The Library of Forbidden Books is a story of bravery and resistance as librarians in Berlin attempt to hide and save books from the Nazis.

Library of Forbidden Books by Mario Escobar

Genre/Categories/Setting: Historical Fiction (WWII), Books About Books/Libraries/Librarians, Resistance, Censorship, Berlin

***This post contains Amazon Affiliate Links

My Summary:

Thanks #NetGalley @TNFiction for a complimentary eARC of #LibraryOfForbiddenBooks upon my request. All opinions are my own.

As the Nazis seize and burn books, a few librarians attempt to hide and save as many as possible. This act of defiance and resistance is dangerous in a world of informants and the Gestapo’s threatening presence.

My Thoughts:

Did a real librarian inspire this novel?

Library of Forbidden Books was inspired by the actions of Helene Nathan, a real-life librarian. The real-life Helene and the fictional Helene both were female librarians in Berlin at a time when men traditionally secured those positions. Helene was at risk because she was half Jewish, and she also hid banned books. Much of her story is fictional and not biographical (explained in the author’s notes). This realization disappointed me a bit because I enjoy biographical histfic and love learning about real-life heroes. I would have preferred a truly fictional character rather than a fictionalized story of a real-life person. Perhaps there is not that much information available on her life or her activities.

Are books an effective method of resistance?

One lesson I’ve learned from reading WWII historical fiction is that ordinary people resisted Hitler’s regime in small and large ways. It was important for people to resist in whatever ways they could. For some, it was simply holding onto hope in dire circumstances. For others, resistance was more dangerous. Helene and other librarians heroically tried to keep libraries open, to provide books to Jewish patrons, and to save the banned books.

Does resistance involve sacrifice?

For Helene and other librarians I’ve read about during WWII, this form of resistance does involve sacrifice. Each act of loaning a book to a Jewish patron or hiding a banned book had severe consequences. This fictionalized account of Helene Nathan demonstrates a great deal of personal sacrifice (no spoilers). Freedom to read was extremely important to them during WWII. It’s interesting that the Nazi’s were so threatened by the written word. How would we react today if the government took away our social media?!

Content Consideration: wartime conditions and atrocities

Recommending Library of Forbidden Books:

Fans of libraries/librarians and the freedom to read will appreciate this well-written and compelling story of resistance.

Related: You might also enjoy The Forgotten Names by the same author.

My Rating: 4 Stars

More Information Here

Meet the Author of Library of Forbidden Books, Mario Escobar

Mario Escobar has a master’s degree in modern history and has written numerous books and articles that delve into the depths of church history, the struggle of sectarian groups, and the discovery and colonization of the Americas. Escobar, who makes his home in Madrid, Spain, is passionate about history and its mysteries.

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QOTD:

Have you read a book by Mario Escobar?

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