A Book Geek: Nothing is Forgotten Blog Tour and Review

Nothing is Forgotten by Peter Golden

Publication Date: April 10, 2018

Atria Books

Hardcover & eBook; 352 pages

Genre: Fiction/Historical/Jewish

From the beloved author of Comeback Love and Wherever There Is Light, comes a novel about the life-changing journey of a young man who travels from New Jersey to Khrushchev’s Russia and the beaches of Southern France as he finds love and discovers the long-hidden secrets about his heritage.

In 1950s New Jersey, Michael Daniels launches a radio show in the storage room of his Russian-Jewish grandmother’s candy store. Not only does the show become a local hit because of his running satires of USSR leader Nikita Khrushchev, but half a world away, it picks up listeners in a small Soviet city.

There, with rock and roll leaking in through bootlegged airwaves, Yulianna Kosoy—a war orphan in her mid-twenties—is sneaking American goods into the country with her boss, Der Schmuggler.

But just as Michael’s radio show is taking off, his grandmother is murdered in the candy store. Why anyone would commit such an atrocity against such a warm, affable woman is anyone’s guess. But she had always been secretive about her past and, as Michael discovers, guarded a shadowy ancestral history. In order to solve the mystery of who killed her, Michael sets out to Europe to learn where he—and his grandmother—really came from.

Featuring Peter Golden’s signature “vivid characters and strong storytelling” (The Washington Post), Nothing Is Forgotten changes our understanding of the impact of World War II on its survivors and their descendants, and will appeal to fans of novels by Anita Diamant and Kristin Hannah.

Praise

"Golden draws a vivid portrait of the Cold War era, but it is the complex and unexpected connection between Holocaust survivors and their descendants that turns this book into a page-turner.” (RT Book Reviews)

"Nothing Is Forgotten is a Russian nesting doll of plot twists across continents and decades. This cleverly constructed Cold War tale, based on gripping true events, keeps readers eagerly anticipating what lies at its heart." -Sarah McCoy, New York Times and international bestselling author of The Mapmaker's Children

"Both heartbreaking and mesmerizing, Nothing Is Forgotten is the sort of book you won't soon forget. Peter Golden starkly juxtaposes the joys of coming of age and first love with the startling revelation of a dark family legacy. Cold War Europe, lingering Nazi secrets, and the tragic history faced by millions of families not only bring this tale to life, but will keep you turning the pages." -Lisa Wingate, New York Times Bestselling author of Before We Were Yours

"Nothing is Forgotten is historical fiction at its finest. A sweeping tale full of humor and heartbreak, Peter Golden takes us on a journey from 1960s America across Europe to explore how inherited histories can follow us through generations and redefine families." -Karin Tanabe, author of The Diplomat's Daughter

My Take:

I was excited to read Nothing is Forgotten for several reasons. I love suspenseful novels and I have always been interested in history and America's relationship with Russia over the decades.

At first, the novel seems to be mostly about America during the 1950's - specifically South Orange, New Jersey where Michael Daniels grows up with his family. Michael's grandmother, Emma, is a force in his life and she is an extremely interesting character on her own. As the novel unfolds, the reader discovers just how interesting and amazing she actually is.

I really enjoyed how the author thoroughly describes Michael's life in New Jersey for the reader - bringing alive the atmosphere of the times including the music and politics. Michael knows some of his family's story, but not nearly as much as he thinks he knows. Emma has friends in interesting places and it all works together to give the reader an intriguing idea of the person she is.

Emma is murdered in her candy shop, yet nothing is stolen. Michael is unable to leave things alone. It just doesn't make sense. As he pursues the answers to why Emma was killed, he also discovers things about his family that he would never have suspected.

While I enjoyed the first part of the novel, when Michael heads to Europe to pursue answers about Emma, that's when things really get exciting and the history is even more compelling. The story now becomes a mystery/thriller as well as a historical novel.

While taking the reader on a wild and exciting ride as we follow Michael through his quest, we also get a really fascinating look at some events and circumstances that bring the history we all think we know into sharper focus and made me reassess some of these events with a new perspective. The reader will encounter some really amazing characters, some compelling stories and maybe learn a few things. I know I am interested in some different aspects of the Cold War period that I hadn't really considered before.

This novel is beautifully written and the various story lines are intricately interwoven to make a book that is impossible to put down. This review is hard for me to write because I don't want to reveal anything that might ruin the enjoyment of this novel. I was so captivated by Nothing is Forgotten, that even a few weeks after reading it, I still find myself thinking about it. I highly recommend Nothing is Forgotten.

About the Author

Peter Golden is an award-winning journalist, novelist, biographer, and historian. He lives outside Albany, New York, with his wife and son. He is the acclaimed author of the novels Comeback Love, Wherever There Is Light, and Nothing Is Forgotten.

For more information, please visit Peter Golden's website. You can also connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, August 20
Feature at To Read, Or Not to Read

Tuesday, August 21
Review at Hoover Book Reviews

Thursday, August 23
Review at Pursuing Stacie

Monday, August 27
Review at Creating Herstory

Wednesday, August 29
Feature at Maiden of the Pages

Friday, August 31
Review at Passages to the Past

Monday, September 3
Feature at Donna's Book Blog

Thursday, September 6
Review at The Caffeinated Bibliophile

Sunday, September 9
Feature at Clarissa Reads it All

Monday, September 10
Review at A Book Geek

Tuesday, September 11
Review at Svetlana's Reads and Views

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour we will be giving away 5 copies of Nothing is Forgotten! To enter, please enter via the Gleam form below.

Giveaway Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on September 11th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to US residents only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.