Book Review: The Wartime Book Club by Kate Thompson

 

Rating: 4.5⭐️

Set in St. Helier, Jersey, during the Nazi occupation of the Channel Islands The Wartime Book Club by Kate Thompson is a remarkable work of historical fiction. The title of this novel suggests that the story revolves around the power of books and reading in bringing people together during difficult times but I should mention that though these themes do constitute an important part of the narrative, this book is about so much more.

As WWII rages on, thousands of islanders evacuate before the Nazi invasion of the Channel Islands in 1940. Among those who stay behind are best friends, Grace La Mottée, who works as a librarian at the Bibliothèque Publique and her best friend postwoman Bea Gold. The narrative jumps to 1943, a few years into the occupation and the Nazis have wreaked havoc in the lives of the islanders with curfews and persecution, rationing and censorship among other evils. Grace, now the acting Chief Librarian after her colleague is sent to an internment camp in Germany, has taken great risks to hide the books banned by the Nazis to save them from being destroyed. Grace starts the Wartime Book Club, believing that books could provide momentary refuge from the hardships of daily life – an endeavor for which she needs to ask for permission and tolerate the presence of a censor in their meetings. With residents being encouraged to report to one another for breaking rules in return for extra rations, many are betrayed by those they once trusted. Bea also takes the initiative to help as many people as she can from being taken into custody by the Nazis. in her own act of defiance. Similarly, many within their circle of friends and neighbors find ways to do the right thing even if it means breaking the rules. The narrative follows Grace, Bea and their friends as Nazi surveillance is heightened and living conditions deteriorate further. They endure much hardship in their daily lives yet do everything possible to keep one another safe, risking their own lives in the process.

I loved that each chapter began with a brief note on a banned author/ book. The narrative is presented from the perspectives of Bea and Grace in alternating chapters. The author sheds light on the resilience of the islanders and their acts of kindness, sacrifice, bravery and resistance in the face of much adversity. The setting is vividly described and the characters are well- fleshed out. Both Bea’s and Garce’s personal journeys are deftly woven into the fluid narrative which focusses on the stories of ordinary working-class residents and how they survived the Nazi occupation. This is a lengthy novel with a large cast of characters but definitely worth the time and effort.

I must mention the Author’s Note where she discusses the historical context of this novel and the places and true events that inspired this novel. I always appreciate it when an author adds a historical note on the facts behind the fiction, but Kate Thompson exceeded my expectations. I commend the author for her meticulous research and the expansive segment on the “Inspirational Islanders” whose stories found their way into this work of fiction and loved that she included several archival photos as well. This segment in itself was an inspiring read.

This was my second Kate Thompson novel after The Little Wartime Library which was a 5⭐ read for me and I’m glad to say that I was not disappointed. Definitely recommended for fans of WWII fiction!

Many thanks to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.