The Keeper of Hidden Books
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- $25.99
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- $25.99
Publisher Description
A NATIONAL BESTSELLER—for fans of All the Light We Cannot See and The Tattooist of Auschwitz!
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 during times of hardship: 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.
With the death count rising and persecution intensifying, Zofia jumps to action to save her friend and salvage whatever books she can from the wreckage, hiding them away, and even starting a clandestine book club. She and her dearest friend never surrender their love of reading, even when Janina is forced into the newly formed ghetto.
But the closer Warsaw creeps toward liberation, the more dangerous life becomes for the women and their families – and escape may not be possible for everyone. As the destruction rages around them, Zofia must fight to save her friend and preserve her culture and community using the only weapon they have left - literature.
“Readers will be on the edge of their seats as they are transported…with Madeline Martin's vivid and inspiring characters.” —Kelly Rimmer, author of The Warsaw Orphan
"Madeline Martin immerses us in the expertly rendered and fascinating worlds.” —Natasha Lester, author of The Riviera House
Don't miss Madeline Martin's next heartwarming historical novel, The Booklover's Library!
Also by Madeline Martin:The Librarian SpyThe Last Bookshop in London
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
A schoolgirl is plunged into the madness of war in this thrilling historical novel. In 1939 Warsaw, best friends Zofia and Janina form a club dedicated to reading Hitler’s banned books. So when their city is bombed and occupied, they’re primed to join the resistance, with Janina fighting from the Jewish ghetto and Zofia helping to hide library books from the Nazis before they can be burned. This touching story of love and loyalty is packed with harrowing suspense. In addition to her rich and beautiful prose (enhanced by narrator Saskia Maarleveld’s expressive voice and lovely accent), Madeline Martin roots the story in impeccable research. Her detailed descriptions of the Warsaw ghetto and anti-Jewish propaganda are sometimes shocking, and we were moved by the author’s note that explains which of the characters are based on actual people. If you value historical accuracy in your fiction, this is the listen for you.