I am very super picky about historical fiction especially ones set in WWII because there so many. It is always a breath of fresh air when there is a historical fiction book with a different time period; this is not the case. Yet another one added to the thousands for WWII. That's my rant.

So what is good about this book? I like the intrigue about the main character's interest in her great uncle and a special ring she gifted from her grandma. She is pregnant and has to name her baby after her great uncle if it is a boy. This sets her off to find out more about the of her great uncle and his actions with the Nazis. He was a resistance fighter. But was he really a hero? What does she discover?

And the bad? Another WWII historical fiction book that I just couldn't connect with as much as I should have. I wanted to know the big reveal and life lessons and what the character learned but it was lackluster in its delivery. Still a worthwhile read, but not my favorite.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and Atria Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 11/10/20

I honestly struggled with In Search of a Name. I typically devour historical fiction and had such high hopes for this book based on the blurb. I had trouble following what was going on, I wondered about the use of just initials for some of the characters. I figured it would eventually grab my attention, but that did not happen.

Very interesting concept; how much does the truth matter? Do family legends need to be unearthed, or are they better left in mythic realms? Enjoyed this very much.

‘In Search of a Name’ is a heartfelt journey with enough information splayed out to keep the read compelling throughput. The threading of the pregnancy and the story of her search for answers was well weaved although at times the coincidences felt forced. I liked the conviction behind the search despite the initial reasoning perplexed me but that might be more personal than relevant to another person’s story.