The Lampmaker is an engrossing and moving fictional account of one Jewish family’s struggle to survive the oppression of Czarist Russia in late nineteenth century Latvia. Author Ian Assersohn has based his debut novel on stories that his father told him about his Latvian grandfather. The warmth and admiration which the author feels for his characters is palpable. We meet Itzhak Yacobson and his wife Scheine who have two boys, Rafael and his younger brother Yossel. Terrified of losing their sons through conscription to the Russian army when they reach the age of just 12 years, they desperately have to come up with a plan to try to protect them. But will their plan be successful and what sort of future can their children ever hope to have if they survive ? During the course of this book we are transported to various locations in Latvia and then to Victorian London. This is a part of history I knew little about previously and I was horrified by the fear, poverty and persecution that these people had to live under. The author painted a picture so vivid of life in Latvia and England at this time that I really felt that I was there with the Yacobson family. This is a story that will have you holding your breath, crying, laughing and cheering as you accompany Rafael and Yossel through the many challenges ahead of them. What I particularly liked about this book was how the author made you care about every single character in the book. Each individual is so well drawn that you feel part of the Yacobson family: like you too have met their friends and contacts, that you have walked the streets of Tukum, Riga and London with them . You share in their tragedies and triumphs, their loves and their losses. Mr Assersohn is very skilled in tying up every ‘loose end’. So many books leave you with unanswered questions . This does not happen here and it is so satisfying for the reader. It really is hard to believe that this is a debut novel. The structure, pacing, and balance of the novel is spot on and I very much look forward to hearing more from this author in the future. If you are the type of reader that wants an evocative, thought provoking story of sacrifice and fortitude that will stay with you long after the last page then this book is for you! My thanks to the author for allowing me access to a digital ARC in return for an honest review. Georgia Scott