Historical Fiction: The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate

Since I enjoyed her previous novel, Before We Were Yours, I decided to pick up Lisa Wingate's recent book, The Book of Lost Friends. Told from two different perspectives, over 100 years apart, the story follows a former slave caught up in a dangerous adventure, and an optimistic teacher who may have bitten off more than she can chew in a small town in 1980s Louisiana.

The Situation: It is 1987 in Augustine, Louisiana, and Benny Silva is starting her first year of teaching. Having taken the job more out of necessity than anything else, and being a last resort for the school, Benny's start is less than encouraging as the kids are disinterested, dismissive, and disrespectful. Unfortunately, this is exactly what is expected of them, and it has long been the unstated policy that nothing more is required. Over 100 years ago, Hannie Gossett looked forward to the day she and her small family would finally own the plot of land they have been working on for years. Slavery may have ended, but that has not stopped her former owners from treating her like less than a human, and it will not take much for them to find a reason to tear up the contract that would give Hannie the land. Things are going fine until Master Gossett goes missing, and his two daughters become determined to find him and learn more about their own inheritance.

The Problem: Benny is determined to get through to her students, and after finding a mysterious treasure trove of books in an old house, she believes she found a solution to her issues. After slowly making friends and acquaintances with some of the small towns notable residents, she begins to make some headway with her students, even hitting upon a project they seem to really connect with. But her efforts are met with more than a little resistance, threatening not only the project, but the uncovering of an interesting truth about the town. Back in 1875, Hannie finds herself on an adventure she never wanted to take, but by dressing up as a boy, she accompanies the Gossett daughters as they look for their father. As the three of them set off for Texas, it is clear from the start that this trip will be nothing but trouble. But Hannie is not only looking for Master Gossett. She also holds onto a hope, however small, that she will be able to reconnect with her own people, family members that were sold away from her when she was a child. It is an adventure that will ultimately connect her life and history with Benny and the city of Augustine.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a historical fiction book set in both 1875 and 1987, following Hannie Gossett, a former slave, and Benny Silva, a first-year English teacher, respectively. While Hannie sets off on an adventure that will take her across the Texas/Louisiana border, Benny has an adventure of her own as a teacher of students who are less than interested, in a system that has long lost interest in them. Hannie is met with the dangers of racism, prejudice, and people who wish to go back to way things were before the war, and Benny is met with opposition to new ideas and attitudes. In between chapters are clippings from the Southwest Christian Advocate, a Methodist newspaper that published letters from people looking for family members they have lost. The Lost Friends advertisements often saw pleas from former slaves looking for family members that were sold separately from them. It is these ads that led Wingate and her desire to tell Hannie's story. 

My Verdict: This is a great story with wonderful characters. It is rare for a book that attempts to tell two different stories, even if they are linked, to keep the reader equally interested in both. But Wingate manages to pull it off as I always wanted to know how Hannie's adventure was going, and how Benny could possibly get the kids interested in reading and their town's history. Probably the only issue I had with the book was the ending. I am fine with how the heroines ended their separate journeys, but there were several plot points that did not seem to go anywhere. Also, some of the minor characters are introduced, set up to be seemingly major players, and then are somewhat forgotten and cast aside. However, even with these issues, it is a book that was hard to put down, and I think many historical fiction lovers will feel the same.

Favorite Moment: When Aunt Sarge commands the kids' attention, leaving little room for any bad behavior or disrespect. 

Favorite Character: I did not think this would be the case at the beginning, but I liked Benny a lot. Overly optimistic people with big ideas can be grating, but sometimes, they are the ones who dig the rest of us out of the ruts we find ourselves in.

Recommended Reading: I recommend Wingate's previous novel, Before We Were Yours, which looks into the practice of stealing children and selling them to the highest bidder, while calling it adoption.