Book Review for Library of Forbidden Books by Mario Escobar

 

Library of Forbidden Books: A sweeping historical fiction novel about a librarian protecting banned books in Nazi Germany by Mario Escobar

Published:  September 1, 2026 by Thomas Nelson

Genre:  Historical Fiction

 

Taken from Goodreads:  In a world of burning books, one woman will risk everything to keep stories alive.

Berlin, 1933. The vibrant cultural heart of Germany is darkening under the shadow of the Nazi regime. For Helene Nathan, one of the first female librarians at a prestigious German library, the books she cherishes are no longer just sources of knowledge--they are targets. As the government begins its systematic purge of literature, compiling lists of "forbidden" works and orchestrating public book burnings, Helene realizes she cannot stand by as her world turns to ash.

Determined to resist the encroaching tyranny, Helene and her colleagues embark on a perilous mission of secretly collecting and hiding the very books slated for destruction. It's a dangerous act of defiance in a city where every neighbor could be an informant and the Gestapo are a constant, looming threat. Her quiet rebellion is especially complicated by the fact that Helene is half-Jewish, and Rudolf Kummer, a ruthless Nazi official, seemingly has a personal vendetta against her.

As the stakes escalate and friends and neighbors begin to disappear, Helene must decide how much she is willing to sacrifice. Her fight is not just for the pages she saves, but for the very soul of her country and the freedom to think.

Based on the heroic true stories of librarians who fought back, Library of Forbidden Books is a gripping tale of courage, the profound power of literature as resistance, and one woman's struggle to preserve humanity in the face of absolute evil.

 

My Thoughts:  A librarian wanting to save books from the Nazis, sounds simple enough but nothing involving Germany and Hitler is simple.  Helene is a hero.  The way that she consistently fights for what she believes in while trying to protect her family and herself makes her a hero of WWII.   She is a quiet hero, not well known, not being seen, just doing what she needs to do. 

I enjoyed learning about how the libraries were targeted during WWII.   It was eye opening as to how the Nazi’s viewed books and the way that they got rid of them.  My heart broke at the thought of so many great books being lost to the world.  The number of people who worked together to save them is incredible.   They put themselves at risk of great harm but understood that they had to save the books, they are part of a great history. 

WWII is my favorite era to read about.  Library of Forbidden Books is a wonderful look at a different way the war affected Germany.   War is not only about the actual fighting and killing, it affects so many aspects of life.

Thank you Thomas Nelson for a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

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