Library of Forbidden Books by Mario Escobar is a beautifully written novel full of triumph and heartbreak that reminds readers not to take freedom for granted.
Main Themes
I enjoyed Escobar’s dedication to historical accuracy without imbuing modern themes. The main themes in the novel centered around the civil unrest in Germany during the 1930s that set the stage for Hitler’s empty promises of power and stability. The novel showed the harsh reality of life for Jewish people and those who disagreed with the new regime, as well as showing the ruthless elimination of political opponents that allowed Hitler to take absolute control.
Helene is half Jewish and the first female head librarian, so not even having a perfect Aryan as a husband can save her from falling under the scrutiny of the new government. When the Hitler Youth start burning books and the secret police start beating Jews in the streets, Helene knows Germany is entering dark years. The only way for a German to stay safe is to join Hitler’s political party, while Jews have to flee the country if they want to avoid the prison camps.
As books are being banned, Helene starts hiding the most valuable Jewish and philosophical works, a dangerous venture that puts everything — and everyone — she loves at great risk.
Favorite Scenes
This was the first novel I can remember reading that was translated from Spanish, so some of the imagery and descriptions had an added element of lyricality that was very fun to read.
Faith Elements
Helene has family members who are devout Jews, but her own faith is not deeply explored aside from saying she doesn’t have the same beliefs as her parents. The book leans heavily on right and wrong, as well as the courage to stand up to evil. Christian themes are more implicit than explicit.
Family Friendly Considerations
Library of Forbidden Books is very clean, although due to the nature of the WWII themes, a measure of violence and suffering should be expected. When Helene is talking about the books she wants to save, she frequently mentions Marx’s writings as being valuable to society, which I found odd and slightly annoying because never in a month of Mondays has Marxism ever led to a thriving society, but to each their own, I suppose. It’s a great novel for adults and older teens.
Interested in Similar Reads?
If you enjoy WWII fiction about women making a difference, you might want to check out these recent novels as well:
- The Spy Keeper of Marseille by Roseanna M. White
- The Escape Game by Marilyn Turk
- The Collector of Burned Books by Roseanna M. White
