The Lost Wife

A Novel

By: Alyson Richman

Narrated by: George Guidall, Suzanne Toren

Length: 10 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

In pre-war Prague, the dreams of two young lovers are shattered when they are separated by the Nazi invasion. Then, decades later, thousands of miles away in New York, there's an inescapable glance of recognition between two strangers. Providence is giving Lenka and Josef one more chance. From the glamorous ease of life in Prague before the Occupation, to the horrors of Nazi Europe, The Lost Wife explores the power of first love, the resilience of the human spirit, and the strength of memory.

©2011 Alyson Richman (P)2012 Recorded Books, LLC

Why did the book have to end!

I wanted the story to continue, hated for it to end! Such a wonderful story.

So bitter sweet

What made the experience of listening to The Lost Wife the most enjoyable?

This will resnate in my soul forever

What other book might you compare The Lost Wife to and why?

The boy in the stripped pajamas

What does George Guidall and Suzanne Toren bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Nice contrast against eachother

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Love Never Lost

Any additional comments?

May this history never repeat its self!!!! And may all wounded from its evil find comfort in Massiah!

A long journey I gladly followed

Excellent production, the story covered so much... life before, during, and after the war. I loved getting to know the characters and glimpsing what it must be like to have survived the holocaust. I think back upon friends' parents I knew with a deeper appreciation for how they managed their new lives in the US. While listening to the audio book I couldn't help think that if only some of Donald Trump's supporters could hear this story and learn a little history, they wouldn't be so quick to condemn another solely based on a person's religion.

I loved this book

Historical novel is my fabvorite and anything WWII related is even better. I have a place in my heart for the struggles of the Jews during the Holocaust.

Good audio book

Would you listen to The Lost Wife again? Why?

If I had no other audio book I wanted to listen to, yes I would listen to it again. Hopefully there will a lot of books I want to listen too!

Who was your favorite character and why?

The character read by Suzanne Toren(forgot the name of character!), because she was loyal to her family and very brave.

Which character – as performed by George Guidall and Suzanne Toren – was your favorite?

Probably Character performed by Suzanne Toren was my favorite .

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Not really, because some of the story takes place in a Concentration Camp, and that is easy to quit listening to. I needed a break.

Any additional comments?

It really is a well done audio presentation .

Somber and reflective …

This was another recommendation based on my reading history on Audible. Specifically I think it was based on my love for ‘Beautiful Ruins’ which was a spectacular novel. There is so much to grasp in this novel which floats between two human beings, Lenka and Josef, forever joined through love in a tumultuous time. Separated and lost, they continue their lives into the future still longing for the times they had spent together during the early part of WWII. Remarkable research on the Theresienstadt concentration camp is embedded in the novel where Lenka suffers through the Nazi occupation. Both believe the other has perished and only a chance encounter many decades ahead will fulfill their eternal love. The story is very believable since millions were separated through anguish, hatred and circumstance during WWII. The author specifically mentions that she was inspired by a similar event that was conveyed to her. It is a beautiful story and well written. Sadly, the narration is so so. But it is worth a listen.

Prague in WWII

This is one of the most harrowing, beautiful stories of survival during the holocaust that I have come across. Before listening to The Lost Wife, I knew very little of the history of Czechoslavakia during WWII. But I have visited the beautiful old city of Prague, and can imagine the life of Lenka and Josef before the communist invasion. I found myself researching the Terezin concentration where unexpectedly many Jewish artists and musicians were held during the war. Because of these artists, many of whom were later sent to Auchwitz and killed, we have learned, through their paintings and drawings what really happened during their internment. These well-hidden artworks were recovered following the war. These brave, starving Jewish people managed to conceal and carry small scraps of paper and paint from their workshops back to the children of the camp so they, too, could be creative. The Lost Wife is a historically correct fictional story that is unique. It gives the listener a rare glimpse into the lives of two young people and their families at a time in history that none of us would choose to live in. Some reviewers have found the writing to be far fetched. It isn't. WWII happened, as did the atrocities against the Jewish people by the German government. Evil exists. And by the mighty grace of God, people survive. The human spirit is strengthened. Love prevails.

great characters

I became totally engrossed in the character's story fron the first chapter . Very captivating.

What a great book with the best narrators!

One of my favorites! The narration was beautiful. I could listen to them all day. The story and their voices transported. A must read!

One I won't forget

As the Brits would say "It's BRILLIANT!" Alyson Richman is one hell of a writer to be able to switch back and forth between two equally engaging people who fall in love, get married, get separated, and, 60 years later, come back together. She shows you Prague before and after the Nazis take over, what might happen to people who "got out in time", and those who stayed...and how they could come back together.

It's all so believable! Ms Richman has made all the characters believable. While some of the Germans only appear briefly, most of us have watched enough movies and TV drama to see them as full fleshed out. And the narrators! George Guidall and Suzanne Toren are as near perfect as one could wish. This is one book that I am glad I purchased in audible format rather than paper.

I don't know why I've always had an interest in WWII in Europe rather than the Pacific, but I have. Many of books have been biographic. This one sounds like it was...the clarification will be in the epilog. It seems well researched.

If you like a love story...an insight into what one person might have experienced in the camps...or what a person who made it safely to America might have experienced...how likes history, you should purchase this novel and more to share with your friends and relations!