The Librarian of Saint-Malo tells of Jocelyn and her quest to protect the people and books she loves in Saint-Malo. The day Germany invaded Poland happened to be her wedding day. As her and her new husband set off for their honeymoon they hear the news of the invasion but it does little to spoil their joy. Instead Jocelyn falls ill and as her health worsens, the situation for France does too. Once her husband is called to fight, she begins to recover then is charged with protecting Saint-Malo’s precious books from the Nazi fires and thefts.

The writing style of this book bothered me. Initially I thought I’d get used to it but I never did. It struck me as juvenile and awkward. That was quite disappointing because I’d looked forward to this book, and wanted to read this author for a while.

The book’s characters were largely bland. Throughout the book I couldn’t remember which Nazi was which, even Jocelyn’s name slipped my mind a few times. Jocelyn is frequently described as strong, brave and one of a kind, yet I didn’t really see that in her. Yes, she was doing brave things but the praise or derision she received for these things was outlandish.

Perhaps it is the style of telling the story through letters that bothered me, I’m not sure. But that and the lack of originality in plot left me disappointed.

"I'm an ordinary person. I loved, I struggled, I searched for happiness...I gave myself to my books and my husband, I loved my friends, and I tried to preserve my city's memory..."

It is because of quotes like the above that I love to read WWll historical fiction novels. Like The Librarian of Saint-Malo by the esteemed Mario Escobar the stories are based on real ordinary people put into extraordinary circumstances. They try to do their best not just to survive but to succeed in conquering evil.

Joceyln and Antoine unknowingly get married the day Germany invades Poland. As they try to continue to lead quiet lives they pray the war will not come to their quaint seaside town of Saint-Malo, France. Of course, they are forced to become part of history as they fight for their lives.

Weak from battling Tuberculosis, Jocelyn does her best to protect the books in her library from being burned or stolen from the German soldiers that take over her town. Missing her husband, who is in a German prison camp, she is forced to have an SS officer live in her home. Each day she is threatened by him and his cruelty.

Another German officer, Hermann, tries to help Jocelyn save her books and falls in love with her. It is not a love she wants but one she will use to help her save her friends from death. Through all these hardships Jocelyn writes to a famous author friend about her daily struggles through this occupation. It is her letters that become this heartfelt book.

Writer Mario Escobar has become a must read author for me. His stories are written with such respect and empathy for those that lived through the worst of humanity by being the best of humanity.

I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Jocelyne and Antoine Farrec are newlyweds that marry on the eve of WWII. During their honeymoon the war breaks out and changes their lives. They go from sitting in a sun room reading together to being separated by war. Antoine is sent off to war and the main storyline is about Jocelyne and the changes to her life, from food shortages, helping refugees, and saving her beloved books from the Nazis. I think the book does do a good job of depicting what it was like, especially in the beginning when France was splitting between the Vichy and traditional government. However, I just didn't connect with this book, it became a chore for me to even pick it up to read it. I don't know why, maybe WWII burn out, maybe I just didn't connect with the characters, but it didn't work for me. I am rounding up to 3 stars because of the accuracy I mentioned of wartime. Thank you #NetGalley for allowing me to give my voluntary and honest opinion on #TheLibrarianofSaintMalo

One librarian tells her story through letters in 1938. France is brutally attacked by the Nazi army. she describes her mission to protect the people and the books of Saint Malo, while at great risk to herself.

I really enjoyed this book and will recommend it to all of my historical fiction loving friends.

This review is my own, I received a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review!

Jocelyn Ferrec, ill with tuberculosis and her husband away fighting the Germans, is dismayed and concerned when Lieutenant Adolf Bauman, an SS officer, is billeted in her apartment. Bauman is a cruel and dangerous man. He takes an instant dislike to Jocelyn for her outspokenness against the Nazis' treatment of the people. She antagonizes him further by thwarting his attempts to plunder the library in which she works of valuable books and questioning the destruction of others banned as being seditious works.

Books are the one constant in her life, a love that she shares with her husband, Antoine. It is a passion that will place her in great danger and will also bring another German officer into her life, Lieutenant Hermann Von Cholitz, of the E.R.R., a branch of the Nazi Party set up to appropriate cultural property.

Jocelyn's love of literature, especially the works of Marcel Zola, prompts her to write to the famous author. In her letters she chronicles life in Saint-Malo during the German occupation, its destruction by Allied bombing and liberation, her part in the Resistance and the risks taken to protect the legacy of the books in her care.

