David Edgar Grinnell

Spring 1941, in the midst of World War II, a young Jewish man named Michael is hiding from the Gestapo in a secret room in a church. His father was murdered, and his mother was captured by the nazi’s and believed to be taken to a concentration camp.  He meets the Dembitz family, a Jewish family with a daughter named Emily, also in hiding. Despite the horrendous situation, Michael and Emily fall in love and marry in secret in 1942, when Emily discovers she is pregnant. But the family are separated when they are captured by the Gestapo and are taken to different concentration camps across Europe.

In 2016, Charlie Campel is fired from his job at the National Civil War Museum in Washington DC. When he visits the Holocaust Museum in search of alternative employment, he finds a ring with the inscription of Michael Luke Adelman and a Star of David, dated 1942.  He is unable to locate the owner of the ring at the museum and takes it home for safe keeping.  He is determined to keep the ring safe until he can find the rightful owner. Charlie meets a young woman named Luna, and they fall madly in love. But Luna is distraught when she cannot find a family heirloom she promised to pass on to her one true love.  As Charlie and Luna’s relationship blossoms, they soon discover a connection that takes the couple back to the horrors of World War II.

Lightwaves is a novella for young adult readers, by author David Edgar Grinnell. Set primarily in Washington DC in 2016, with an alternate storyline set in Europe following the outbreak of World War II, the book provides multiple perspectives on religious persecution. Whilst the book deals with difficult themes of antisemitism, war and terrorism, it is ultimately a story of love. Both couples find love unexpectedly, but their love is torn apart by outside forces.  Grinnell seamlessly weaves together the past and present, in a way that will connect with young readers. It is a reminder that antisemitism is still present today, long after the end of World War II.

Star rating: 5 Stars 

Summary: A poignant and moving story of love and tragedy.