‘The Collector of Burned Books’ Book Review: A Unique WWII Perspective
In this gripping World War II novel about the power of words, two people form an unlikely friendship amid the Nazi occupation in Paris and fight to preserve the truth that enemies of freedom long to destroy.
I thoroughly enjoyed this enchanting story by Roseanna M. White! It was fascinating to see her focus on some of the lesser talked about aspects of the war; mainly, the Germans who disagreed with the Third Reich’s ideology and the list of “banned books” that they had deemed to either have dangerous ideas or be written by Jewish authors.
Writing About WWII
The Second World War was a time of devastating loss and unspeaking horrors. I was in middle school and a bit of a sensitive soul when I first learned some of the gory details of the soldiers in the trenches – it made me sob unconsolably for hours.
Writing about such heinous crimes that were committed during WWII, it can be nearly impossible to approach a subject without strong emotions of disgust, anger, and even fear. But I think that was one of the things I appreciated the most about Roseanna’s novel.
She didn’t shirk from the bloody battlefields or the terror the citizens felt as their city was invaded. Yet neither did she allow fear to overshadow the love that still remained in humanity.
In the middle of a military invasion, love proved stronger than hate. Despite uncertain times, the loyalty of family and friends was a safe haven for hope.
I don’t often read WWII books, but this novel encouraged me to take a closer look at the world and its history. Not many books inspire me like that. The Collector of Burned Books has certainly solidified its place as one of my favorite books from this year!
Loyalty to Country During Challenging Times
With a French heroine and a German hero, plenty of sparks flew in this delightful novel. It was interesting to take a step away from the infamous battle fields and dig deeper into the experiences of the Germans who stood up against the Third Reich and refused to bow to Hitler’s ideology.
It’s easy, especially in books, to label characters as strictly good or bad. Corinne finds herself guilty of this, although we can perhaps excuse her swift judgments, as the Germans overran her city and burned her beloved books. The reader is drawn to her willingness to revise her immediate judgments, however, as she risks seeing the German officer as a person and fellow bookworm, instead of only his uniform.
Christian finds himself wrestling with his conscience throughout the book. Forced to make terribly difficult personal decisions to protect his remaining family, he finds himself in France, the last place he ever wanted to be. His heart breaks as he is forced to suppress the ideas he knows would save his country, but death is the penalty if he dares to speak out.
I greatly admired the character’s courage and strength of will. Christian didn’t shirk from challenges, but stood strong in his faith and convictions.
Final Thoughts
I can’t recommend this book enough! It was beautifully written, with fantastic characters and a unique perspective into WWII.
If you want to read this historical novel for yourself, you can buy The Collector of Burned Books from the FamilyFiction Amazon Affiliate HERE.
