Hayley Gelfuso, a Chicago-based anthropologist, author, and poet, has delighted readers near and far with her second novel, The Book of Lost Hours, released this spring. Selected as the Good Morning America Book Club pick for September, this compelling narrative weaves together the lives of two remarkable women navigating the complexities of postwar and Cold War-era America.
Set against a backdrop rich in historical significance, the story delves into the intricate themes of time, memory, and sacrifice. Gelfuso introduces readers to Ezekiel Levy, a clockmaker living in Nuremberg, Germany, in 1938. Ezekiel comes from a long line of Ethiopian clockmakers. He has two young children, Lisavet and Klaus, who live with him and his partner on the second floor above their shop, bakery, and cafe. The family’s regressive dynamic is strongly influenced both by the burden of their shared traumatic history and the secrets they hold.
As the story progresses, Lisavet, Ezekiel’s 11-year-old daughter, becomes a foil to her father. She is hilarious and irreverent, creative and ingenious, emotionally astute and dangerously smart, with a subversive imagination that challenges everything she learns. Klaus, her brother, has hopes and dreams that extend far beyond their village borders. He now hopes to go to school in the capital and longs for a glimpse of high society.
The family’s legacy is inextricably linked to a modest brass pocket watch that has come down through six generations. Beyond being simply a timepiece, this watch boasts beautiful craftsmanship. It is literally the history of the family, the implied heaviness of their burdens. This is merely the clockmaker’s job description on the surface level. He also carries the burden of a family secret that has haunted him for 70 years.
Gelfuso invites readers into this most mystical and enchanting aspect of her tale, the “time space.” This uplifting library is filled with experiences gathered from those who have lived history and shared their stories. His character’s world — a fantastical new interpretation of the original idea — is only reachable through unique, highly restricted watches, lending a fascinating new angle to the story.
The connection between time and memory becomes more pronounced as Lisavet engages with her father’s stories about their family’s past. Her innocent curiosity shines through when she asks:
“Once upon a time in Germany, a clockmaker named Ezekiel lived with his two children in their happy little home above the shop that his family had owned for generations.” – Hayley Gelfuso
Not all memories are so simple to hold. Ezekiel’s burden to protect the family secret is a heavy one. As the narrator explains:
“Tell me about the magic watch again.” – Lisavet
This conflict, between truth and deception, adds rich layers to the narrative. It dares its characters to grapple with who they are and what kind of legacy they embrace.
“That’s right. It was his job to protect the secret, so he gave them a fake.” – Narrator
The story’s unique framing just thoroughly connects its protagonists’ personal lives with larger sociohistorical forces at play. Gelfuso’s brush strokes tie together intimate and national portraits amidst an era of existential upheaval, constructing worlds of community and rupture. The choices made by Ezekiel and his children resonate with themes of resilience and endurance, as they navigate their world shaped by conflict and change.
In addition to exploring familial bonds, “The Book of Lost Hours” engages with significant moments in history that define the era. Gelfuso’s deeply felt and incisive approach to postwar America invites us to consider how yesterday’s choices continue to inform our world today.
In addition to exploring familial bonds, “The Book of Lost Hours” engages with significant moments in history that define the era. Gelfuso’s portrayal of postwar America allows readers to reflect on how past events continue to shape present realities.
