The Librarian of Amsterdam: An Emotional WW2 Holocaust Novel Inspired by True Stories of Courage

WWII historical fiction is my jam. I’ve read many novels centered on perilous escapes and military valor in battle, but The Librarian of Amsterdam is the first book I’ve read that focuses on the invaluable contributions of document forgers.In 1939, Sophie, a young Jewish girl, leaves her family in Germany to attend art school in Amsterdam. While there, she becomes involved with an underground movement dedicated to helping Jewish families escape the looming Nazi invasion. Using her artistic talen

Title: A pattern that should be remembered, so as to not be repeated.This thoughtful book looks at the life of a few people living in The Netherlands before and during WW II. It does so by first setting the scene in the midst of the war, then going back to 1936 to see what life was like before the war. To tell part of the story, the author uses the modern day time frame to fill in details. Here is a brief look at how he does that:Utrecht, The Netherlands – Summer 1943> This is mid-story; Sophie

“The Librarian of Amsterdam” is an extremely vivid story about civilians who fought against the Nazis during World War II. Sophie, a young Jewish woman, was one of these. She was a gifted artist. During wartime, she developed her gift into a very practical one: forging documents. Reading this book was like watching a movie. It was so tragic, so scary– and yet “The Librarian of Amsterdam” was inspiring because Sophie’s friends were using their talents and abilities to save lives.The writing was w