LOST HERITAGE is a rivetting historical novel--superbly told. The story unfolds during the turbulent period in Europe from the end of the '20's to the end of World War II; it tells the tale of 3 families and the passions, despair and courage with which they addressed the momentousevents of these times. The cast of characters assembled by Natasha Borovsky is varied and compelling--a Russian princess-physician, a German nuclear physicist, their son, an idealistic young man with reservations about his priviledged status, a dashing Polish aristocrat and patriot, and his troubled British wife: their tender and tangled love affairs play out as the reckless mood of Euroope in the late 20's progresses into the dark ad murderous Stimmung of the Nazi time. The life of Natasha Borovsky renders her uniquely suited to relating a story painted on such a broad canvas. She was born in Paris of Russian emigre parents; her mother was an aristrocrat, her father a concert pianist taught music to the nephew of the last Tsar. Natasha was educated in France, Germany, Switzerland and the US>S>; during the war she worked for the Allies out of New York, then spent some post-war years in the southwest desert (writing a novel, as yet unpublished, on McCarthysism in that region); shefinally settled down in Berkeley, California, to bring up a family and to write. Her previous novel, DAUGHTER OF THE NOBILITY has been translated into ten languages. Lost Heritage is a book full of rewards and riches which will remain within the reader's mind and spirit long after the last page has been turned. It is, in short, a captivating "read".

Lost Heritage is an excellent historical novel about Europe from the early 1930s through World War II as portrayed in the lives of three quite different families. It shows great insight into politics, religion, child psychology and different cultures. Especially noteworthy were the glimpses into life in a nazi conscript labor camp, life in Germany and Eastern Europe including aristocratic shooting parties, war battle scenes as the Battle of Britain, and the suffering of rich and poor Jews throughout Europe. Ms Borovsky shows her knowledge and research by details on music, art, literature and culture. Especially interesting to me were the recounting of the development of atomic science including Italian as well as German contributions. The romantic undercurrent ties this story all together in a fascinating story that keeps one's interest.

I read this book many years ago in Russian, now that I have grown up I am reading it again. It is wonderfuly written. I do not know about the english version, but the Russian verson was just brilliant. Can't put it down, the royal dances to the horrific changes in Russian history, tied in with the roamance. I love this book. Reccomend it to anyone. Enjoy!