child that becomes a strong woman while surviving incredible challenges and the strangers that helped shape her life. A MUST READ!
This is a fascinating read about a young German-Jewish girl that is sent to England alone, by her mother. Her father, a doctor, was detained by the Gestapo. Her mother, realizing that their future looked bleak, due to the fact that her husband's mother was Jewish and her son was blind, decided to send Lisa to England, in the hope the child might survive WWII.
This story keeps you on the edge of your seat. The author has the amazing talent to take you on the journey of this child, from the terrors of the rise of Nazi Germany to the unknown and uncertainty of London. The journey has many twists and turns.
This is a heart warming, tear jerking and frightening trip of a child that becomes a strong woman while surviving incredible challenges and the strangers that helped shape her life. A MUST READ!
February 11, 2017
I am a historical fiction fan, so when I happened across this title it sounded like I would really enjoy it. I did enjoy the first part of the book and the last 1/4 of the book. The middle of the story fell flat. I read 2 other books while trying to finish this book. I almost gave up, but kept plugging away at it. I am giving this book 3.5 stars, because in the end I really did enjoy it. There were very colorful details on the war aspects of the story, like Blackout shades, bomb shelters, all clear alarms, the sounds and struggles of war, lack of food and supplies, taxi's getting requisitioned for the war effort, etc..which thankfully most of us living in America have never experienced and only experience these things through talented storytellers.
I have to agree with other reviewers on two points.... 1. that the characters seemed underdeveloped. I didn't find myself invested in any with the exception of Lisa and Billy. I've given this much thought and I really can't put my finger on why. Maybe it's because many characters appear so fleetingly in the story and there is not much build up around them. Lisa's parents, her foster parents, etc. They all seemed to come and go rather quickly. 2. Also the point made about Harry, and what was his character all about?... Just a bad penny like character popping up every so often in the book, again fleetingly.
There are many 5 star reviews for this story, so give it a go. All and all a good read, if it gets slow for you, hang in there, it's worth it.
I have to agree with other reviewers on two points.... 1. that the characters seemed underdeveloped. I didn't find myself invested in any with the exception of Lisa and Billy. I've given this much thought and I really can't put my finger on why. Maybe it's because many characters appear so fleetingly in the story and there is not much build up around them. Lisa's parents, her foster parents, etc. They all seemed to come and go rather quickly. 2. Also the point made about Harry, and what was his character all about?... Just a bad penny like character popping up every so often in the book, again fleetingly.
There are many 5 star reviews for this story, so give it a go. All and all a good read, if it gets slow for you, hang in there, it's worth it.
June 13, 2017
Kinda surprised this book got rated so high by others. It was interesting enough but I found the writing overdone and the plot fairly predictable. Yes there were times I skipped through the immense detail to get to the gist of the page, and it was very sweet most of the time...like a person who is too nice to be real. Everything so perfectly fell into place. When we chose this for our book club we all thought the plot sounded interesting...it could have been, but it simply fell.
March 13, 2022
Aangrijpend. Ontroerend.
Toch kon deze mij net iets minder boeien dan 'De Verloren kinderen'.
Had, voor mij, een betere uitwerking verdiend.
Toch kon deze mij net iets minder boeien dan 'De Verloren kinderen'.
Had, voor mij, een betere uitwerking verdiend.
August 30, 2025
Genres: Historical Fiction/WWII
This was a sweet story with equally sweet characters. They did all the right things at all the right times. For many readers that may be a comfort. For me, not so much. I don't exactly have a sweet tooth when it comes to fiction, and I struggled with the amount of altruistic behavior.
However, with that said, the story wasn't without tension. The harsh realities of WWII crept in enough to give the story some grit, and that contrast kept me in. The MC was easy to like and root for. She was a little Jewish girl in Germany. When things started getting ugly, her mom was able to secure her (not her blind brother) a train ticket to England with other kids in her same boat. She was the heart of the story.
Overall, I didn't love this as much as other readers have. However, it felt like a gentle well-intentioned read. So 3 stars.
This was a sweet story with equally sweet characters. They did all the right things at all the right times. For many readers that may be a comfort. For me, not so much. I don't exactly have a sweet tooth when it comes to fiction, and I struggled with the amount of altruistic behavior.
However, with that said, the story wasn't without tension. The harsh realities of WWII crept in enough to give the story some grit, and that contrast kept me in. The MC was easy to like and root for. She was a little Jewish girl in Germany. When things started getting ugly, her mom was able to secure her (not her blind brother) a train ticket to England with other kids in her same boat. She was the heart of the story.
