Libraries are being ransacked. France is torn apart by war. A French
librarian is determined to resist. Told through smuggled letters to an
author, an ordinary librarian describes the brutal Nazi occupation of
her small coastal village and the extraordinary measures she takes to
fight back.
Saint-Malo, France: August 1939. Jocelyn and Antoine are childhood
sweethearts, but just after they marry, Antoine is drafted to fight
against Germany. As World War II rages, Jocelyn uses her position as a
librarian in her town of Saint-Malo to comfort and encourage her
community with books. Jocelyn begins to write secret letters smuggled to
a famous Parisian author, telling her story in the hope that it will
someday reach the outside world.
France falls and the Nazis occupy Jocelyn's town, turning it into a
fortress. The townspeople try passive resistance, but the German
commander ruthlessly begins to destroy part of the city's libraries.
Books deemed unsuitable by the Nazis are burnt or stolen, and priceless
knowledge is lost.
Risking arrest and even her life, Jocelyn manages to hide some of the
books while desperately waiting to receive news from her husband
Antoine, now a prisoner in a German camp.
Jocelyn's mission unfolds in her letters: to protect the people of
Saint-Malo and the books they hold so dear. Mario Escobar brings to life
the occupied city in sweeping and romantic prose, re-creating the
history of those who sacrificed all to care for the people they loved.
- World War II historical fiction inspired by true events
- Includes discussion questions for book clubs, a historical timeline,
and notes from the author
- Book length: 368 pages
