The Lost History of Stars

A Novel

By: Dave Boling

Narrated by: Gemma Dawson

Length: 9 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

In turn-of-the-century South Africa, 14-year-old Lettie, her younger brother, and her mother are Dutch Afrikaner settlers who have been taken from their farm by British soldiers and are being held in a concentration camp. It is early in the Boer War, and Lettie's father, grandfather, and brother are off fighting the British as thousands of Afrikaner women and children are detained. The camps are cramped and disease ridden; the threat of illness and starvation are ever present. Determined to dictate their own fate, Lettie and her family give each other strength and hope as they fight to survive amid increasingly dire conditions. Brave and defiant, Lettie finds comfort in memories of stargazing with her grandfather, in her plan to be a writer, and in surprising new friendships that will both nourish and challenge her. A beautiful testament to love, family, and sheer force of will, The Lost History of Stars was inspired by Dave Boling's grandfather's own experience as a soldier during the Boer War. Lettie is a figure of abiding grace, and her story is richly drawn and impossible to forget.

©2017 Dave Boling (P)2017 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Sad but Riveting Commentary on Man's Abuse of Man

Where does The Lost History of Stars rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I have listened to close to 300 audiobooks, and this one ranks in the top 90th percentile. It was well written and extremely well researched.

What other book might you compare The Lost History of Stars to and why?

I would easily compare this to Dave Boling's other book, Guernika. It is in the genre of historical fiction focusing on the horrors of civil war.

Which character – as performed by Gemma Dawson – was your favorite?

The lead character, Letty, was by far my favorite. This narrator did a wonderful job of distinguishing one character from another, performing amazing accents.

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

Reliving Lost History, or, The Horrors of Wartime Detainment

Any additional comments?

This was a very insightful book, providing me with parts of history about which I never before knew. The setting was exceptionally well researched, the characters were extremely realistic. I highly recommend this book

Awful

Don't believe he hype- this narrative, if you can call it that, is awful. This is the most boring work of historical fiction that I have read in over a decade. So disappointing!

Pronounciation uncomfortable

As a South African, I could not make it past the first chapter - the incorrect a pronounciation of "boer" and the Germanish accents for the boer women was jarring and prevented me from getting into the story. I will have to read the book the old fashioned way.