It wasn't until I reached the end of this book and organised my thoughts that I realised how deeply Jocelyn's story had touched me. Here is a woman suffering from a disease that she acknowledges will eventually kill her, watching all that she holds dear being eroded by a regime promoting hate and the only weapon she has against this tyranny is her love of books.

While Jocelyn was courageous, I also felt she was a little incautious at times, especially in her dealings with Bauman and how readily she admitted Klaus, the young German soldier, into the Resistance meetings held at the library.

Until the final pages, I didn't fully understand why the author chose to tell Jocelyn's story as if she was writing letters to a famous novelist. The use of this plot device made the conclusion to all the more poignant and memorable.

I enjoyed The Librarian of Saint-Malo and look forward to reading more from this author.

** “Rather, my hope is that someday, when humanity regains its sanity, people will know that the only way to be saved from barbarianism is by love: loving books, loving people, and, though you may call me crazy, loving our enemies. There’s no doubt that love is the most revolutionary choice and, therefore, the most persecuted and reviled.” **

** “The only way to overcome evil is with good. Such love is indeed a mystery, but Jesus is not asking us to collaborate with the evil in our neighbors, to join it, or to approve of it. Love encompasses people yet refuses to join the wicked in their wickedness.” **

Mario Escobar has created a beautiful telling of an historical event with “The Librarian of Saint-Malo.”

Jocelyn Ferrec seems to have everything she’s ever wanted: a loving husband, Antoine, and a great job at the library in Saint-Malo, France. But when illness and war enter her life, everything shifts in her wold. Dealing with tragedy after tragedy, Jocelyn must find strength and inspiration to overcome the brutal reality of a Nazi-occupied town during World War II.

Escobar writes beautifully, deeply touching the soul. His words are filled with hope and inspiration, as well as realism and destitution. He creates characters the readers will fall in love with, like Jocelyn, a plucky 12-year-old named Pierre, a lovable and devoted bookseller named Denis, and even a Nazi soldier. But he also does a great job of creating truly evil characters, revealing the ugliness of war.

Told from Jocelyn’s perspective in a series of letters written to an author she hopes will write her story, “The Librarian of Saint-Malo” is deeply dark and haunted, revealing the truths behind WWII and the horrors Europe’s citizens lived through. It also contains several great themes, like our lives should matter and we should each seek our purpose; dealing with grief; making sacrifices for others; the difficulty but importance of loving our enemies; and “Learning, knowing, and discovering make us free.”

A huge theme is a love for books and words — that they reveal our hearts, hopes and histories. (“Books don’t have owners; they’re free agents we just happen to hold for a brief time” and “Books are our legacy, the signal to light the path for future generations”).

Fans of historical fiction, World War II history, and novels like Kristy Cambron’s “The Paris Dressmaker” will love “The Librarian of Saint-Malo.”

May Escobar’s novel always remind us of our humanity.

Five stars out of five.

Thomas Nelson provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

The Librarian of Saint-Malo is a rollercoaster of a book. The story that Mario Escobar tells is an important one, but there was a lot going on and sometimes instead of coming across as a complex story with wide-ranging emotion, it was just too much.

Jocelyn is a librarian in Saint-Malo, France during the German occupation in WWII and the story follows how this impacts every facet of her life, personal and professional. The format is through letters, which after finishing I appreciate, but during the story it was sometimes hard to follow that they were in fact letters. It’s really hard to describe the genre of this as it was at times a period drama, romance, and action thriller. This shifting style, in addition to many, many characters, lessened my enjoyment of the overall story. I will say that Jocelyn’s story is incredibly powerful and this is sure to be a hit with readers who enjoy WWII historical fiction. I got a vague reminder of The Guernsey Potato Peel Pie Society when reading, so those who enjoyed that might also want to check this novel out.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson-Fiction for the advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a beautiful, heartbreaking, wrenching love story set in WWII. The story is gripping and reveals gritty aspects of the war. The novel opens with how Jocelyn, with her police officer, husband Antoine Ferrec went about trying to save the library building, their precious books and surprisingly helping people along the way. I enjoyed the handwritten letters sprinkled throughout this courageous and moving story from Antoine and those Jocelyn wrote to an author hoping he would write her story. I enjoyed learning all about what people went through trying to save important documents and books. It was interesting to learn they even had a book club for a while.

I like the way in which the author had characters that were pure evil through and through as they preyed on the innocents and showed what others felt about this treatment. I loved the depth of emotion created by characters who looked death in the face, dealt with their fears and searched the depths of their souls for what they believed, and what they stood for. “It is all about love no matter what side you are on,” said Jocelyn to her enemy.

