My rating: 3.5 of 5 starsA copy of The Girl You Left Behind was provided to me by Pamela Dorman Books for review purposes.______________________________"Once it is done, it cannot be undone."1916In the midst of WWI, a small French town is overtaken by the Germans and Sophie and her sister Helene are forced to make the soldiers extravagant meals every night. When the portrait of Sophie that her husband painted of her catches the attention of the Kommandant, he begins showing her a kindness not afforded to any others. Sophie decides to take advantage of that kindness in hopes that she will be able to help free her husband from the ravages of the prison camp. For his help though, it will come at a steep cost.'Sometimes life is a series of obstacles, a matter of putting one foot in front of the other. Sometimes [...] it is simply a matter of blind faith.'2006Liv is still grieving for the husband she lost unexpectedly 4 years prior. She meets a man that she feels she could actually move on and be happy with only to find that he's been searching for a long lost painting that Liv's husband gave to her while on their honeymoon. He was hired to recover the painting when the descendants came forward when she was discovered as being stolen from the family during WWI. Liv begins researching information on the girl in the portrait in hopes to uncover the truth behind it's origins.I'm a huge fan of dual narrative stories, especially when you have a wonderful mix of old with the new. This is perfect for fans of historical fiction and/or contemporary because you get both genres intertwined. I personally was a bigger fan of the 1916 storyline and all the aspects of WWI, plus I felt Sophie's story was simply a better written and riveting tale. Sophie's story was heartrending as war tales typically are. Liv's story was equally distressing but lacked a clear understanding why she was so adamant about keeping the portrait.I picked up this story after being thoroughly enchanted by 'Me Before You' however, this is a vastly different type of tale with much more focus on the historical aspects. I would recommend this read to fans of Sarah Jio and Susanna Kearsley as both typically focus on dual narratives and/or the blending of past and present.The Girl You Left Behind is the tale of two women, both surviving trying times, joined through decades by a remarkable portrait. A portrait that brings to light what's right and wrong and how there is oftentimes a middle ground, a grey area.
