This story begins in the summer of 1938. Germany has already begun its conquering of many countries in Europe, and France is next in line. Jocelyn and Antoine, childhood sweethearts, marry but he is quickly drafted to fight the Germans. Jocelyn is a librarian, and she devotes herself to preserving the books the Nazis would just as soon destroy. Antoine returns, having been a prisoner, but his wounds will soon prove fatal. She decides to write letters to Marcel Zola, a famous author in Paris whom she has never met but whom she admires, a task that will continue throughout the war. In these letters, she describes her goal - protect the books and the people of her city. A story of love, courage, determination and sacrifice ensues, ending only after the city, totally demolished, is liberated by the American army. How can you say no when given the opportunity to review an historical fiction novel that has the word “librarian” in the title. As is often the case in historical fiction, the main characters are not real people, but the underlying tale is based on a story told to the author. The story of France and Saint-Malo during WWII is fact and Escobar does a very good job of interweaving history and fiction. A compelling read that I found I could not put down. My thanks to Thomas Nelson Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

I received an ARC from netgalley and Thomas Nelson in exchange for an honest review. As a historical fiction fan and avid reader and lover of books this checked all the boxes for me. On Jocelyn’s wedding day, what should have been the happiest day of her life the Nazis invade Poland, France enters the war, and her world falls apart. Her new husband goes off to war, the Nazis conquer France, and she is forced to take in a cruel Nazi soldier as a housemate. The only thing that keeps her going is her love of books and determination to keep the library collection safe from the Nazi reign of terror. In a series of letters to her favorite author, Marcel Zola, Jocelyn describes how she and the citizens of the small French coastal village of Saint Malo try desperately to survive amidst bombings, Nazi atrocities and the pillaging of French cultural institutions and identity. Recommended read.

Historical fiction books that take place during World War Two have long been some of my favorites, and I've read some pretty amazing stories set during this time period over the years. Unfortunately, as the genre gets more and more flooded with stories, I've also read some ones I definitely didn't end up enjoying, and this one ended up falling in the category of the latter.

A novel set during one of my favorite time periods to read about, a novel with books and a library as the central focus, and a novel told in epistolary style should honestly have been one I ended up loving. Unfortunately that just wasn't the case for me.

I really struggled to get into this story, and I ended up feeling like it felt like the plot was missing something, and was extremely lackluster. Even though action is happening in almost every letter, I struggled to stay focused on the story, and found it incredibly boring. I also really didn't sympathize or relate with Jocelyn as the main character. I love books as much as anyone, but risking your life and the life of others for the sake of books went too far for me, and I thought she mainly came across as selfish and entitled throughout most of the story.

I also struggled with the fact that this story is told in a way that is supposed to make you sympathize with one of the Nazi officers. I couldn't force myself to feel that way, and I was a bit turned off by the fact that this was such a big part of the narrative. I could see this bothering a lot of readers that choose to pick this one up.

Two of my least favorite World War Two novels of all time are The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, and The Socialite by J'nell Ciesielski, and this one honestly reminded me heavily of both of those.

I only really ended up enjoying the character of Pierre, the fact that I walked away having learned some new things about a place I haven't read about before, and learning more about the Nazi occupation of France, and especially the fact that I do really enjoy reading novels that were originally published in a different language. Other than that, this one isn't one I really enjoyed, and I don't personally recommend it.

Final Rating: 2/5.

Thanks so much to Thomas Nelson for allowing me to read and review this!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher (Thomas Nelson) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for a free e-copy of The Librarian of Saint-Malo, in exchange for my honest opinion of the book.

This World War Two story was interesting, included all the usual topics of war, focusing on people who are pushed to the edge in order to survive. This, of course, had all of that, but in a way, was not special. Unfortunately, the WW2 is such a huge genre, that for those who read a lot of these books, it makes it a little difficult for the next book that comes along to really stand out. That was the problem here. While it was good, the characters just weren't deep enough, the story was not unusual enough, why didn't I care more about this book. I think maybe the story of the library was a bit too heartbreaking for me and it threw off my focus.

I have enjoyed all of Mario Escobar’s books and The Librarian of Saint-Malo is no exception. The story takes place in Saint-Malo, a seaside town in France during the Nazi invasion. The main characters are French and you get their perspective on what it is like to be French, not Jewish, during Hitler’s reign. The main character, Jocelyn is the towns librarian and wants nothing more than to protect the books that Hitler has demanded be destroyed. As I read this book I kept envisioning it as a movie. Most of the time I enjoy a book way better than the movie it is made into but in this case I actually feel this book would be equally as good as a movie, especially the ending. Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. As always I look forward to the next book written by Mario Escobar.

