If you know any librarians, can you imagine them as heroic spies?
Neither can I, so Madeline Martin’s recent novel, The Librarian Spy, sparked my curiosity.
I discovered a spy-filled World War II story set in Lyon, France, and an intriguing, new-to-me location—Lisbon, Portugal.
Here’s the plot in a nutshell:
The Allied Special Libraries and Information Bureau in Lisbon brought in research librarians from the U.S. and U.K to track down facts about clear or possible Nazi plans and activities, which helped shorten the war.
At the same time, German spies in Lisbon soughtinformation about Allied plans.
Into this mix arrived a constant flow of refugees (especially Jewish) seeking safe refuge from parts of Europe under threat or occupation by the Nazis.
In occupied Lyon, France, under threat of torture or immediate execution, the Resistance continues to work actively against the Nazis, printing and distributing truthful news about the progress of the war and the Nazis’ crimes.
The stories begun in these two locales converge at a certain point in the story (sorry, no spoiler here!)
Characters:
Each must make heart-wrenching choices with potentially fatal consequences:
which risks to take
whom to trust
whom to help
Most are heroic, so readers will root for many, among them:
Ava Harper – 1st protagonist, she’s a Rare Book librarian recruited from the Library of Congress to aid the U.S. intelligence effort in Portugal
James MacKinnon – Brit in Lisbon who takes an interest in Ava, who thinks he works for the Special Libraries and Information Bureau
Elaine Rousseau (alias of Hélène Bélanger) – 2nd protagonist; she’s a resident of Lyon, France, who sympathizes with the Resistance, but her husband, Joseph, forbids her from volunteering and scolds her for not being a proper Vichy wife
Etienne – Joseph’s best friend, he connects Elaine with the Resistance
Josette, Nicole, Denise, and Manon – all Resistance sympathizers in Lyon who interact with Elaine
Sarah – Jewish refugee desperate to escape with her young son, Noah, to join her husband in the U.S.
Kommander Werner – cruel German known for torturing Resistance captives in Lyon so they would reveal names of their fellow anti-Nazi sympathizers
Strengths:
This suspenseful story keeps readers on the edge of their seats, while weaving in setting details and interesting information that’s not widely known about Portugal and Lyon in World War II.
Weakness:
Although this is a compelling story, a major premise is fictional. This may disappoint readers seeking a completely historically-accurate novel. The author admits that the U.S. sent no women librarians to Portugal during World War II to uncover potentially useful information.
Content review:
Descriptions of violence committed by the Nazis will make this story disturbing for some, especially young readers.
I recommend The Librarian Spy, an entertaining and informative dual-protagonist novel, to readers who enjoy suspenseful reading about the World War II era, with a fresh twist.
Reader, what are your favorite novels of World War II?
Sometimes the unlikeliest people rise to the moment and surprise the world with their heroism, whether it’s
a Hebrew shepherd boy named David whose only weapons are a sling and stones
a mild-mannered newspaper reporter named Clark Kent
or a comedian-turned-president of a threatened nation
This month, we focus on one such unlikely scientific hero: Rosalind Franklin, an early-20th century British biochemist.
Her passion for science led her down a challenging and improbable path for a woman in that time.
Her research in France and England led to groundbreaking discoveries in science and medicine:
DNA (brought revolutionary advances in understanding disease pathways and genetic disorders, as well as the formulation of new drugs)
RNA (brought great advances in understanding viruses blighting agricultural crops, as well as the virus that causes polio)
What inspired me, a non-scientist, to read Her Hidden Genius, Marie Benedict’s fictionalized account of Rosalind Franklin’s life and scientific career?
Rosalind Franklin was an underdog—a woman forging a scientific career in an era when society and her family pressured her to choose a more traditional, family-oriented life
Her perseverance, work ethic, and scientific rigor, in spite of the skepticism she faced as a woman scientist in her era
Author Marie Benedict maintains an even-handed perspective on Rosalind and the controversy relating to other scientists’ use of her findings without giving her credit. Other writers have portrayed Rosalind either in a negative light or as a saint.
Her conflicts with others revealed hercore principles
Well-painted settings, in Paris and London
A well-written story that humanized Rosalind and held my interest
Strong characters:
Heroes of the story were Rosalind and the men and women who supported her in her life and the race to map the structure of DNA.
