Official Review: Lost Ground by Ulla Jordan

[RussetDivinity]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Lost Ground" by Ulla Jordan.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Ulla Jordan’s Lost Ground opens at the Olympic Games of 1936, with Jesse Owens running under the eye of Adolf Hitler. Jesse Owens is not the most important part of the games for this story, however. Instead, the focus is on Paul Salmi, a Finnish runner and the sweetheart of Tina Björnström, a young Finnish woman. At the games, she meets Tom Henderson, an American journalist who has been sent to Berlin to cover them. She develops a sudden attraction to the man, and he for her, but nothing comes of it until years later, when Paul is called away to war and Tom travels to Finland to report on the European war. The rest of the story takes place against the backdrop of the Winter War, spinning a tale of love and loss that is one of the best historical fiction novels I’ve read recently, and I’m happy to give it 4 out of 4 stars.

When put in such a brief way, the plot sounds almost cliché. There’s the sweet young woman, her sweetheart who isn’t quite everything she could possibly want, and the jaded American who swoops in and captures her heart. When I thought I saw where the story was going, I was prepared to be disappointed, but instead Jordan blew me away. Lost Ground is about the attraction between Tina and Tom, but it’s just as much about the love between Tina and Paul. The love triangle is played out naturally, with consequences that don’t feel like plot contrivances but like real results from real choices. While the war does form a historical backdrop, it is never forgotten, and it certainly never becomes secondary to Tina’s story. The fight against Russia permeates everything that occurs, hanging over the heads of the characters.

After the Olympic Games, the story jumps ahead to 1939. Paul and Tina are still not engaged, although marriage does come up occasionally during conversations. They are very much in love with each other, though the shadow of his failure at the games still hangs over Paul. This is the point in their lives when Tom Henderson returns. He is as jaded and bitter as he was in 1936, though Tina isn’t as much of an ingénue. She has grown up somewhat in the past three years, and finding work during the war matures her still more. This, I think, is what makes the love story work so well. It isn’t the typical tale of “worldly man and innocent woman”. Both Tom and Tina know what they are doing; at the same time, both of them are completely out of their depths.

Even though I gave this book four stars, it isn’t perfect. The writing is beautiful, but sometimes it can’t quite reach as high as it wants to, and Jordan resorts to telling rather than showing. That’s only a small complaint, though, and for the most part I completely loved the book. It’s rich and detailed, painting a picture of a part of World War II that is, in my opinion, too rarely depicted. The characters are realistic and wonderful, and the internal conflicts make them still more believable.

I’d like to say that I’d recommend this book to everyone, but I do know that wouldn’t be entirely realistic. Some might find the romance distracts from the war, and others might find that the war distracts from the romance. I personally believe the two balance each other very well, though, and anyone with an interest in this period of history ought to read it.

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Lost Ground
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[bookowlie]

Great review! A few months ago I read a non-fiction book, The Boys in the Boat. It was about the U.S. crew team at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin. Your book seems like it would be a companion piece. Adding it to my long reading list!

[zeldas_lullaby]

Great review! I hate historical stuff and other country stuff and war stuff and love triangles, but if such weren't the case, I'd read this one.

[Heidi M Simone]

This is a great review! The plot sounds very interesting and something I might try someday! Thanks for the review!

[David Bowman]

Thanks for the nice review on the book, RussetDivinity! I haven't read too many historical romances, but I think this sounds like a pretty great book. Love triangles aren't too bad if they feel real and, like you mentioned, not contrived plot pieces to keep a story going. Things like love triangles (mostly) need to be more character-driven, otherwise it will feel artifical.

I also liked that even though you gave this four stars, you mentioned that the book wasn't perfect. Just goes to show that not every great book is flawless!

[chytach18-]

I think when the book is flawless, it`s hardly worthy to be read. This book, though, looks like a good read. Finland is still suffering the consequences of that war, geographically, politically and emotionally. I`m glad that Ulla had depicted that war through the eyes of people in love. Great review, RussettDivinity.

[Levi]

Another amazing review @RussetDivinity I love how your reviews are always so balanced and seem to say so much without being overly long or too abrupt. Sounds like an interesting book.

[memory]

Nicely done. I have a thing for World War II books and the Winter War would be something different that I don't see as much of. This will have to go on the to be read list.

[Heidi M Simone]

@RussetDivinity, thank you for such a great review! One of my favorite genres is historical fiction, so I think this would be a good book for me! I will definitely add this to my to-read list. Thank you!