The cover of this book instantly drew me in and caught my attention letting me know that the time period was one of war. The title also got to me. My family is loaded with librarians and loving books seems to be in all of our blood. My particular favourites are novels that tell stories from World War Two – a time when my own father and uncle were serving overseas – one as a doctor and one as a member of the Royal Canadian Engineers and later a P.O.W.
The author chose to use letters to tell the story of one young librarian, Jocelyn, who lives in the village of St Malo. I found this to be an effective story telling method for me. Jocelyn lives with her husband Antoine until he is called up to serve in the French army. At the beginning of the novel, she is suffering from tuberculosis. I struggled a bit with this part of the story. When my Dad came back from serving overseas, he began his specialization in diseases of the chest and tuberculosis. I wasn’t sure that the portrayal of Jocelyn initially was an accurate representation of what treatment would have been like in that era. Jocelyn seemed to be close to death at one point, then better with no real discussion of how she recovered. Perhaps that was just the magic of time when it came to her letters, but it slowed me down somewhat in my reading.
Moving past that issue, the story became very enthralling for me. Who Jocelyn was writing to (a fictional famous French author) was way less important than the story she was telling. It was a story of protecting books and the messages they carried and the people who wrote them. It was also a story of helping wherever she could even if it meant putting her own life at risk. In modern day times St. Malo is a lovely place to visit. Mario Escobar clearly found it so when he visited which led to the writing of this novel. It is clearly well-researched and gives a clear picture of what life was like living with the enemy (literally because they were billeted in apartments and homes.) There are twists and turns in the story that made me hold my breath and wonder what would happen next. There is death and loss and in spite of it the story of one woman who forged on. Although fictional, I found Jocelyn to represent so many other everyday people who did what they had to in order to resist, whether in subtle ways or more overtly.
The author hoped in this novel to show how the common people were affected by the German Occupation of France and also just how extreme the German’s efforts were to crack down on the culture and literature that the French people held so dearly. I believe that Escobar achieved what he set out to do. In one of her first letters, Jocelyn wrote as follows: “My hope is that someday, when humanity regains it’s 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.” These words hold true today and speak to me clearly.
My thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishing and #NetGalley for allowing me to read an Advance Reader’s Copy of this novel. The opinion’s in this review are my own.

The Librarian of Saint-Malo is a World War II novel from a very different perspective - that of French civilians having to deal with the Nazi presence and demands in their town and in their lives. The main character, Jocelyn , is the librarian of an old and venerable library and the main story is her attempts to keep the old and irreplaceable volumes out of the hands of the Nazis. It also deals with her personal trials.

I found this to be a very interesting view of the war. It dealt with the typical problems of shortages and poor treatment of Jews, but it also gave a new view about French cultural treasures.

The characters were well drawn and interesting, as was the setting.

Jocelyn, a female librarian and her husband live in Saint Malo, France. It is occupied by the Nazis in WWII and Jocelyn tries to save books from being destroyed. After she suffers heartbreaking losses, she also tries to save people and gets involved with the resistance. A brave woman, she writes letters to an author in hopes that he will one day tell the story of her life and her town.

A heartbreaking story of one woman and town that lost everything to the Nazis. This gave an interesting perspective as to what the ultimate cost was for the Allies to defeat the Nazis in France. Saint-Malo was front and center of the invasion. One woman's story of losing her husband to the army, working for the Resistance, protecting rare books, and trying to find the good in her enemies is a wonderful example of the complex layers of humanity. I adored this book and loved the complex emotions exhibited by the author. Mario Escobar is a master storyteller.

I just finished my third book by Mario Escobar. The Librarian of Saint- Malo is an intriguing read about a small town in France during WWII. The librarian, Jocelyn has had a hard life. She lost her twin sister, and parents, suffers tuberculosis soon after marrying Antoine who is a policeman. They get married the day the Germans enter Poland. The book has a cast of characters which we are introduced to and a lot of pain and heartache throughout the war.

I liked the idea of the book she wants as she chronicles the lives of people in Saint Malo by sending letters to an author she has never met. My favorite quote is written in Chapter 9 when she has this idea. “the power of words does not lie in the stories we told but in our ability to connect with the hearts who read them.” The reader gets a very good idea about one town’s survival throughout the entire war. I learned so much and felt the sorrow, determination, .....of the characters portrayed.