Overall, I didn't love this as much as other readers have. However, it felt like a gentle well-intentioned read. So 3 stars.
July 8, 2016
I had such high hopes for this book, but sadly, I have been disappointed. It had popped up on my Kindle as a recommended book based on other books I have purchased. Initially, I was hesitant to purchase this book. I love historical fiction, but I'm always nervous to purchase/read a book from an author that I have not heard of before or recommended by family/friends. It happened to go on sale on Amazon, so after reading the book's description and seeing the rating, I thought I would give it a chance.
If you just focus on the story itself, the book is interesting. It's about a German refugee (Lisa) who is sent to London during WWII. During the great Blitz of London, she is injured and loses her memory. Honestly, the only reason I finished the book was because I wanted to find out if she regained her memory, found her foster parents, and if her family survived the war. To say the least, I struggled to finish it. I often had to put it down for several days before trying to read it. The dialogue is horribly written. It felt like all the characters were speaking broken English. I actually had to go back to read the author's bio to see if there was a language barrier. The author also randomly drops swear words in that really add nothing to story.
The way the book/story is structured drove me crazy at times -- one minute you reading about something and the next, there's suddenly a flashback to something that happened to just a few minutes beforehand. Only you don't always realize it. There were times that I felt a paragraph break would have been useful -- it felt like the story just ran together. I also agree with some of the other reviews on here about Harry -- there was a few chapters that were dedicated to him that I felt were unnecessary and would have made for a shorter book.
If you want to read this book, I recommend that you save your money and borrow from a friend or your local library.
If you just focus on the story itself, the book is interesting. It's about a German refugee (Lisa) who is sent to London during WWII. During the great Blitz of London, she is injured and loses her memory. Honestly, the only reason I finished the book was because I wanted to find out if she regained her memory, found her foster parents, and if her family survived the war. To say the least, I struggled to finish it. I often had to put it down for several days before trying to read it. The dialogue is horribly written. It felt like all the characters were speaking broken English. I actually had to go back to read the author's bio to see if there was a language barrier. The author also randomly drops swear words in that really add nothing to story.
The way the book/story is structured drove me crazy at times -- one minute you reading about something and the next, there's suddenly a flashback to something that happened to just a few minutes beforehand. Only you don't always realize it. There were times that I felt a paragraph break would have been useful -- it felt like the story just ran together. I also agree with some of the other reviews on here about Harry -- there was a few chapters that were dedicated to him that I felt were unnecessary and would have made for a shorter book.
If you want to read this book, I recommend that you save your money and borrow from a friend or your local library.
June 13, 2016
I really enjoyed this book. I think if you read it for what it is and don't think too deep about the characters and their feelings it's a lovely story. For me it had enough twists and turns to make me want to read more and was true enough to history to make it seem real. I hope to read another of the authors books.
June 5, 2020
1939. War is imminent. Lisa, a 13-year old German/Jewish girl is shipped off to England for safety via the Kindertransport leaving her parents and blind brother behind.
This child is ripped from her family and the only life she has ever known sent to a foreign land speaking not a word of the language to live with strangers.
While Lisa was lucky enough to be placed with a kind family in the beginning, Lisa’s journey throughout the war from the time she arrives in England is as traumatic as anything one could imagine. Made even more so when she is caught in an air raid in London and suffers from amnesia; she is shuttled from place to place and given a new name.
The writing style is simple which is exactly what gives the story gravitas. It conveys the image of simple people coping with harrowing times.
This was a thoughtful deeply moving story that brought vividly to mind what one displaced child went through during the war. This is Lisa’s story but there would have been many just like her.
This child is ripped from her family and the only life she has ever known sent to a foreign land speaking not a word of the language to live with strangers.
While Lisa was lucky enough to be placed with a kind family in the beginning, Lisa’s journey throughout the war from the time she arrives in England is as traumatic as anything one could imagine. Made even more so when she is caught in an air raid in London and suffers from amnesia; she is shuttled from place to place and given a new name.
The writing style is simple which is exactly what gives the story gravitas. It conveys the image of simple people coping with harrowing times.
This was a thoughtful deeply moving story that brought vividly to mind what one displaced child went through during the war. This is Lisa’s story but there would have been many just like her.