I have read other books by this author that have been translated into English. It is amazing the tension, insight, and the wide range of emotions that were conveyed into this English translation. I appreciated the natural faith message woven into this novel as these characters looked death in the face daily on the streets and the bombing of their buildings. The author does a brilliant job of helping the reader walk in the characters shoes as they see fatalities all over, how they suffered with the lack of food and showed how people act when they panic, and still others told falsehoods to the Nazi’s to fill their children’s bellies. It was horrendous.

The author states this book “focused on the common people during The German occupation of France and Rome and the terrible persecution that the occupation unleashed on culture and books.” He says, “I heard this young woman’s incredible story of love, pain, and illness. The two ideas melded and became this novel, inspired by real facts.”

The author continues, “After Frances Surrender June 22, 1940, the Nazis occupied Saint-Marlo and…The German commander ordered the purge of the City’s Bookstores and Libraries to get rid of subversive writings as outlined in the famous Liste Otto.” “The Librarian of Saint-Marlo tells the story of Jocelyn and Antoine Ferrec, a life full of love and literature. Pure hearts will shine out even in history’s darkest moments.”

This is an incredible story of faith, hope and love during horrendous times. You never know what you will do until you are in a situation. This book makes for a captivating, memorable read and one that would work well for your next book club pick. There is so much to discuss. This story will choke you up, pull at your heartstrings, and make you search for pictures on the web of Saint-Marlo back then, it is unimaginable. If you haven’t read a book by this author, you should start with this one.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have received a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog www.bookfun.org

A novel set in WWII France with the theme of a librarian passionate about saving books immediately caught my attention and I was eagerly anticipating a great read. Oh, and that cover is just beautiful.

While I enjoyed the setting, and I have read a slew of WWII historical fiction, I have to say I struggled with this story. The elements were all in place for a gripping account and it did start well, but somehow it fell flat for me. I did not feel the great love story between Jocelyn and Antoine, and the other love interest seemed too quick, and unrealistic.

Published under a Christian publishing house, I noted inspirational themes of love that I did appreciate, gems of wisdom that the author was trying to portray.

Although this novel was translated, I thought it was well done. I think this is a novel that will strike a different chord with each reader depending on what you love about WWII historical fiction.

France 1939 turbulent, not a very good place to be. Not for those Frenchmen who were loyal to France. Nazis ruled the land and their word was law. Saint Malo was for a time left alone but gradually the infiltration came in.

Joceylyn and Antoine were lovers - first blighted by her illness, then Antoine was sent to fight, sent to a camp, came back a broken man. They were very much in love but their happiness was fleeting. Joceylyn was in charge of the library and this was an unusual library - it had many volumes of rare manuscripts and this was what was going to be the catalyst of Joceylyn's life as it attracted the greedy and mercenary eyes of a Nazi Captain who whilst pretending it was for the benefit of Germany, really wanted to grab them for himself as his passport out of Europe.

After Antoine's death Joceylyn worked for the Resistance in whatever ways possible, but her main focus was with her books. Joceylyn felt that her entire life's mission was to protect the library to the end, and despite evacuation, hardships and severe testing of the spirit, she did not abandon Saint Malo.

Detailing the days of occupation in a series of letter to someone in Paris with the hope that it will eventually get published Jocelyn stayed on till Saint Malo was freed from the Germans, but sadly perished on the final day.

One is left pondering whether sacrificing your life for the sake of books is something to be admired, or worried/pitied over. Jocelyn literally sacrificed her life for the sake of the library. An open ended question here. Outlining in detail the history of Saint Malo during German occupation was the historical part of the story. Joceylyn's story was the rest.

“Rather, my hope is that someday, when humanity regains its sanity, people will know that the only way to be saved from barbarianism is by love: loving books, loving people, and, though you may call me crazy, loving our enemies. There’s no doubt that love is the most revolutionary choice and, therefore, the most persecuted and reviled.”

Quotes like the above are what really carried this book, along with some great wisdom and insight into life itself. The Librarian of Saint-Malo follows the journey of Jocelyn, her friends, and fellow citizens of their community through the war years of 1939-1944. This book made me think of the effects of war on those who survived in the cities, in addition to, of course, those in the camps and the soldiers that fought so hard for freedom or domination.

This read more like a documentary and I don’t really know if I got the premise of the letter writing. I had little emotional connection to the characters, but it was still a very interesting worthwhile story. I would recommend it to those who enjoy historical fiction, especially WWII. The perseverance and survival of the people of the city of Saint-Malo was beautifully captured.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I received this an ARC through Netgalley. "Every time someone opens a book, it comes alive once more. Its characers wake up from their nap and start acting all over again." - pg 9 Like many others I had high hopes when I started reading The Librarian of Saint-Malo. This one just didn't hit the mark for me. I had a hard time connecting with the characters and why Jocelyn was willing to risk her life for the library.

