jcpdiesel21 's review for:

The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes

4.0

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Although I've read several books by Moyes, this one served as an introduction to her works within the realm of historical fiction. Romance is still present here within both the past and present-day portions, but this time around it acts as an ingredient to enrich the story rather than merely drive it forward. I found Sophie's story to be quite engaging; Moyes perfectly paints a picture of her life in France and how it is drastically affected during World War I. Unfortunately, although the passages devoted to Liv are interesting, they pale in comparison and I was less invested in her journey, always anxious to find out more about Sophie via the nuggets of information scattered throughout the remainder of the book. I appreciate the light that Moyes sheds on the important topic of restitution through the titular painting's journey, and how she painstakingly explores the difficult moral and ethical issues associated that both Sophie and Liv grapple with.