Joyce Yarrow
Pub date: March 15, 2024 by All Bilingual Press
Genre: Historical Fiction/Fantasy
Rating: 4 👢👢👢👢
Summary: Alienor, a tenacious journalist with a rare psychic gift, delves into a forgotten chapter of history: the mysterious shipment of gold to the Soviet Union during the Spanish Civil War and the perilous journey of children torn from their homeland.
As Alienor unravels a tapestry woven with secrets, betrayal, and the unyielding quest for justice, her investigation draws her into a vortex of danger. Her unique ability to "visit" the minds of her female ancestors provides not only insight but also the unbreakable will of women who fought against the tides of their times. This connection across generations fortifies her as she faces political adversaries and nefarious forces lurking in the shadows.
"Stolen Lives" intertwines the gritty determination of a young woman challenging the legacy of historical injustices with a suspense-filled narrative of intrigue, danger, and love.
My thoughts: I was excited to jump into this newest work by Yarrow as I read and enjoyed her previous book Zahara and the Lost Books of Light. While it is a relatively short book at 250 pages Stolen Lives is filled with layers of historical insight and character storylines. Yarrow entwines the devastating practice of separating infants from their birth mothers during Franco's dictatorship in Spain with the historical persecution of Jews. Main character Alienor is tenacious in her desire to uncover the truth of her family and the mystery surrounding the Soviet gold.
At times I found that the story was to heavily worded. At other times I found myself mesmerized by Yarrow's ability to form such beautiful lyrical prose. Hopefully Yarrow will continue to unveil some of these underexposed historical events utilizing Alienor as her conduit.
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