The Girl You Left Behind

The Girl You Left Behind (2012) by JoJo Moyes. Set in the midst of World War I in occupied northern France, this is a surprisingly affecting story about love, faithfulness and sacrifice. The book has basically two parts. The first is set in 1917, as Sophie Lefevre struggles to deal with occupying Germans and maintain her integrity. The second is set in the present day, in which a young woman named Liv Halston struggles to maintain possession of a painting of Sophie which, down through the years, has come into her possession. Was the painting stolen by the Germans, and thus should go back to the possession of the Lefevre family? Or was it given freely, as a gift, and thus rightfully belongs to Liv? The question becomes more and more complicated as more witnesses come forward, but ultimately is resolved satisfactorily. I found this book, in the end, to be very moving and heartfelt. It's cleverly constructed, and the reader comes to really care about the characters. I recommend it highly. Grade: B+