Caroline Bishop – The Lost Chapter

Today I am proud to be part of the blog tour for The Lost Chapter by Caroline Bishop on behalf of Random Things Tours. Thanks to Anne Cater and Simon & Schuster UK for my copy of the book to bring you my honest review. 

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1957, France. 
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Florence and Lilli meet at finishing school in Lyon. Despite some differences, they forge a firm friendship that promises to last a lifetime. But a terrible betrayal prematurely tears them apart.

Years later in England, Florence has become the woman her friend knew she could be – creative, bold, and independent. The exact opposite of Alice, a young woman troubled by a recent trauma, whom Florence is determined to help bring out of her shell. Just as Lilli once did for her.
 

When Florence discovers that the novel she’s reading is written by Lilli and is based on their time at school, the two stories begin to unfold together. Past events illuminate the future, and it becomes clear that long-held secrets can’t stay buried for ever.

If there is one thing I was always day-dreaming about as a child, it was to be able to attend the Chalet School in Austria from the books I read. It was a boarding school, and this book captured my attention and imagination as soon as I read the synopsis.

The Lost Chapter featuring pupils at a finishing school in Lyon with a dual timeline, too, made for a story I could really become immersed in. I was that interested, I finished it in one day.

The dual timelines are easy to follow, and I was engrossed in both the timelines. I usually find I enjoy the historical timeline more, but this time, I had no preference. Caroline Bishop has expertly woven a novel of multiple issues that make for an emotional and heartwarming read.

We learn about Florence and Lilli through Lilli’s novel and Florence’s present-day life. Both of them are interesting in their own unique ways. We see how Florence has grown over the years, but Lilli, we only get Lilli’s view of herself from her novel, whether this is the real Lilli is a different question.

I enjoyed Florence attempting to help Alice, a girl who is grieving. Their relationship was so believable, with their journey being emotional and uplifting. I felt the characters really well fleshed out, which made it easy to warm, too. Florence is known in her village as an eccentric, and I loved that. She reminded me of my grandmother, and I feel that made me more invested in Florence.

The fact that there is mystery interwoven throughout made this much more than just a story of two girls. This is a story that highlights the strength that can be found within friendships and how they have every possibility of changing the lives of all involved.

Author Bio

Caroline Bishop began her journalism career at a small arts magazine in London, after a brief spell in educational publishing. She soon moved to work for a leading London theatre website, for which she reviewed shows and interviewed major acting and directing stars.

Caroline turned freelance in 2012 and a year later moved to Switzerland, where her writing veered towards travel and she has contributed to publications including the Guardian, the Independent, the Telegraph and BBC Travel, writing mainly about Switzerland, and co-wrote the 2019 edition of the DK Eyewitness Guide to Switzerland.

For two years Caroline was editor of TheLocal.ch, an English-language Swiss news site, and it was during this time that she became fascinated with aspects of Swiss history and culture, particularly the evolution of women’s rights.