Have You Seen Luis Velez? (Unabridged)
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4.5 • 72 Ratings
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- $25.99
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- $25.99
Publisher Description
An Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestseller.
New York Times bestselling author Catherine Ryan Hyde brings heartwarming authenticity to the story of two strangers who find that kindness is a powerful antidote to fear.
Raymond Jaffe feels like he doesn’t belong. Not with his mother’s new family. Not as a weekend guest with his father and his father’s wife. Not at school, where he’s an outcast. After his best friend moves away, Raymond has only two real connections: to the feral cat he’s tamed and to a blind ninety-two-year-old woman in his building who’s introduced herself with a curious question: Have you seen Luis Velez?
Mildred Gutermann, a German Jew who narrowly escaped the Holocaust, has been alone since her caretaker disappeared. She turns to Raymond for help, and as he tries to track Luis down, a deep and unexpected friendship blossoms between the two.
Despondent at the loss of Luis, Mildred isolates herself further from a neighborhood devolving into bigotry and fear. Determined not to let her give up, Raymond helps her see that for every terrible act the world delivers, there is a mirror image of deep kindness, and Mildred helps Raymond see that there’s hope if you have someone to hold on to.
Customer Reviews
Interesting and endearing
This book was intriguing and introspective at the same time. I highly recommend it.
Amazing Audiobook- A Favorite
Catherine Hyde Ryan is an exceptional authoress. Her books transcend you into another world, all consuming. This book, is a reminder that people do care. We lead busy, self-absorbed lives, but these is so much beauty and power in friendship; opening yourself to another when it feels counter intuitive. I think many of us are starved from the collective wisdom that comes from joining others who care more about people than things. And sometimes, the elderly, which society in general seems to forget, have the most wisdom of all.
Raymond Jaffre befriends a 92 year old woman, Mildred Gutermann who lives in his building. Raymond is 17, he feels like an outcast everywhere, his only friends: A feral cat and a boy who is moving to Ca. Mrs. G, needs help with shopping and bank visits, her blindness affecting her mobility. Louis Valdez once did these things for her, but now he is suddenly gone.
This book brought up many feelings for me, some of which were difficult. But what I got in return from this book is an uplifting feeling of hope and strength. It is now one of my all-time favorites.
I’d like to thank Regina who not only recommended this book, but encouraged to to listen to the audiobook , which was such a treat. I’ve not listened to an audiobook in 20 years! Now, I’m hooked. xo ❤️