Finding Ida - Marya Burgess

1930s Warsaw. Two privileged sisters: Ida—glamorous and self-assured—and Luiza, the spirited tomboy striving to fulfil the ambitions their German-born father once held for the son he never had.

At just seventeen, Luiza''s world is upended when her Polish homeland is occupied. Caught between two identities—raised speaking both German and Polish—she must now decide where her true allegiance lies. Meanwhile, Ida, newly married and expecting her first child, is living under Soviet occupation in the eastern part of Poland. When she vanishes, taking her baby with her, Luiza begins a search that will span decades.

In a cruel irony, the war that destroys Ida brings Luiza both adventure and love. But her life becomes driven by survivor’s guilt—a need to live not only for herself, but for the sister she lost.

Inspired by the life of the author’s mother, Finding Ida is a gripping family saga. It explores themes of faith, loss and forgiveness, and the enduring human drive to survive. At its heart, it is a story about identity and belonging.