My problem with the book is that many of the characters were not developed fully. For example, what happened to Pierre? This book is a worthwhile read. My thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. The opinions in this review are my own.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I have mixed feelings after finishing The Librarian of Saint-Malo. My favorite WWII novels are the ones that do a great job of providing a snapshot of everyday life during wartime. I thought The Librarian of Saint-Malo adroitly delved into the lives of the ordinary citizens of the city desperately trying to survive the bombings, the Nazis, and the pillaging of its cultural identity. I also thought this book was unique in how it ascribed humanity to German soldiers. Both Herman von Cholitz and Bruno the deserter were examples of people who were fighting for Hitler, yes, but not necessarily fighting for everything he stood for. It really made me think about the idea of having pride for and loyalty to your country while opposing your country’s leadership…are these things always mutually exclusive? A very thought-provoking question, especially in the shadow of the American political climate of the past several years.

What I struggled with was the lack of believability regarding many of the characters and their convictions. Jocelyn protected Saint-Malo’s books to the bitter end, but when her devotion to and love for books wasn’t strongly established at the beginning, it made me wonder why she went to such lengths to stay in the library. Neither of her love interests (Antoine and Hermann) were convincing to me. There were some great minor characters who were under-utilized. Dr. Aubry was profoundly impactful toward the end of the book and it made me wonder why he wasn’t allowed to shine for more of the story. Sister Clara was extremely unlikeable until she was amazingly loyal, which felt disjointed. The final action in the library felt like I was reading the script to a Hollywood film; it was too over-the-top to be believable or enjoyable.

Perhaps my biggest beef with the book is that it was written in letter form, but the epistolary nature of the book was neither valuable nor necessary. Most of the time it didn’t read like a series of letters anyway, and when it did, it made the story feel very flat and one-dimensional. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir are much better examples of WWII historical fiction written as a series of correspondence.

All in all, while I liked the book alright, the issues I had with it were disappointing, and I really dragged my feet to finish it.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson--Fiction for the ARC of The Librarian of Saint-Malo by Mario Escobar. I had never heard of Saint-Malo before and immediately following the reading of this book I had to look it up. What a beautiful and historic place! Unfortunately the scenes of destruction were very real and brought to life the struggles of the main characters. The main character, Jocelyn, was a librarian and fought fiercely to protect the books and her loved ones. Her greatest worry was that all the words and historical content would be forever lost in the hate of the Germans as they invaded her small seaside town. Her bravery (along with others) reminded me that the first thing an enemy wants to destroy is your story--your mark on society and culture. It must always be a top priority to maintain the words and stories of which you have in your possession.

Jocelyn Ferrac is the librarian in the small village of Saint Malo on the coast of France, who wants nothing more than to protect the precious volumes at risk of being stolen or burned by the Nazi’s.

Told through a series of letters, Jocelyn tells of her love for her husband Antoine, who ends up in a German prison camp, her good friend Denis the local bookseller and a Jew who is taken to a concentration camp, and the rest of her town who continue to passively fight their Nazi occupiers. She describes the mounting atrocities she has first-hand views of, and how it gets worse as they await the Allies liberation of their town.

Jocelyn is a very interesting character, though little is told of her actual librarian duties during the occupation, besides hiding valuable volumes. The story being told as a series of letters seems unnecessary to me as well, and we never learn why this author is the specific recipient of her letters. I would have much preferred a first-person account. I also wish more was told of Pierre, who delivers her letters at great personal risk. His character just kind of disappears towards then end of the novel. Syntactically the story is well-written, but organizationally it is lacking. Overall, this was an interesting enough WWII novel, but I personally believe there are better stories out there.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley and Thomas Nelson. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Through letters written by Jocelyn, the librarian of Saint-Malo, Mario Escobar retells the story of Nazi occupation, French capitulation and complicity in the holocaust, the reality of life in an occupied country, and the destruction of Saint-Malo. As Jocelyn retells her story of valiantly trying to save books the Nazis want destroyed, we also learn about her friends' efforts to resist and save the people in their town. While at times poignant and other times tragic, the real emotion of this story is diluted by telling it through her letters. I loved the idea of the book more than its execution.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my review.

The Librarian of Saint-Malo
By Mario Escobar

A strong woman risks her life to protect Her library

⭐️⭐️⭐️

SUMMARY

Librarian Jocelyn marries police sergeant Antoine Ferrec on Sept. 1, 1939, the same day the Germans invade Poland to begin WWII. Shortly after their marriage, Antoine is sent to the front. When the Germans invade France and Saint Malo Jocelyn Ferrec risks everything to save the library where she works.

