I received a copy of The Baker’s Secret by Lelita Baldock from NetGalley. This historical fiction novel is set in two timelines. One timeline follows the story set in Latvia during World War II, and the second timeline is in 2018. I haven’t read much about the stories from the Baltic region during World War II, and it was one of the major things that made me curious about the book.
The novel focuses mainly on Zenta. A ten-year-old girl living a normal and happy life in Riga, Latvia with her parents, siblings, and her friends before World War II breaks out. Soviet forces enter the region, and the occupation lasts years before the Nazis come. Then, the people have to live under the Nazi regime, which they had hoped would liberate them. The sharp contrast between life before and after makes you realize the gravity of the situation. Zenta doesn’t completely understand what’s happening around her, and she is sacred when people she knows go missing. Her sister Estere’s boyfriend believes in a free Latvia, and she aids him in his rebellion.
Estere is helping her boyfriend, Zenta takes on more responsibility with their bakery and her parents. Her brother is the first loss that they face. He joins the German forces in hopes that they are here to liberate Latvia, but when he is forced to be part of a horrible massacre, he can’t stomach it. It is here that the reality and despair starts to set in. It was difficult to read. I had to stop for a while. Estere throws herself into her efforts to help her boyfriend and his crew save innocent lives. Zenta’s dad retreats into himself, and her mom too. Zenta is thrust into the responsibilities of the bakery and her parents alone. Aleks, Zenta’s childhood friend is also forced to join the army by Nazis.
The time jumps between the past and the present, builds suspense because I wanted to know what happened to Zenta and how she ended up in Australia. The second half of the book is emotional and hard to get through. The circumstances keep getting worse. When Estere comes back home pregnant, she asks Zenta to help with the rebellion. Zenta and Estere’s whole life comes crumbling down when they are found out by the Nazis. Zenta has to flee with her niece, leaving her family behind. The emotional and mental toll of the war and occupation is described realistically by Lelita Baldock. The hopelessness and loss of loved ones is an incredibly difficult burden to carry. Somehow through fate Zenta and Aleks reunite for a few days when she is seeking refuge in Danzig and Aleks is stationed there.
There isn’t a lot of the story that I can write about because it would be too many spoilers. The novel is well-paced and well-written. It keeps you on edge to know what happens to these characters. Estere is the older sister, and after meeting Vladis, her boyfriend, she starts believing in his idols. She is brave, smart, and resourceful, but sometimes, in her quest she forgets about her family that also needs her. I feel this is the guilt that never leaves her, even long after the war is over. She loses so much during the war. Zenta just wants to keep her head down and get through this tough time with her family safe. She is forced to grow up too soon and face the harsh realities of their situation. It takes a long time for her to free herself of the emotional and mental toll of the war. She loses her parents and Aleks and is forced to hide a secret.
The Baker’s Secret by Lelita Baldock is a beautiful historical fiction book. It does get heavy, especially knowing it was the reality less than 100 years ago. It got too emotional, and I had to keep it away for a day. It is written beautifully with the sensitivity this type of a story needs. I read that Lelita Baldock has written this book loosely based on the story of her grandfather leaving Latvia during World War II. The only problem I had with the ending was that it seemed a little abrupt to me. But other than that, I loved this book.
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