The Girl You Left Behind cover art

The Girl You Left Behind

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The Girl You Left Behind

By: Jojo Moyes
Narrated by: Clare Corbett, Penelope Rawlins, Various
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About this listen

France, 1916. Sophie Lefevre is ordered to serve the German officers who socialise in her hotel. When the new Kommandant sets eyes on Sophie's portrait - painted by her husband Edouard - a dangerous obsession is born. Almost a century later, Sophie's portrait hangs in the home of Liv Halston. A chance encounter reveals the painting's true worth - and its troubled history that is about to resurface and turn Liv's life upside down….

©2012 Jojo Moyes (P)2012 W F Howes Ltd 20th Century Contemporary Contemporary Romance Fiction Historical Historical Fiction Romance Romantic Comedy Women's Fiction Heartfelt Comedy

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Having read 'Me before you' i couldn't wait to read another JoJo Moyes book. This is a wonderful book and I can't wait to recommend this book to my friends. Once i started listening i couldn't wait to get back to it - i looked for every excuse to plug in my earphones.

Wonderful

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Ultimately a love story, but an emotionally charged and full journey too.

This is one of those books that I got sucked into very quickly, and then couldn't put down. It's beautifully crafted and past and present carefully woven together.

Narration is perfectly suited. In short, a good one.

Both beautiful and emotional

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Part One of the book is a compelling story of German occupied France during the First World War and the complicated relationship between the proprietress of an hotel, Sophie, and the German commandant who, though ruthless, shows a a softer side to her. He is strongly drawn to a portrait of her by her husband who is away at war. The descriptions of the vicissitudes of life during the occupation are vividly described, to which the moral dilemma of what a wife would do to save her husband adds extra poignancy. Sophie’s life story is very moving and left a deep impression.

In the second part, set in 2006, the painting reappears now owned by Liv the widow of an architect who bought it for her as a wedding present four years earlier. This part is quite different from the first involving a court case over who owns the portrait: the family of the artist, who believe it was stolen by the Germans, or Liv whose husband bought it in good faith. It’s a pacy court-room drama complicated by a love affair between Liv and an ex-NY cop who works for a company searching for stolen art. As the case progresses flash-backs to WW1 are inserted to gradually reveal the true provenance of the painting. Liv’s story is more fanciful than Sophie’s but not as grim. Some light relief is provided by Mo, a Goth, who ends up living briefly in Liv’s flat.

Like the author’s earlier book, You before Me, the present book doesn’t describe saccharine-sweet love stories, but is a more complex exploration of relationships and the moral dilemmas they can pose.

I was swept along by both parts of the book and eager to learn the fates of the characters who came to life as their stories unfolded. A memorable book that I was sorry to finish.

At first I found the use of English spoken in strong foreign accents a bit difficult to comprehend but gradually adjusted and appreciated that it helped identify the different characters and nationalities. The narrators do an amirable job of dramatizing the conversations.

Moving, memorable and thought-provoking

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Excellent narration, especially the French accents to help portray the characters.

I got through the book in less than two days, it had a brilliant way of slipping back and forward in time from the first world war, to now.

It had romance, comedy, suspense and brought tears to my eyes! Everything you could wish for in a book.

Another great book by Jo Jo Moyes

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I found the start slow and predictable but glad I stuck with it as it improved!

Slow start

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