Another ww2 book but set in SAN Marino. I have Read lots of books about ww2, but not many that was not set in Germany or were The good person/hero was a woman. Here we follow Jocelyn as she lives with her husband being drafted to war. We follow her when she is losing everything she knows and loses her will to livr. We see her make friends with someone she should not. And that she would sacrifice her self as Long as The books were unharmed

The Librarian of Saint-Malo by Mario Escobar is a tale told through letters. Taking place in the fortress port of Saint-Malo in northern French Britanny, it spans the Nazi invasion and occupation of France during WWII. Jocelyn and Antoine Ferrec have just gotten married and hope to live a quiet life in their beloved French village. Jocelyn is the caretaker of one of the village’s libraries, and Antoine is a police officer. Their lives are shattered with the invasion, and subsequent capitulation, of France; Antoine is sent to fight, and Jocelyn must endure the war on her own.

Jocelyn’s life becomes a tale of horror and heroism as she protects her beloved books, and becomes increasingly involved in the Resistance. Jocelyn sends letters to the famous author, Marcel Zola, in hopes that if she doesn’t make it through the war, he will write her story. As she waits for Antoine to return, she is stalked by the brutal SS officer she is forced to house, and develops a friendship with another Nazi officer, who becomes her, and her books’, savior at several points throughout the story.

I really wanted to love this book. The writing is gorgeous- the descriptions of books and the worlds held within are breathtaking. But the story just doesn’t make much sense. Why does she need to write the letters? There is no correspondence back and forth; literally, the letters are just chapters. Also, nothing really happens. Yes, there is a lot of violence and terror visited upon the quaint village. But, that does not a plot make. Jocelyn has one conversation with a soldier and then she’s in love and has conflicting feelings. Jocelyn and Antoine’s love is supposed to be all-consuming and great, but we get pretty much no back story, no development. I don’t really care about Antoine. The SS officer who is obsessed with “getting” Jocelyn could do so at any point in the novel, but doesn’t. Her neighbor hates her and yet there is no reason why. Again, no development. There is this reverence for books (which of course I feel), but why? The history behind her love for books should be here, but it’s missing. Jocelyn is a woman who risks her life for books and the Resistance, and yet falls in love with a Nazi soldier? The story is shallow. The writing is superb, but the character and plot development just isn’t there.

The Librarian of Saint-Malo held such promise, but ultimately it was a let down. I recommend it if you happen to have nothing else to read, as I said the writing is great. But don’t expect to be blown away or deeply affected. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Random rating 3.75/5 #TheLibrarianOfSaintMalo #NetGalley

Terrific story of France and Saint-Malo during WWII and occupation of France. Great sacrifice of searingly simple people’s performing tasks that will preserve books for all mankind.





Author, Mario Escobar does a very good job of interweaving history and fiction. A compelling read of a story of a missing piece of WWII history. My thanks to Thomas Nelson Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

This was a solidly written work of WWII fiction, and a bit different than most Christian fiction. The author is from Spain so the perspective is different than an American Christian -while the main character struggles with issues of faith, she does not have a solid "come to Jesus" moment, though she feels very strongly that love must win out over the pragmitism of the Nazi's. She is a librarian at Saint-Malo, a coastal village in France that is, of course, doomed to be overrun by the Nazi's during WWII. Orphaned at a young age, her husband becomes her world when she marries. He nurses her through a long and almost deadly bought of TB, and then he is sent off to fight with the French during the Nazi invasion. He is taken prisoner, and during his absense the Nazi's move into town and torment the local citizens. The librarian is tormented to see her Jewish friends persecuted, and her beloved books combed through and those that are deemed unsuitable, burned. Gradually (very gradually) she finds ways to fight back and even join the resistance. Eventually her husband returns, but the continued presence of a Nazi officer who has it out for her, and another Nazi officer who is in love with her keeps her life in turmoil. Throughout it all she tries to make the best choices she can, for all that is good and full of love, until the novels fiery conclusion as the Nazi invaders mounth their final defense agains the allied forces.
Fans of a happy ending may not enjoy this one. It is a thoughtful, realistic book though and a different persecptive among all of the many WWII books that are written - especially in the Christian fiction genre.