April 18, 2017
Spoilers, so be on the lookout. The story in this is okay but kind of bizarre...you think you're getting one thing and then it changes, and changes, and changes. You follow some characters all at once, but then stick to one particular character for five chapters in a row, forget about what the others are up to, and then bam, you get one chapter from another perspective. In all, there are about three main perspectives in this book, though the focus is on Lisa, or Charlotte, the German Jewish refugee who comes on a Kindertransport train to live with the Federman family in East London. You follow her insane and entirely implausible story, as she gets knocked out by a bomb and then develops amnesia, forgetting her name, and then she's mislabeled as Smith during triage so when her foster parents come looking for her, they find no unidentified children in hospitals, and even though this girl has amnesia not one person in the hospital thinks "oh maybe she's the one they're going crazy looking for!" because if they DID, this book wouldn't have a plot. STORY-BUILDING!
So nameless Lisa becomes Charlotte, and she's eventually moved to the countryside where she lives with an old curmudgeonly lady she somehow charms in a matter of days. She remembers who she is eventually, but stays living as Charlotte. Conveniently for her, the old woman dies, leaving a hidden fortune to the girl she took in only two years earlier (lmao) meaning Charlotte is set for life. Of course. Charlotte or Lisa (the author refers to her as both interchangeably which is awkward, but so is the author's writing in general...it sounds like she wrote this book in another language and then pushed it through google translate) moves to London to work in a children's home, and eventually reunites with her foster parents but is like meh I like my new life better, bye bitches! Then she finds out her actual mother is alive, having survived the Holocaust, but the second Charlotte/Lisa gets to Germany, her mom calls out "Lisa!" and then promptly dies.
Oh, and there's a stupid love triangle too? This boy Harry, born Heinrich, is another refugee who is having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad WWII. His foster family hates him so he moves to a hostel and quits school to become an errand boy on the black market, then he gets arrested as an enemy of the state and sent to an internment camp, then he gets out and finds work at the docks while living in the basement of the blown-up Federman home, then he runs his own black market scheme, and THEN Mikey, the guy who employed him earlier, sets him up so he is arrested and sent to prison for three years. During this whole time, he loves Lisa, the girl he protected from bullies when she first got to London, and he's depicted as this sweet but rugged kid who does what he needs to survive. But while she's in the country, Lisa/Charlotte falls in love with this bland boy Billy who has zero personality, and in the end, he's the one she ends up choosing because the author has done everything in her power to turn Harry from a good but lost kid into someone we're supposed to hate, despite all he's been through. I've never seen a writer turn around so hard and fast on one of her own characters. She even makes him get a bit rapey with Lisa/Charlotte at the movies one day and then is like "Billy wanted to take things slow." Oh, and this secondary character makes random judgments about Harry, like when Lisa/Charlotte gets an inheritance, there are not one but TWO references this secondary character makes about seeing cartoon money bags in Harry's eyes. Like, go fuck yourself, tbh. It's like Goofus and Gallant, and of course, the privileged farm boy who had everything handed to him wins out over the Jewish boy who did what he could to survive in a foreign city only to have literally all of it taken away from him. At the end, the author basically banishes him to Australia, taking him completely out of the picture just in case, while Lisa/Charlotte and Bland Billy get married.
Basically I started out giving this book three stars, and then went down to two, and now that I'm done with my rant, it's at one. This author can go fuck herself.
So nameless Lisa becomes Charlotte, and she's eventually moved to the countryside where she lives with an old curmudgeonly lady she somehow charms in a matter of days. She remembers who she is eventually, but stays living as Charlotte. Conveniently for her, the old woman dies, leaving a hidden fortune to the girl she took in only two years earlier (lmao) meaning Charlotte is set for life. Of course. Charlotte or Lisa (the author refers to her as both interchangeably which is awkward, but so is the author's writing in general...it sounds like she wrote this book in another language and then pushed it through google translate) moves to London to work in a children's home, and eventually reunites with her foster parents but is like meh I like my new life better, bye bitches! Then she finds out her actual mother is alive, having survived the Holocaust, but the second Charlotte/Lisa gets to Germany, her mom calls out "Lisa!" and then promptly dies.
