The Paris Assignment by Rhys Bowen
A courageous wife, mother, and resister confronts the devastation of World War II in a heartbreaking and hopeful novel by the bestselling author of The Venice Sketchbook and The Tuscan Child.
Londoner Madeleine Grant is studying at the Sorbonne in Paris when she marries charismatic French journalist Giles Martin. As they raise their son, Olivier, they hold on to a tenuous promise for the future. Until the thunder of war sets off alarms in France.
I definitely recommend picking this up if you like the historical fiction genre. Bowen is an excellent writer and this one moves quickly and is well done!
The Keeper of Hidden Books by Madeline Martin
*A BookBub Pick for Best Historical Fiction of Summer 2023*
A heartwarming story about the power of books to bring us together, inspired by the true story of the underground library in WWII Warsaw, by the New York Times bestselling author of The Last Bookshop in London.
All her life, Zofia has found comfort in two things: 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.
I loved Madeline Martin’s last WW2 publication, so I was very excited for this release. It doesn’t sugarcoat the occupation, so it is a mature read. However, I think it’s one of the best releasese of historical fiction. I really enjoyed how the library was incorporated, and the discussion of how books – the culture, the literature, and the records – needed protection, too. Highly recommend!
Where the Wandering Ends by Yvette Manessis Corporon
A vivid, character-driven historical saga set in Greece at the end of WWII and on the verge of the Greek Civil War. Fans of Ariel Lawhon’s books about little-known history will love this sweeping, multigenerational story of familial love and loyalty against all odds.
Corfu, 1946: Living in a poor village in northern Greece, 10-year-olds Marco and Katerina are the best of friends. But as their country erupts into war, the two are separated: Katerina’s family flees on foot, desperate to find somewhere safe. Marco is sent to one of Queen Frederica’s children’s villages, her defiant stance against the incoming communists.
This book technically begins at the end of the World War 2 in Corfu, Greence, The mutiligenerational book begins with two families and the disruption of their lives as civial war begins to take over. It’s a good, sweeping book, and if you like the interaction of families as they survive time, you will enjoy this book. The descriptions of Corfu add to the reader’s experience in Greece. It’s a bit slow to start but then moves quickly. I recommend!