The Librarian of Saint-Malo is a story of power held by people who appear powerless. It is a story of the power of faith, of love, and of words. Set in a French port in Brittany during the German occupation, Escobar allows readers to see the best and worst of humanity on both sides of the war. Those of us who love books, who reread sentences in order to savor their beauty will find a kindred spirit in Jocelyn Ferrec and in those near and dear to her heart. Fans of the British mini-series Island at War will appreciate this story as will fans of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society.

I highly recommend this book as well as any others by this author. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

As an avid reader I love libraries. I had not given much thought to the libraries during WWII and how that war would affect them. The idea that the Nazi’s would burn books just to push their propaganda is horrible. I cannot imagine the number of amazing books lost during the war. Jocelyn’s strength in protecting her library while also working with the resistance to do her part in fighting the Nazi’s was amazing. She was a hero, understated, but appreciated by the people of Saint-Malo.



WWII was a horrible time in France. Jocelyn worked to save the library but in the process she also writes letter to Mario Escobar in hopes that her story would not die with her. She knew that the risks she took could cause her death at any time. There was always the risk of being caught and prosecuted for going against the Germans. I enjoyed each letter she wrote and the depth that it gave her story. She wrote of the happenings but also of her feelings and fears. I felt for all that she had to live through but was in constant awe of the strength she showed in standing up to those against her, working with those who needed her, and never giving up hope that her library would still be standing when the war was over.

There are many books written about WWII and even more historical fiction but this book was unique in its letter format and the focus on the library. I loved it, I could not stop reading, and I recommend it.

The Librarian of Saint-Malo centers on Jocelyn, a librarian, who sets out to defend her library in Saint Malo, France from the Nazis in World War II from taking books that were banned. The story starts out just as the war begins, with Jocelyn and Antoine's wedding. Jocelyn is sick with tuberculosis, and Antoine nurses her back to health (until he is drafted to fight in the war himself). He goes off, and a still sickly Jocelyn is supported by her friend Denis, and other friends. Eventually she recovers and returns to her job. The Germans then invade France, and her life is turned even more upside down. She has to house a German officer in her home (unfortunately for her, the man she has to house is a sadistic SS officer who wants nothing more than to make her life miserable). She forges a tentative friendship with Hermann, a German officer in charge of preserving the "culture" of the nations that the Nazis take over. He comes to the library to collect the banned books, and ends up falling in love with the married Jocelyn. Meanwhile, Antoine has been captured, and taken to one of the German camps (although Jocelyn does everything in her power to get him released.)

This story is one of bravery and hardship. It highlighted that although the Nazi ideology was bad, not all officers or "Nazis" were the same. Some were soldiers caught in a difficult position, and despite being part of this larger "machine" they were trying to do the best they could in a horrible situation. On the other side, some relished the power they could wield over others, and took every advantage of their position. It highlighted that although the ideals of Nazism were horrible, not everyone truly believe in them or was so caught up in the rhetoric.

Overall, this book earned 4 of 5 stars from me. This story was a good one, but I felt it could have delved a little deeper into several topics. For example, Jocelyn hid some books, but not much other comment was made about it. At one point, she dabbled in being part of the Resistance, but wasn't in it for long. She assisted in getting false papers for some children, but it was only mentioned on one occasions. She had a husband, but all of a sudden she was also in love with Hermann. The story could have gone deeper into any one of these and could have been a much better story. I felt like Jocelyn wanted to help, but never found her niche in what she wanted to do to aide the Resistance. It left me feeling like things were more scattered than they could have been. This was certainly worth the read, especially if you are one who enjoys World War II novels, or books that take place in beautiful locations.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was sold on The Librarian of Saint-Malo before I even opened the book as it combines one of my favorite time periods for historical fiction and it's about a librarian! Beyond those characteristics, it was written by Mario Escobar whose other books I have enjoyed. However, the story of Jocelyn Ferrec is unique among the glutted World War II genre. While involved to some extent in the French resistance movement and definitely doing her part against the Nazi invaders, Jocelyn's efforts focus on saving the literature and the history of the world through her town's library. We often forget the censorship that occurred during this time period and the numerous works that have been lost or were for a time period unavailable. Jocelyn's efforts to save the books causes her to interact with numerous individuals and those encounters may suprise you. In addition to a moving World War II novel, The Librarian of Saint-Malo reminds readers of the illnesses and other life difficulties that people of this time period faced. These issues are difficult by themselves, but when combined with an invading army and life being turned totally upside down become completely overwhelming. This book will cause you to wonder if you would have the strength and will to survive these trials.

I received a complementary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley. I was not required to provide a positive review.