Oh, and there's a stupid love triangle too? This boy Harry, born Heinrich, is another refugee who is having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad WWII. His foster family hates him so he moves to a hostel and quits school to become an errand boy on the black market, then he gets arrested as an enemy of the state and sent to an internment camp, then he gets out and finds work at the docks while living in the basement of the blown-up Federman home, then he runs his own black market scheme, and THEN Mikey, the guy who employed him earlier, sets him up so he is arrested and sent to prison for three years. During this whole time, he loves Lisa, the girl he protected from bullies when she first got to London, and he's depicted as this sweet but rugged kid who does what he needs to survive. But while she's in the country, Lisa/Charlotte falls in love with this bland boy Billy who has zero personality, and in the end, he's the one she ends up choosing because the author has done everything in her power to turn Harry from a good but lost kid into someone we're supposed to hate, despite all he's been through. I've never seen a writer turn around so hard and fast on one of her own characters. She even makes him get a bit rapey with Lisa/Charlotte at the movies one day and then is like "Billy wanted to take things slow." Oh, and this secondary character makes random judgments about Harry, like when Lisa/Charlotte gets an inheritance, there are not one but TWO references this secondary character makes about seeing cartoon money bags in Harry's eyes. Like, go fuck yourself, tbh. It's like Goofus and Gallant, and of course, the privileged farm boy who had everything handed to him wins out over the Jewish boy who did what he could to survive in a foreign city only to have literally all of it taken away from him. At the end, the author basically banishes him to Australia, taking him completely out of the picture just in case, while Lisa/Charlotte and Bland Billy get married.
Basically I started out giving this book three stars, and then went down to two, and now that I'm done with my rant, it's at one. This author can go fuck herself.
December 23, 2016
The girl With No Name by Diney Costeloe
My wife said that this book was promoted as a 'chick' book, but suggested that as I was around in the Blitz, I might find it interesting. Well, I'm no 'chicken' but I loved this story. At first, I thought it was written in a rather naive fashion; everybody was a goody-goody, even the nasty people weren't really nasty, but then I realised that people were like that during the blitz. Everyone rallied round and helped each other, determined not to be defeated by the situation. As an evacuee, I know a bit of what it was like in the blitz. Diney Costeloe did her research and those times have been beautifully captured. The story is such an easy, literate read and the characters sympathetic and interesting. I couldn't wait to see how the characters got on next and read it avidly. There was no real violence, or explicit sex; it was so refreshing! I was particularly amused how the problem of Harry was resolved. My wife has introduced me to a number of female authors and those that I have read, I have enjoyed. I still have my favourite male authors, but I'm not into the male 'macho' genre and this story was perfect, in my opinion. I definitely want to read more of Diney Costeloe's books. I rate this book five stars for being a very entertaining read.
My wife said that this book was promoted as a 'chick' book, but suggested that as I was around in the Blitz, I might find it interesting. Well, I'm no 'chicken' but I loved this story. At first, I thought it was written in a rather naive fashion; everybody was a goody-goody, even the nasty people weren't really nasty, but then I realised that people were like that during the blitz. Everyone rallied round and helped each other, determined not to be defeated by the situation. As an evacuee, I know a bit of what it was like in the blitz. Diney Costeloe did her research and those times have been beautifully captured. The story is such an easy, literate read and the characters sympathetic and interesting. I couldn't wait to see how the characters got on next and read it avidly. There was no real violence, or explicit sex; it was so refreshing! I was particularly amused how the problem of Harry was resolved. My wife has introduced me to a number of female authors and those that I have read, I have enjoyed. I still have my favourite male authors, but I'm not into the male 'macho' genre and this story was perfect, in my opinion. I definitely want to read more of Diney Costeloe's books. I rate this book five stars for being a very entertaining read.
December 17, 2016
3.5 stars bumped up to 4. I really loved the story of Lisa/Charlotte, especially during the Blitz in the East End which, I felt, was very well described. I kept turning the pages because I was really interested to find out how it all ended for the young heroine.
However, a few things bothered me. Firstly, the numerous grammatical errors in the text. Secondly, the efforts the author makes to drum up empathy which, alas, didn't always ring true (stock ingredients of "popular fiction"?). And lastly, the character of Harry seemed very contrived; he kept popping up now and again like a bad penny to add a bit of spice to the story.
But please don't be put off. Overall it was an enjoyable read.
However, a few things bothered me. Firstly, the numerous grammatical errors in the text. Secondly, the efforts the author makes to drum up empathy which, alas, didn't always ring true (stock ingredients of "popular fiction"?). And lastly, the character of Harry seemed very contrived; he kept popping up now and again like a bad penny to add a bit of spice to the story.
But please don't be put off. Overall it was an enjoyable read.
April 9, 2017
A must read.
Even as people in England were sending their own children to safer places during WWII, England was accepting refugee children from Germany. Lisa's journey is filled with fear, hate, courage, assimilation and tremendous loss.