The scientists and family members who treated her badly came across as villains. Their attitudes and behavior weren’t uncommon in that era, but still shocked me.
Fyi for this novel:
You’ll encounter basic scientific explanations of Rosalind Franklin’s projects, since science played such a big role in her life
Content Rating—mild + for brief kissing
My recommendation:
If you enjoy a story that immerses you in an earlier time period, takes you inside the main character’s psyche so you experience the highs and lows of her emotions and life, and if you have at least a passing interest in how science progressed, Her Hidden Genius is a book for you.
How would you describe the current mood in your part of the world?
In many places, today’s theme might be division rather than unity.
Is our time unique?
Over the centuries, internal divisions accelerated the decline of many powerful civilizations—ancient Greece, the Roman Empire, China’s Shang Dynasty, the British Empire, among many others.
Today’s book review focuses on France, with a riveting novel, The Brethren, (first of 13 in the Fortunes of France series) painting a picture of how religious and political conflicts between Catholics and Protestants led to decades of religious wars, many deaths, and the dissolution of French national unity.
To help our nations avoid these pitfalls, may we treat our neighbors with love and respect, whatever our differences!
Readers, what ways have you found to show compassion to your neighbors?
Pierre de Siorac, the second son of a fervent Protestant father and no less devout Catholic mother, tells the story of his Protestant (Huguenot) family in Périgord, France. Through his adolescent eyes and the difficult choices he, his family members and household face, readers see how the religious conflicts between Catholics and Huguenots threaten to tear France (and Pierre’s family) apart. This novel shows the very real impact of religion on the lives of common people as well as elites in 16th-century France—for instance, converts to the Huguenot faith lost 50 holidays (celebrating Roman Church saints) each year.
The Brethrenbegins a saga about France’s history. Although the novel’s rich background is closely based on facts, the author labels it as historical fiction, allowing him to fictionalize the family at the heart of this story. The author’s detailed portrayal of life details, history, and religious practice lays the groundwork for the French religious wars and their aftermath.
Clearly-drawn characters with strong, distinct perspectives and goals breathe life and emotion into this novel, drawing readers through decades of shifting policies of rulers, military commanders, clerics and lay religious leaders.
I recommend The Brethren to readers who enjoy an expansive story that transports them to a bygone era, and I look forward to reading the next volumes of this saga.
My rating: Life in this era was often messy and violent, so readers shouldn’t be surprised to encounter violence and intimacy outside marriage in The Brethren.
What do you think of when someone mentions France?
The Eiffel Tower, fantastic cuisine, stylish clothing, or romantic movies?
What about a breeding ground for the Reformed branch of the Protestant Church?
How can this be? France is a Catholic nation.
Jean Calvin, a Frenchman, was a key figure of the Reformed (as opposed to the Lutheran) branch of the church that broke away from Roman Catholicism. He fled to Geneva, Switzerland, for his own safety.
Believe it or not, hundreds of Protestantchurches sprang up throughout France, and as much as 10% of France’s population considered themselves Huguenots (Reformed Protestants) before persecution began in earnest.
But kings, popes, and powerful families wanted to stay in control, so 36 years of religious wars resulted, followed by more Huguenot rebellions.
Eventually, the Catholic French kings prevailed, and surviving Protestants had to flee or hide their beliefs.
The City of Tears, (The Burning Chambers Series Book 2) an engaging new novel by Kate Mosse, takes place during that volatile period of French history.
Although this was a difficult time for Protestants in France, it’s a very exciting story that I found difficult to put down. Here’s why:
Plot—A wonderful weaving of historical events with emotional arcs, this is a riveting story of a family’s struggles through two decades of France’s religious wars.
Setting—The fully-created world made me feel like I was there, with details about life and locations, but it wasn’t overloaded with description.
Characters— I loved the strong, three-dimensional characters. but I wished I could prevent some unfortunate choices by the heroes. I could sympathize even with the villains.
I haven’t yet read Burning Chambers (Book 1 in this series), but hope to soon so I can fully understand the backstory of City of Tears.
I would give City of Tears a moderate rating, as it includes significant violence (fitting for that time) and fade-out love scenes.
Readers, imagine yourself as a resident of France during this time period. Whatever your beliefs, how would you have responded to religious conflicts—fled, helped your neighbors, hidden your beliefs?
