Set in London during World War II, this emotional and uplifting novel wonderfully captures how books can bring people together, even in the darkest of times. Bookseller Gertie Bingham is already facing difficult times when WWII reaches London. Nudged along by a good friend, Gertie takes in Hedy Fischer, a young Jewish refugee from Germany whose headstrong and fearless nature reminds Gertie of herself at that age. When the Blitz begins, Gertie and Hedy decide to start up a book club – an air raid book club – for fellow booklovers to come together and find some light in the darkness. In this warm and nostalgic story, Annie Lyons weaves together the horrors and heartbreak of war with the importance of friends and the power of human resilience to create a tale you’ll be hard-pressed to put down.
Share your thoughts: Can stories really bring light to the darkness? When was the last time you bonded with someone new over a love of literature?
Leave a comment