The novel unfolds across two timelines. In the present day, Zoe is grieving the loss of her beloved grandfather Aron, the last living link to her family’s past. While sorting through his belongings, she discovers an envelope marked for her attention, filled with cryptic documents and fragments of a story she’s never been told. From this information, she reaches out to Henri Martin, a renowned baker in Vienna who seems to have known her family after the war. He urges her to come to Austria if she wants the truth. Torn between grief, curiosity, and a longing to understand where she comes from, Zoe sets off on a journey that becomes far more personal than she ever expected.
The second timeline takes us to 1946 Vienna, where we meet Chana Rosenzweig, Zoe’s great‑aunt and a survivor trying to rebuild her life in a world still smouldering from the horrors of war. Chana’s chapters were my favourite. Her resilience, her quiet acts of courage, and her determination to reclaim her identity are rendered with such tenderness that I often found myself pausing just to take it all in. Kurtzman doesn’t focus on the war itself, but on what comes after; the ruins, the danger that still lingers for Jewish survivors, and the fragile hope that somehow, life can be pieced back together.
What worked so beautifully for me was the way Kurtzman wove her own family history into the narrative. The author’s note at the end is genuinely touching, grounding the fiction in lived experience and giving the story an added emotional weight. The mystery at the heart of the novel is compelling too. Even when I began to suspect where the story was heading, I was still eager to see how the truth would unfold. The slow reveal is handled with such care that the predictability never lessens the impact.
Themes of legacy, identity, survival, and the power of memory run through every chapter. Food, especially baked goods, becomes a symbol of love, tradition, and resistance. And the love story threaded through the past timeline adds a softness that balances the darker moments.
Who Might Enjoy It
Who Might Enjoy ItReaders who love historical fiction rooted in real family stories, dual‑timeline narratives, and emotional mysteries will find so much to savour here. It’s perfect for anyone drawn to post‑war stories that focus not on conflict, but on rebuilding, healing, and the quiet bravery of everyday people.
The Final Word
The Lost Baker of Vienna is a poignant, beautifully crafted novel that honours the resilience of survivors and the enduring strength of family. It’s heartbreaking, hopeful, and deeply human.
With thanks to Jonathan Ball Publishers.
The Lost Baker of Vienna — Sharon Kurtzman (includes excerpt and audio excerpt!)
