The Librarian Spy: A Novel of World War II

The Librarian Spy is a book for book lovers. Set in World War II, it is split between two locations and two main characters. In Lisbon, Portugal, the protagonist is a librarian from the Library of Congress who works in Portugal to send war newspapers back to Washington, D.C. to discover Hitler’s aims, while talking to refugees and recording atrocities. In Nazi-occupied Lyon, France, the protagonist is a caring woman who joins the Resistance to put the truth in newsprint after her husband is captured by Nazis.

Written in evocative and emotional language, this book is amazingly stirring. Any reader will find that many scenes in this book paint a vivid picture in their mind. The Librarian Spy has themes centered on the importance of preserving history and spreading truth, along with the nastiness that comes from bureaucracy. It makes me think of books such as The Devil’s Arithmetic, only written for adults.

This is a must-buy book for book-loving adults, or any adult who loves historical fiction. Libraries and high schools need a copy (or more than one!) of this book. It would make an amazing story to use for an English class. Any adult reader who wants a good World War II book should purchase a copy of The Librarian Spy!