THE STOLEN CHILD by Ann Hood

4.5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for the audiobook of this gorgeously written work of secrets long buried in the trenches of World War I, by Ann Hood. This is a historical fiction, mystery and romance read.

Narration by Jefferson Mays was well done.

How a one time chance encounter and a decision made can haunt you for a lifetime; exactly what happens to soldier, Nick Burns in 1917 at the young age of nineteen during World War I. A French artist, Camille Chastain, thrusts her paintings in one bundle and a baby in another bundle into Nick’s hands —- and flees.

The story moves to 1974 and curmudgeonly Nick, who has a terminal illness, and his hopeless romantic assistant, Jessica, travel to France and Italy to try and unravel the mystery of this child.

I enjoyed the writing of Ann Hood in this novel. This is my first read from her.

I thought this would be something right up my alley, but unfortunately it was not. I don't know what about it wasn't my cup of tea, but I just couldn't get into this story.

Thank you NetGalley and W.W. Norton Publishing for my E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Stolen Child tells several stories that are nicely, if improbably intertwined. Nick, an American soldier in WWI, is entrenched near a farmhouse in the French countryside and is befriended by Camille, a young, talented, and very pregnant artist. After giving birth, Camille thrusts two bundles at Nick, one containing her small paintings and the other her son. Nick leaves the baby in a nearby town where he hoped he’d be found, a deed that has haunted him all these years. Now nearly 60 years later, widowed and terminally ill, Nick sets out to find the child. He hires Jenny, a college drop out working at a local IHop, and sets out to find the now nearly 60-year old man. Hood keeps the story moving along even though the coincidences are often too handy to be believed. I listened to The Stolen Child; Jefferson Mays, the narrator, does a creditable job. Readers of contemporary fiction will appreciate this novel.

The Stolen Child
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book was absolutely great. I couldn't put it down. I read it nonstop in one day. It is a unique & great story that will make you want more. The ending was fantastic! It was fun to travel to Italy & France in the wonderful story. Love is powerful!
Thank you NetGalley!

Thank You, NetGalley for the chance to listen to and review The Stolen Child by Ann Hood.

It is the story of Nick, a World War 1 veteran, who wants to right a wrong decision that has tainted his whole life with just months to live. He hires Jenny, a college dropout eagerly seeking an escape, to help him solve the mystery.

I loved seeing the world through the eyes of Jenny, the fresh perspective, the chance to make something of herself.

I enjoyed the journey in the book, the yearning for something each character resembled.

I think I will definitely recommend this book.

The reader is invited to explore sweeping landscapes of France and Italy spanning over six decades.
Jenny is young, ambitious, and desperate to escape her very mundane life/past and prove herself.
She joins forces with Nick, an aged war vet with just months to live as he sets out to discover the truth of his past.
They meet a litany of interesting people along the way with secrets and stories to tell.
Nick was given painted canvases and a newborn baby boy by a desperate woman trying to flee WW1 France. The story centers around discovering what came of the baby, now a 60 year old man and the mother who relinquished him.
Jenny and Nick delve into their past lives along the way and forge new relationships for the near future.

Thank you to NetGalley and W.W. Norton & Company for allowing me to read The Stolen Child and provide my honest review.

This book had me hooked immediately. It was funny and sweet and nostalgic.

I love when stories have separate characters that are connected somehow and Hood did a great job of bringing everything together in the end without the story feeling very obvious (although the ending also wasn’t unexpected).

I laughed and I cried. I’d read (listen to) it again

This was a story that crosses timelines and has complex characters. It was a little hard to get into at the beginning but I'm glad I stuck with it.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to this audiobook.

The Stolen Child by Ann Hood and narrated by Jefferson Mays is a stunning story following an American soldier who fought in France in WWI.

Jefferson Mays has a gentle, undulating cadence that is weell suited to the personalites of the primary characters. The audiobook was a joy to listen to

Nick had fallen for a local woman, both with a shared love of art, and while she was married, heavily pregnant and terrifed of invasion, she still dreamed of more. However, in desperation, she begs Nick to run, to take her child and the paintings and keep them safe. However, Nick had to leave the child behind in the hope they would survive. Racked with guilt, in 1974 Nick is desperate to return to France to try and find the child

However, Nick needs help and this comes in the form of Jenny, a girl that has been working as a waitress and dreaming of going to Italy all her life, to learn, to experience the world. However, she is forced to drop out of college after one semester due to a hazy night and unprotected s3x with her boyfriend of 3 years (who she was actually about to break up with)

This unlikely duo is a wonderful concept and the storyline is steady, detailed, immersive. Hood builds characters in their entirity so that the reader is invested in what happens to them, emotionally invested in the storyline

I really enjoyed this audiobook, highly recommended

Thank you to Netgalley, RB Media | Recorded Books, the author Ann Hood and narrator Jefferson Mays for this wonderful ALC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

I received a complimentary copy of this book "The Stolen Child" and all opinions expressed are my own. I listened to the audiobook. I actually liked listening to this story, I don't think I would have finished it in book form. The characters were likeable and everything came together. Very heartwarming but tragic at the same time. Overall four stars.

Many thanks to NetGalley and RB Media for the free audiobook in exchange for my honest review. This is narrated by Jefferson Mays and honestly I did not care for the audio version. I would recommend that you read this one as the narration is a bit robotic and was annoying for me.

Nick is an American soldier in the trenches in Italy during World War I painting a mural when a local farmer's wife visits the men and gives them bread. Nick and Camille bond over art as she is an artist as well. When the Germans begin advancing, Camille gives Nick her baby and some of her artwork and then runs. Fast forward to 1974, Nick wants to return to France and Italy to find the child, now an adult, so he hires Jenny, a young college dropout, to accompany him.

I struggled a bit with this one as I found parts of this unbelievable and the narration was not so great. It gets off to a slow start and drags in the middle for me. I had higher hopes for this one and was a bit disappointed.

3 stars