Once We Were Home by Jennifer Rosner

Beautifully told in her mesmerizing style, Jennifer Rosner introduces us to four characters who suffered through the war and beyond.

We meet Ana and Oskar whose mother had to give her children to a Polish family who would raise them as their own to keep them safe. 

The children had a wonderful life of learning and love but a life that heart-wrenchingly changed after the war.  

Where will Ana and Oskar end up?

We meet Roger who grew up in a convent to be kept safe, who was very inquisitive, a clever, witty writer of stories and jokes, and sadly had no parents to go home with on holidays.

We find out what happens to him and where he goes.

We meet Renata as an adult who is a scientist in Israel at an archeological dig. We learn of Israel’s beauty as Renata takes side trips to Tel Aviv and other places.  

On her shopping trip she finds a hand-chiseled chessboard and an ornately carved set of nesting boxes.

Could the craftsman in the shop be none other than Oskar whose uncle taught him to whittle and make beautiful shapes out of wood?

I will dearly miss the characters…especially Oskar….he was my favorite.

It also was fun to see our favorite violinist again from THE YELLOW BIRD SINGS.

Another beautiful, beautiful but heartbreaking-to-the-core read based on true events.

ONCE WE WERE HOME does have some happy stories tucked inside as well, along with comments you will ponder, and thoughts about life’s worries and lessons.  

Historical fiction fans will devour this marvelously written, impeccably researched read where Ms. Rosner introduces readers to a little known program organized after the war for displaced children.  

Ms. Rosner’s writing is exquisite. 5/5

The book was given to me by the author for an honest review.