Book Recommendation: The Keeper of Hidden Books

This was a book that I added to my list because of its title and because it is based on a true story. I have never read anything by Madeline Martin, but I think I will visit some of her other stories after this one.

Here is the Goodreads synopsis:

All her life, Zofia has found comfort in two things during times of hardship: books and her best friend, Janina. But no one could have imagined the horrors of the Nazi occupation in Warsaw. As the bombs rain down and Hitler’s forces loot and destroy the city, Zofia finds that now books are also in need of saving.

With the death count rising and persecution intensifying, Zofia jumps to action to save her friend and salvage whatever books she can from the wreckage, hiding them away, and even starting a clandestine book club. She and her dearest friend never surrender their love of reading, even when Janina is forced into the newly formed ghetto.

But the closer Warsaw creeps toward liberation, the more dangerous life becomes for the women and their families—and escape may not be possible for everyone. As the destruction rages around them, Zofia must fight to save her friend and preserve her culture and community using the only weapon they have left—literature.

I know I had read about Hitler destroying books and replacing them with “approved” books instead, but I hadn’t realized there were so many people who worked to save the ones the Nazis were trying to get rid of. These librarians played such an important role in saving great literature.

I was also aware of the destruction of Warsaw, but had no idea of the group of people who fought back against the Nazis. This fictional story that is woven into real historical events includes real people and those who were created based on real people. It is a story that serves as a reminder of just how terrible things were and how badly people were treated. I found myself engulfed in these characters and felt their emotions, too, as I read.

The author really makes you feel the cost of the occupation and it makes The Keeper of Hidden Books a tough story to “enjoy”. As another reader put it “I would recommend it to everyone, but I would also recommend choosing a moment when you’re ready to experience some angst and heartache.” When you finish this book, you cannot help but feel grateful for the freedom and peace that we enjoy as you are reminded what that freedom cost.