Today I have a historical mystery for you, based on my novel research, with a few questions and clues to help solve it.
Who were the Huguenots?
French Protestants who held to the Reformed, or Calvinist, tradition of Protestantism
At their peak,they made up as much as 10% of the French population
Why did they go missing from France?
The French Roman Catholic clergy could not accept the Huguenots’ increased influence and worked to deprive them of their rights
King Louis XIV believed that unity in the state was extremely difficult to maintain where two or more churches were tolerated.
The king intensified the persecution of Huguenots:
Dragonnades—soldiers were billeted in Protestant homes with permission to behave as brutally as they wished
Churches were destroyed
Certain professions were put out of their reach
Their children were taken away from their parents and brought up as Roman Catholics
On Oct. 18, 1685, Louis XIV pronounced the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, which had guaranteed political and religious rights
Where did they go?
Netherlands
Switzerland
England
Ireland
Scotland
Prussia
Denmark
Sweden
Finland
America
South Africa
What was the result in France?
Huguenot persecution greatly damaged the reputation of Louis XIV abroad, particularly in England. Both kingdoms became bitter enemies and fought each other in a series of wars
Many Huguenots had been urban people in commerce and industry, so their absence hurt France in the Industrial Revolution
In The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, German sociologist Max Weber, argued that the supposedly Protestant values of hard work, thrift, efficiency, and orderliness contributed to the economic success of Protestant groups in the early stages of European capitalism.
Alain Peyrefitte, the French Catholic author of Le Mal Français, argues that the absence of supposedly Protestant values (hard work, thrift, efficiency, and orderliness) caused France to lag behind other nations socially and economically.
Many novels have been written about Huguenots, and I’ll highlight one from the 19th century and one from the 21st century:
Believe it or not, the author of the Sherlock Holmes mystery stories also wrote this novel focused on Huguenots and where some emigrated during the reign of Louis XIV. I just discovered this novel, and I look forward to reading it soon.
Based on a true story, this novel follows one French Huguenot family as King Louis XIV consolidated his power by whittling away Protestants’ rights, tolerating no political or religious opposition, impacting individuals of all ages and ranks of society.
Shows how ordinary people’s toleration of injustice on a small scale can lead, step by step, to great evil
Could have used more light moments, but, as with stories about the Holocaust era, humor and good times would not ring true with the facts of history
Hindsight shows us the tragic choices made by France’s leaders hundreds of years ago and their impact on that nation and the world. They couldn’t embrace the idea that a cultural melting pot could enrich their society.
We can learn from their mistakes and reach out to people of diverse backgrounds, breaking down stereotypes and prejudice.
I wish you peace and health in this holiday season.
Lucia, my protagonist, is approaching the end of her next adventure. Along the way, I’ve discovered stories from history that came to life as I read them.
This month, I’ll highlight two fascinating stories:
Fontevraud (English spelling, Fontevrault) is a French Benedictine abbey two and a half miles south of the Loire River, in a wooded valley in the province of Anjou.
Although it contained both male and female Benedictine monastic communities,
the men labored to serve the spiritual and material needs of the women
the women lived a silent life of contemplation
A woman (the abbess) was always in charge of the entire abbey (including the men), overseeing renovation and construction over the centuries.
French kings and queens supported the abbey’s construction projects, including:
Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine
Louis XV, whose three youngest daughters were educated at the abbey (after a new complex was built with apartments, chapels, gardens, and an orangerie).
If Queen Elizabeth wanted to ally England and Russia against Spain and the Roman Church, how could she do it? This fascinating adventure story imagines how a betrothal locket delivered to Tsar Ivan the Terrible could lead to a marriage and an alliance.
A suspenseful novel, The Tsar’s Locketis filled with rich descriptions of costumes, scenery, buildings and interiors. It offers a window into travel from England to Russia, and throws readers into the dangerous, violent world of spies and conflicts between nations and faiths in the Elizabethan era.
The main characters offer insights into how different life could be in England for people at this time, depending on one’s place in society. I enjoyed observing how the events of the story changed them.
Note to readers: Romance is also an important element of The Tsar’s Locket. Most of the novel is written at a PG-13 level, but it also contains a small amount of non-graphic sex.