REVIEW
THE LIBRARIAN OF SAINT-MALO is an intriguing and moving historical fiction novel. It’s a story of dedication, and perserverence.

The story of Jocelyn's efforts is told via her letters to the famous writer Marcel Zola, whom she hopes will preserve her experiences during the war. While interesting, this letter writing approach didn't feel realistic or necessary. Despite that, the writing is skillfully descriptive and the book is a quick read. Jocelyn’s character is well-developed, strong and full of resilience.

Author Mario Escobar has written numerous books about the inquisition, reformation and religion. THE LIBRARIAN OF SAINT-MALO came from a visit Escobar made to Saint Malo in 2018. He wanted to show the suffering of the common people of France as well as purge of books during the German occupation of France.

Thanks to Netgalley for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Publisher Thomas Nelson
Published June 1, 2021
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com

I love historical fiction, and WWII *can* be my favorite. But that genre is so inundated with books right now that I feel like that topic, perspective, writing, etc… has to be really neat or unique in order to capture my attention. In this case, this book had a lot of promise, but didn’t live up to my hopes.

What kept it from standing out in my opinion:
- I felt like the author was trying to garner sympathy for Nazi officers. The fact that an officer was trying to start a romance with the main character after her husband was captured and almost killed by them just felt ucky. I’m sure it was an attempt to “show the other side”, but they committed atrocities and my feelings are 100% reserved for the victims and real heroes of the war.
- The main character’s personality or actions never spoke to me. I was not cheering for her; I felt like the strength of her character development is more comparable to a secondary character, not the main.
- For it being “library-centered” given the title, and what made me most excited to read it, I don’t think it was a really important part of the plot.

You MAY check this out if you like WWII historical fiction, but I think there are too many other strongly written books on the market at this time that are better worth your time!

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for gifting me with an ARC of Mario Escobar’s newest novel, The Librarian of Saint-Malo. In exchange I offer my unbiased review. This book has been translated from Spanish.

I found this historical fiction novel a solid addition to the cannon of WWII stories. Having only read one other book set in the coastal city of Saint-Malo, I was immediately drawn to the setting and location. I have mixed feelings about the French and how quickly they succumbed to the Germans and turned on their French Jewish citizens. This story highlights the brave resistance fighters, who were not all Jewish or communist sympathizers but were brave and resilient in standing up to censorship, brutality and inhuman treatment of both people and all art forms. This story focuses on a fictional library in Saint-Malo and a determined librarian to protect the books she loves and the city she adores. She sometimes makes questionable decisions, but life is complicated, especially during wartime. I found certain passages quite beautiful and I thought the author balanced the historical accuracy appropriately and in a compelling manner.

I think this would appeal to younger audiences as well, and it would make a good addition to a school library.

The Librarian of Saint-Malo
Mario Escobar

Librarian Jocelyn's letters from her small library in Saint-Malo, France recount the story of German occupation
and her individual, marital, and professional ordeals during WWII. Writing to a famous writer whom she admires, her heartbreaking personal account communicates the horrors of the war and the destruction of St. Malo, reflecting on the importance of literature to culture and the times throughout history when libraries, such as the great library of Alexandria, have been destroyed. The deeply tragic story is a unique addition to WWII novels.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

WWII history has always fascinated me. This story is written about the beautiful old city of Saint-Molo, a French costal town that was completely destroyed during the long years of the war. It has always saddened me how quickly France fell to Nazi power.
Having lived through so much change, division, and strife over the past year, it is easier to experience how people turn against each other so quickly, how pure hatred divides, and how isolation drives people mad. However history repeats itself when we don’t take heed and guard against the dehumanization of certain people groups or beliefs.
The Nazi’s sought to destroy any books and ideologies contrary to Nazi belief. Of course, they themselves stole and profited off of untold amounts of art and rare books stolen from the Jews and others.
This story tells the story of the importance of human survival, but also preserving books whose stories speak to countless generations.
I highly recommend this read!
"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

I was disappointed. Jocelyn was hard to warm up to. So much conversation with Germans; would a rabid SS man listen to someone tell him he’s wrong? Many characters seemed like stereotypes: the horrid SS man, the sympathetic German, the nasty neighbor. The ending was completely unexpected and not in a good way. As a librarian, I had high hopes for this book, but no thank you. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.