WINNIE'S REVIEW:
“. . . the only way to ever truly defeat your enemies . . .was to make them your friends.”
Talented author Roseanna M. White has once again taken a little-known piece of history and built an intriguing and fascinating story around it. The Collector of Burned Books is the tale of exiled writers from Germany who founded a library in Paris of books that had been banned in Germany. When the Germans took over Paris, they also took over The Library of the Burned Books.
Professor Corinne Bastien had made use of the library for years but lost access of it and some secret books she had hidden there. German professor and booklover Christian Bauer was forced by German army officers to relocate France’s libraries, including The Library of the Burned Books. I liked Corinne’s courage, compassion, and willingness to stand for freedom to express ideas. Christian was also courageous and helped others the best he could under trying circumstances. I enjoyed seeing their relationship grow and change as they got to know each other.
“Was it better to speak up and be permanently silenced or to work silently, doing what good he could?”
Filled with intrigue, suspense, history, and a touch of romance, this book also had inspiration to give it depth and added meaning. I recommend this book to those who enjoy well-researched and well-written historical fiction.
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from Bethany House. All opinions are my own.
*A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Tyndale on behalf of the author and via NetGalley. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are mine alone.*5 stars and a strong faith thread
"You're keeping my secrets. The least I can do is hand you back your own."
Secrets. There were way too many of them in German occupied France; those pesky confidences seeped into every knock at the door, positioning friend against friend, neighbor against neighbor, even pitting the written word against self evident truths of the heart. This was the world in which university professor Corinne Bastien found herself, giving up free access to her beloved "The Library of Burned Books"; the entire building was suspect, and rightfully so, for the establishment held pages upon pages of banned books that garnered far too much attention. Adding insult to injury, the library had become the headquarters for the one person sent to relocate many of its tomes. Christian Bauer.
It's nearly impossible to reconstruct the various chess moves that this book represents, infused with its brave spirit and outspoken dialogue. The chapters seep with stimulating philisophical, theological, and social conundrums which serve to drive the characters forward in their quest to counteract deception and dogmatism. Delightfully tucked within a fight for their very lives is a sweet, sweet love story that is like a walk down the street on a starry night; never taken for granted.
Clearly an exceptional novel!
*I purchased a copy and was under no obligation to provide a positive review. 4.5 stars
In this gripping World War II historical about the power of words, two people form an unlikely friendship amid the Nazi occupation in Paris and fight to preserve the truth that enemies of freedom long to destroy.
Paris, 1940. Ever since the Nazi Party began burning books, German writers exiled for their opinions or heritage have been taking up residence in Paris. There they opened a library meant to celebrate the freedom of ideas and gathered every book on the banned list . . . and even incognito versions of the forbidden books that were smuggled back into Germany.
For the last six years, Corinne Bastien has been reading those books and making that library a second home. But when the German army takes possession of Paris, she loses access to the library and all the secrets she’d hidden there. Secrets the Allies will need if they have any hope of liberating the city she calls home.
Christian Bauer may be German, but he never wanted anything to do with the Nazi Party—he is a professor, one who’s done his best to protect his family as well as the books that were a threat to Nazi ideals. But when Goebbels sends him to Paris to handle the “relocation” of France’s libraries, he’s forced into an army uniform and given a rank he doesn’t want. In Paris, he tries to protect whoever and whatever he can from the madness of the Party and preserve the ideas that Germans will need again when that madness is over, and maybe find a lost piece of his heart.
-Stand-alone historical fiction from a bestselling, Christy Award-winning author
-A thought-provoking novel perfect for book clubs
-Includes discussion questions
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