The Book of Lost Friends By Lisa Wingate

If you’ve read Wingate before, this new novel will not disappoint. Published April 2020 from Ballantine Books. This book is fiction, but also based on historical events. The story begins on a plantation in Louisiana 1875. We meet main characters & learn the traits of their lives...Hannie a slave, Juneau Jane the master’s child born of a slave and half-sister to the master’s privileged daughter Lavinia. Many slaves were torn from their families regardless of age and this is what happened to Hannie. Hannie very much would like to be reunited with her long lost family. After following Juneau-Jane & Lavinia off the plantation, Hannie inquires of her family everywhere her journey takes the 3 traveling women. The same town, fast forward 1987 when first-year teacher Miss Silva comes to town. She needs to Learn to connect with her students, come to understand their lifestyle and in the process they all learn a little something through the Book of Lost Names. There are newprint ads throughout the book of masters searching for slaves who ran, and slaves searching for family which I found interesting. 

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