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I’ve read many WWII novels, but The Lost Baker of Vienna explores a part of history we don’t often see: what happened to Holocaust survivors after liberation.
The story unfolds across two timelines. In 2018, Zoe Rosenzweig is grieving the loss of her beloved grandfather, a Holocaust survivor. Her grief leads her to search for answers about what really happened to her family during the war. In 1946 Vienna, Chana Rosenzweig has survived the horrors of war and is finally free with her mother and younger brother. But freedom isn’t what they imagined. They must still contend with hunger, danger, and the daily struggle to earn a living in a city devastated by war.
As an avid baker, I especially loved the baking scenes, which brought much-needed warmth to a heartbreaking story. Baking isn’t simply Chana’s passion—it connects her to her father, her past, and the future she hopes to build. I also appreciated learning that the novel was inspired by Sharon Kurtzman’s own family history, which gave the story even more emotional weight.
The dual timeline worked well overall, although I was much more invested in Chana’s story than Zoe’s, and parts of the book moved a little slowly. Still, this was a beautifully researched and heartfelt debut about family, sacrifice, resilience, and finding hope after unimaginable loss. Historical fiction readers will want to add this one to their lists.
** Thanks to NetGalley and Pamela Dorman Books for a comp. Opinions are my own.