The Girl They Left Behind

By: Roxanne Veletzos

Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell

Length: 10 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

A sweeping family saga and love story that offers a vivid and unique portrayal of life in war-torn 1941 Bucharest and life behind the Iron Curtain during the Soviet Union occupation - perfect for fans of Lilac Girls and Sarah’s Key.

On a freezing night in January 1941, a little Jewish girl is found on the steps of an apartment building in Bucharest. With Romania recently allied with the Nazis, the Jewish population is in grave danger, undergoing increasingly violent persecution. The girl is placed in an orphanage and eventually adopted by a wealthy, childless couple who name her Natalia. As she assimilates into her new life, she all but forgets the parents who were forced to leave her behind. They are even further from her mind when Romania falls under Soviet occupation.

Yet, as Natalia comes of age in a bleak and hopeless world, traces of her identity pierce the surface of her everyday life, leading gradually to a discovery that will change her destiny. She has a secret crush on Victor, an intense young man who as an impoverished student befriended her family long ago. Years later, when Natalia is in her early 20s and working at a warehouse packing fruit, she and Victor, now an important official in the Communist regime, cross paths again. This time, they are fatefully drawn into a passionate affair despite the obstacles swirling around them and Victor’s dark secrets.

When Natalia is suddenly offered a one-time chance at freedom, Victor is determined to help her escape, even if it means losing her. Natalia must make an agonizing decision: remain in Bucharest with her beloved adoptive parents and the man she has come to love or seize the chance to finally live life on her own terms and to confront the painful enigma of her past.

©2018 Roxanne Veletzos (P)2018 Simon & Schuster

One of the best Audible books ever!

The story is amazing, the narration is perfect, the characters are realistic and the history is startling. I learned so much about România, Bucharest,World War I and human nature. It was suitable for teens as well as adults with clean language and imagery.

Wow, What a life story

This book is beautiful. Family, in all forms. Love At all stages. Up’s and Down’s that can only be told in a story like this to help us understand what people went through to be free.

A Different Look

This is a different look at the horrors of WW2, and the inhumane and inequality of the Soviet regime. The narration is superb. In my view, Cassandra Campbell is one of the very best narrators. I often look to her for my next Audible selection.

Awesome

From the beginning of the story to the very last word, I was enthralled with this incredible story.
I couldn’t turn it off.
Excellent narration. Very impressive accents and voice changes. Good job.

A telling that inspires appreciation for our freedoms

In today’s culture where efforts to rewrite or erase history altogether, this author has found a venue handed down by generation after generation of passing on history: storytelling. She has developed her characters such that we can know them in a real way, and empathize with their hardships, their sorrows, their tenacity and endurance; their hopes and aspirations. She also inspires appreciation for the freedoms we have here in America, most often taken for granted, and in the end points to the available opportunity to make more of oneself here in America apart from restrictions in class.

I give this book a five star rating for its authenticity with historical evidence, it’s plot and character development that reads at a great pace.

What an amazing story.

Always waiting for what happened next. I truly loved this story and the way it was written.

Amazing!

Anything narrated by Cassandra Campbell is always fabulous! Of course, she has to have a good storyline to start with, which this one was superb. All in all, this is worth 10 stars!

Beautiful story

Loved the story and the personal touches add in the epilogue as well as sharing out of why it was written. I also liked the acknowledgement of other worthy books along the same subject matter by the author. Great performance, wonderful personality injected into the story through voice.

Worth the listen for WWII fans

Although yet another WWII novel based on true stories, I found the novel enlightening, disheartening, and a true testament of willpower due to the atypical backdrop of Bucharest, Romania. Not nearly as much is written about Eastern European countries from this time period, unless about concentration or extermination camps. I am grateful for the author for this unique perspective, because how quickly the country changed is very disturbing.

The girl they left behind

I truly loved this book
It was beautifully written and I would highly recommend it.