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The Photographer of the Lost: A BBC RADIO 2 BOOK CLUB PICK
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By Caroline Scott
avg rating
2 reviews
‘This excellent debut is a melancholic reminder of the rippling after-effects of war’ The Times
‘A touching novel of love and loss’ Sunday Times
For fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz and Where The Crawdads Sing comes a moving story, inspired by real events, about how hope and love will prevail against all odds.
1921
In the aftermath of war, everyone is searching for answers.
Edie’s husband Francis never came home and was declared ‘missing, believed killed’. But when she receives a mysterious photograph of him in the post, hope flares and she begins to search.
Harry photographs gravesites on the Western Front, hired by grieving families. Plagued by memories of his last conversation with Francis, he has never stopped searching for his brother.
After years apart, their search brings them together. As they uncover the truth they are haunted by the past and their own complex feelings – towards Francis, and towards each other.
Are some questions better left unanswered?
Perfect for fans of Maggie O’Farrell and Helen Dunmore, The Photographer of the Lost is a beautiful novel, inspired by real events in the wake of the First World War, about love and loss, grief and guilt, and the fleeting, fragile moments of life.
Praise for The Photographer of the Lost:
’There’s only one word for this novel… and that’s epic… A beautifully written must-read’ heat ‘A gripping, devastating novel about the lost and the ones they left behind’ Sarra Manning, RED ‘Terrific first novel’ Daily Mail ‘Scott has done an amazing job of drawing on real stories to craft a powerful novel’ Good Housekeeping ‘A deeply poignant and immersive novel . . . told in beautiful, elevated prose. I was completely caught up in these characters’ stories’ Rachel Hore ‘What a wonderful debut novel . . . With a mystery at its heart and a moving, but page turning hook, I couldn’t stop reading’ Lorna Cook ‘A sublimely rendered portrait of the search for answers amidst the chaos and devastation left behind in the aftermath of World War 1’ Fiona Valpy ‘A poignant hymn to those who gave up their lives for their country and to those who were left behind’ Fanny Blake ‘I was utterly captivated by this novel, which swept me away, broke my heart, then shone wonderful light through all the pieces’ Isabelle Broom ‘Beautiful, unflinching: The Photographer of the Lost is going to be on an awful lot of Best Books of the Year lists, mine included… unforgettable’ Iona Grey ‘Momentous, revelatory and astonishing historical fiction!’ Historical Novel Society TweetReviews
Caroline’s research is utterly thorough. She writes with power and humanity. I have known her for years. As a lawyer I am used to dealing with intelligence, but I have only ever met maybe 2 people as bright as her. I have only met one or two as caring and humane as her. I have never met anyone as bright and humane as her. Read this book, it’s as brilliant as she is.
2 reviews from BiblioBelles
The photographer of the lost by Caroline Scott
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Reviewed by KathyL of BiblioBelles (review copies from Simon & Schuster)
If I remember correctly, I applied for review copies of this book because of that title. So evocative and provocative. The book didn’t disappoint but in all honesty I found it a quite challenging read.
One of my pet hates in so many modern books is the use of split time frames: here we have three. Whilst the topic is historical and therefore split time frames seem almost a necessity, it took me a little while to settle in to them.
About a fifth of the way through, I felt the need to write an outline review because I had such a feeling of dread and menace lurking in the pages to come! Somehow or another, I lost that draft (there’s irony) but I remember feeling impressed by how evocative Ms Scott’s writing is. It is largely due to this that I feel the book merits the four stars I’ve awarded. It probably merits the five. I deliberately use the word merit and am trying to hold back my personal ‘enjoyment’ of the book. Yes, I felt real connection with the characters and felt the truth and depth of emotions. This may be fiction based on fact but it’s fiction which one feels reflects multiple true stories of lives lived. It speaks gently, warmly, with anguish, anger and sadness of the tragedy of individuals, nations and humanity that wars, and in particular this war.
I have never been in person to visit the war graves of northern France and Belgium but details such are the way the headstones are held upright are very powerful. I said early on that I found this a challenging read. In part, it was the that collective story about unidentified soldiers, mass graves, moved graves, graves that are intended to be reminders from their creation to eternity but that subject matter was only one of the challenges. Whilst I can admire the writing that created such evocative scenes before, during and after battles, so much of the text is necessarily introspective and slow moving. The minute detail at times made me feel that I was accompanying some guide in a state of semi somnolence. Truly felt like I was walking alongside ghosts – of people, places and emotions.
I haven’t quite finished, and to be honest, now I’m approaching the end, with the mystery still unfolding, I’m more consistently compelled to keep reading. If it hadn’t been for the fact that this is our reading group read of the month, I probably would have put TPOTL aside until I felt ready to tackle it. I’ll be looking for something very light-hearted to read next.
Masterfully evocative, highly instructive and thought-provoking, devastatingly sad. Caroline Scott can be rightfully proud of creating a powerful testament, honouring many unsung heroes, in roles not only as soldiers but of those who worked in the aftermath to try to do the right thing.
Review of The Photographer of the Lost by Caroline Scott
4.5 *
This book has so much of what I look for – a good read with well-drawn characters, evocative descriptive passages and learning about a new aspect of history or culture. I’ve been increasingly interested – and saddened – by hearing about the impact the First World War had on the survivors and this story built on that curiosity.
The book opens in 1921and at times moves backwards to follow three brothers Francis, Harry and Will who all volunteer together at the start of the war. Francis is already married to Edie who finds the news that he is missing believed killed difficult to fully accept. The plot follows her efforts to find either his grave, or more disturbing in some ways, that he is still alive. Harry, who witnessed his younger brothers Wills death, is also searching for this evidence along with finding and photographing war graves and significant sites for bereaved families. The development of the relationships between all three (Francis, Harry and Edie) is described in a convincing and mostly gentle, undramatic way set against the unrelenting horror of the war. Although it seems unlikely that Francis is alive, I found myself hoping that there could be a final reconciliation and resolution. Doubts were raised in Edie’s mind during the search about how he would have changed if he was still alive, she had already glimpsed some of this on his last visit home. As I became more engrossed in the story, I shared these thoughts and longed to turn the clock back.
The picture of post war France is shocking and just how much life changed for all those who survived really comes home to add to making it a recommended read.
Jill Hasler
February 2020
