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A review by transportedlfl
The Wartime Book Club by Kate Thompson
adventurous
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Thank you to Forever for the complimentary book. These opinions are my own.
Kate Thompson's The Little Wartime Library was one of my top reads of 2023, so I was absolutely blown away and excited to read The Wartime Book Club.
Kate Thompson writes phenomenally well-research historical fiction that doesn't flinch away from challenging aspects. The Wartime Book Club is set on the Isle of Jersey under German occupation in World War II.
Of course, I am always here for a focus on books. And this novel so clearly demonstrated the incredible importance of libraries, especially at this point in history. Each chapter begins with a description of a book banned by Nazi Germany during the war. This was so incredibly powerful. As Grace, the island librarian noted, "Books are medicine." So much resonated as we now face book censorship in a different way.
In multiple ways, the novel highlights the "hidden histories" and untold stories, highlighting women and especially working class women. It deliberately digs into more mundane aspects of daily living and small acts of resistance. An also, as the author's note explained, people living through that time faced "devastating moral choices." These are encapsulated in the novel with so much nuance and tragedy. And yet, there are layers of hope.
This book made me cry and made me learn. I am so grateful for the absolutely amazing Author's Notes and Reading Group Guide. I shared them with family and would love to read this for a book club. It's a great book for discussion.
CW: war violence
Kate Thompson's The Little Wartime Library was one of my top reads of 2023, so I was absolutely blown away and excited to read The Wartime Book Club.
Kate Thompson writes phenomenally well-research historical fiction that doesn't flinch away from challenging aspects. The Wartime Book Club is set on the Isle of Jersey under German occupation in World War II.
Of course, I am always here for a focus on books. And this novel so clearly demonstrated the incredible importance of libraries, especially at this point in history. Each chapter begins with a description of a book banned by Nazi Germany during the war. This was so incredibly powerful. As Grace, the island librarian noted, "Books are medicine." So much resonated as we now face book censorship in a different way.
In multiple ways, the novel highlights the "hidden histories" and untold stories, highlighting women and especially working class women. It deliberately digs into more mundane aspects of daily living and small acts of resistance. An also, as the author's note explained, people living through that time faced "devastating moral choices." These are encapsulated in the novel with so much nuance and tragedy. And yet, there are layers of hope.
This book made me cry and made me learn. I am so grateful for the absolutely amazing Author's Notes and Reading Group Guide. I shared them with family and would love to read this for a book club. It's a great book for discussion.
CW: war violence