Adams Library June Book Discussion – Keeper of Lost Children by Sadeqa Johnson
Keeper of Lost Children is a historical fiction novel by Sadeqa Johnson that follows three interconnected characters in post-WWII Germany and 1960s Maryland: Ethel Gathers, an American officer's wife who helps find homes for mixed-race orphans; Ozzie Phillips, a Black American GI whose relationship with a German woman has lasting consequences; and Sophia Clark, a teenager who uncovers a secret about her identity while attending a prestigious school. The story, inspired by the real-life efforts of civil rights activist Mabel T. Grammer, explores themes of race, identity, and resilience through these intertwined narratives.
Key aspects of the novel
Lost in the streets and smoldering rubble of Occupied Germany, Ethel Gathers, the proud wife of an American soldier spots a gaggle of mixed-race children following a nun. Desperate to conceive her own family, she feels compelled to follow them to learn their story.
Ozzie Philips volunteers for the army in 1948, eager to break barriers for Black soldiers. Despite his best efforts, he finds the racism he encountered at home in Philadelphia has followed him overseas. He finds solace in the arms of Jelka, a German woman struggling with the lack of resources and even joy in her destroyed country.
In 1965, Sophia Clark discovers she’s been given an opportunity to integrate a prestigious boarding school in Maryland and leave behind her spiteful parents and the grueling demands. In a chance meeting with a fellow classmate, she discovers a secret that upends her world.
Toggling between the lives of these three individuals, Keeper of Lost Children explores how one woman’s vision will change the course of countless lives, and demonstrates that love in its myriad of forms—familial, parental, and forbidden, even love of self—can be transcendent.
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