Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A story that touches upon themes of the horrors of war, trauma, resilience and survival, friendship, compassion and the healing power of books and reading Miss Morgan's Book Brigade by Janet Skeslien Charles is a remarkable work of historical fiction. Based on the true story of Jessie Carson, an American librarian known for her efforts to establish children’s libraries in war-torn France and training young French women librarians, the novel also sheds light on CARD, the American Committee for Devastated France, (Le Comité américain pour les régions dévastées), an initiative headed by wealthy American philanthropist Ann Morgan and the women who volunteered to travel to France to help rebuild devastated French communities near the war front in the aftermath of The Great War.
The narrative is shared through dual timelines set in 1918 France and 1987 New York City. The 1918 timeline is shared from the perspective of Jessie, as she travels to CARD Headquarters in the village of Blérancourt, France, where she joins fellow volunteers. Miss Morgan and CARD president Dr. Anne Murray Dike. Hoping to begin her work as a librarian immediately upon arrival and share her love for favorite books and reading with the children in the village providing them with moments of much needed respite, she is unprepared for the sounds of shelling coming from the front, the hazards of the Red Zone and the destruction in the wake of the retreating German forces. The narrative follows Jessie and her friends as they go above and beyond in their efforts to offer support to the communities who are struggling to rebuild their lives after experiencing unimaginable losses.
The 1987 timeline follows aspiring writer and NYPL employee Wendy Peterson, who finds several old CARD bulletins published in 1918 that describe the work of CARD volunteers in Northern France. When she comes across a brief reference about Jessie, she is inspired to find out as much as she can about the NYPL librarian and her work – not an easy task because of limited source material and the fact that there is not much mention of Jessie in existing records. Wendy’s quest inspires her to reevaluate her own life and priorities.
Compelling characters, a strong historical setting and vivid prose make for a rewarding reading experience. The author deftly weaves past and present timelines into an engaging narrative that flows well. I enjoyed the 1918 timeline more and though I enjoyed following Wendy’s research in 1987, I wish the narrative had followed Jessie a little longer in her timeline. However, I did like how the author brings everything together in the end.
I loved the author’s The Paris Library and was eagerly looking forward to reading her latest offering, and I’m happy to say that I was not disappointed. Well-researched and informative, this is an exceptional work of historical fiction that I would not hesitate to recommend. I always enjoy historical fiction from which I can learn something new. I appreciate the author’s effort to highlight the contribution of this group of women in WWI. I loved Jessie’s story and was inspired to read more about her and the other real characters featured in this story. Do read the Author’s Note wherein she shares details of the people, places and events that inspired this work of historical fiction.
Many thanks to Atria Books for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
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