The Things We Cherished

The Things We Cherished
by Pam Jenoff
Doubleday, 2011. 304 pgs. Fiction

This novel tells the story of Charlotte Gold and Jack Harrington, two fiercely independent attorneys who find themselves slowly falling for one another while working to defend the brother of a Holocaust hero against allegations of World War II–era war crimes. Their discovery that an antique clock holds the key to solving the mysteries of the past leads them on a search through several countries in order to find it and understand what secrets Roger Dykmans has been keeping.

This book was a great read; the plot is a nice mix of romance and mystery and really keeps you reading until the end. The chapters switch back and forth between the past and the present, and that can get confusing at times. I also thought the backstory was more interesting and better-written than the contemporary parts of the book, but this is still a great book if you like historical fiction (especially with a little romance and mystery mixed in).

JC