The author has done a wonderful job of describing life in England, both in the city and the countryside during the German blitz. Her descriptions and the accompanying details of what the English endured and in particular the journey of Lisa's, a 13 year old German refugee, made me feel as if we're experiencing it myself. Although there are many characters in this novel, the author adeptly weaves the parts they play in Lisa's life.
My only criticism is the editorial mistakes, which should have easily been picked up by any decent editor.
Even as people in England were sending their own children to safer places during WWII, England was accepting refugee children from Germany. Lisa's journey is filled with fear, hate, courage, assimilation and tremendous loss.
The author has done a wonderful job of describing life in England, both in the city and the countryside during the German blitz. Her descriptions and the accompanying details of what the English endured and in particular the journey of Lisa's, a 13 year old German refugee, made me feel as if we're experiencing it myself. Although there are many characters in this novel, the author adeptly weaves the parts they play in Lisa's life.
My only criticism is the editorial mistakes, which should have easily been picked up by any decent editor.
January 8, 2018
This really is a thought provoking story that I couldn't put down.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.
December 11, 2018
I love historical fiction of this nature.
However, I've been reading too many of these Nazi-Germany-styled WW2 stories, one after the other, whereas I should have spaced them out.
Once again, five stars for the actual story and Lisa/Charlotte's resilience throughout this ordeal. Overall, I have mixed feelings. In some way, the story was missing depth. Pacing in the story was erratic at times: some parts of the story really captured my attention, while other parts dragged along.
I enjoyed the detail and research with regards to the chaotic description of London during the Blitz. Lots of minute details which engage the senses: the Blackout experience/shades, lack of supplies, air raid sirens, bomb shelters, fires, etc.
A feel-good story!
However, I've been reading too many of these Nazi-Germany-styled WW2 stories, one after the other, whereas I should have spaced them out.
Once again, five stars for the actual story and Lisa/Charlotte's resilience throughout this ordeal. Overall, I have mixed feelings. In some way, the story was missing depth. Pacing in the story was erratic at times: some parts of the story really captured my attention, while other parts dragged along.
I enjoyed the detail and research with regards to the chaotic description of London during the Blitz. Lots of minute details which engage the senses: the Blackout experience/shades, lack of supplies, air raid sirens, bomb shelters, fires, etc.
A feel-good story!
August 30, 2019
Diney Costeloe does it again! As in previous reviews of her work, I've indicated I never knew I would enjoy historical fiction but Ms Costeloe's novels are great! This book is truly amazing! 9 out of 10.
January 18, 2019
Alweer een heerlijk boek van Costeloe! Ook bij dit verhaal zit je er gelijk vanaf de eerste pagina helemaal en laat het boek je tot de laatste pagina niet meer los. Een indrukwekkende historische roman die het liefst in één keer uit leest
September 21, 2017
I loved this book. I absolutely fell in love with it. I don't know why some people have grave reviews on such a great book like this but it may not be everyone's cup of tea - we all have our opinions. But, for me, this book was so well developed that it was a light and brisk read. I never had to falter on words because everything was simplistic yet descriptive (if that makes sense xD). I must say at times I felt sorry for Lisa but she was a brave girl that was determined to not give up amidst the war. I enjoyed seeing her develop maturity and even at the end surprising us a little (no spoilers here!). Lisa had two sides to her in this book, her life as Lisa and her life as Charlotte. With Lisa, she was a young vulnerable girl who got bullied because she was "German" but had a hero back then named Harry to save her from bullying. And in the Charlotte part of her life, she grew up and developed into a young lady whom she fell in deep love and we saw her change completely in her time at the village. This book contained a lot of twists and turns but it never went off the page - everything fitted perfectly. To be honest, my only problem with this book would be that there were quite a few grammatical errors which I believe dropped the value of the book. The first book I've read of Diney Costleoe planning to read The Throwaway Children next. :)
January 11, 2017
What a great book. I read this in ebook format. It was long, over 900 pages. The main character is a young girl, Lisa, who is sent out of Germany by train in 1939 due to the beginnings of WWII. Lisa is sent to London to a foster couple and this story is about her life during WWII. It always amazes me the conditions of places like London and France during the war. It is difficult to imagine just what the people went through. Totally engrossing story and worth the read.
October 18, 2016
Just ok. Could have been great
Wonderful interesting characters but they never really went anywhere. Kept waiting for something that never really seemed to happen. It was a bit disappointing. Lots of things happen but it all seems a bit random and with no real purpose.
Wonderful interesting characters but they never really went anywhere. Kept waiting for something that never really seemed to happen. It was a bit disappointing. Lots of things happen but it all seems a bit random and with no real purpose.
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