For Those Who Are Lost - by Julia Bryan Thomas (Paperback)

About the Book

"On the island of Guernsey, as WWII looms, many islanders make the heartbreaking choice to ship their children to safety in England, not knowing when (or if) they will be reunited. Acting on faith, Ava and Joseph Simon reluctantly send their 9-year-old son Henry and four-year-old daughter Catherine with their children's teacher Helen, who will escort them to the mainland. But Helen's sister Lily is fleeing an abusive, childless marriage, and, just as the ferry is about to leave, she convinces her sister to let her take Helen's place so that she can make a new start for herself. It is Lily who takes the children to England, and it is Lily who lets Henry get on a train by himself. But Lily has always wanted a child, and she's unable to let Catherine go. So she decides to walk the other way, taking Catherine with her in her arms. That split-second decision impacts the lives of everyone long after the war ends. Perfect for readers of Sold on a Monday, For Those Who Are Lost is at once heartbreaking, thought-provoking, and uplifting"--

Book Synopsis

"A compelling story of love, courage and forgiveness. Highly recommended." --Historical Novel Society

"A sure bet for readers of personal war stories and those who want to know, 'What about the women and children?'" --Booklist

Inspired by true events, For Those Who Are Lost begins on the eve of the Nazi invasion of the island of Guernsey, when terrified parents have a choice to make: send their children alone to England, or keep the family together and risk whatever may come to their villages.

Ava and Joseph Simon reluctantly put their 9-year-old son, Henry, and four-year-old daughter, Catherine, in the care of their son's teacher, who will escort them on a boat to mainland England. Just as the ferry is about to leave, the teacher's sister, Lily appears. The two trade places: Helen doesn't want to leave Guernsey, and Lily is desperate for a fresh start.

Lily is the one who accompanies the children to England, and Lily is the one who lets Henry get on a train by himself, deciding in a split second to take Catherine with her and walk the other way. That split-second decision lingers long after the war ends, impacting the rest of their lives.

Perfect for readers of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society, For Those Who Are Lost is at once heartbreaking, thought-provoking, and uplifting.

Review Quotes

"For Those Who are Lost is a surprisingly suspenseful novel, fraught with the tension of intersecting lives in impossible circumstances. The literary momentum pulls the reader forward at an ever increasing pace toward a poignant ending." -- Audrey Blake, USA Today bestselling author of The Girl in His Shadow and The Surgeon's Daughter

"A sure bet for readers of personal war stories and those who want to know, 'What about the women and children?'" -- Booklist

"Julia Bryan Thomas has ensured that readers of For Those Who Are Lost will never forget the children of Guernsey displaced during World War II. This is a captivating and complex story about family, about deception, about flawed characters in inconceivable circumstances, and about the power of love to both damage and heal." -- Kelly Mustian, author of The Girls in the Stilt House

"This richly layered story about losing, finding and forgiving unfolds when a Nazi threat to an innocent island off the coast of France is imminent. Desperate action is taken and children are sent into the unknown where destinies are altered. Then the isolation and pressures of a tedious war beget heartaches and heroes. For Those Who Are Lost is riddled with secrets and sins for the sake of survival. Kudos to Thomas for a poignant and compelling read." -- Leah Weiss, bestselling author of If The Creek Don't Rise and All the Little Hopes

"Thomas's extensive research realistically conveys life under Nazi occupation: harassment, isolation, medicine and food shortages, and constant fear of reprisal or impressment in a camp. Ava worries constantly about her children. One scene is particularly poignant as she picks up smooth rocks at the sea as Catherine does the same in Cornwall, not knowing why she collects rocks. And when the war ends, what then? I could empathize with the richly drawn characters, their grief and guilt. This is Thomas's second novel (see also Penhale Wood) featuring a grieving mother searching for truth. What a compelling story of love, courage and forgiveness. Highly recommended." -- Historical Novel Society