Historical fiction can be considered “history lite”—a nice in-between for those who love history and enjoy a well-told story.
Historical fiction is one of the top-selling genres on Amazon Kindle. With more than 250,000 titles listed so far and more coming, it may be hard to weed out what’s not worth reading. But if you are a book lover, a World War II enthusiast (specifically on the Battle of Britain), or someone who loves stories about people coming together to overcome adversity, “The Booklover’s Library” may be the book for you.
The Story
It’s 1939. England is on the brink of war with Germany. Gas masks had already been distributed to its citizens, and tension can be sensed among the people as they wait for the dreaded news on their wireless. When Germany invades Poland, Britain evacuates the children to the countryside. The rest of London braces for air raids and bombings.Emma Taylor, age 25, is a widowed mother to little Olivia. Her husband was killed in a car accident, and her own parents are long gone. She grew up with her father, who owned an independent bookshop, but when the family business catches fire, her father perishes as well.
During this time, a marriage bar was in place—a practice where businesses did not hire married women. This also applied to widows. Emma finds herself in a conundrum. With what little pension and child support she receives from the government, she barely makes ends meet.
Opportunity knocks when a position opens up with the Boots’ Booklover’s Library, a lending library located above the famed eponymous pharmacy. With an exclusive clientele, Booklover’s librarians are expected to give book recommendations to their “Class A subscribers,” akin to being their personal shoppers. Emma’s extensive knowledge of books, previous work experience at her father’s bookshop, and a sympathetic manager serves her well, and she gets the job despite the industry practices of the time.
A view of the main room of one of the last few subscription libraries left in England. The Bromley House Library is located in Nottingham. (Peter Barr/CC BY-SA 2.0)
With Britain now officially involved in WWII, Emma struggles to choose between keeping her daughter by her side or sending her away to the countryside with strangers. It used to be just her and her father, and now, with just her daughter, Emma cannot bear the thought of losing her as well.
A Supportive Community
As Emma slowly lets more people into her insular world, she learns to live, not just for her daughter, but also for causes outside their world. Together with Mrs. Pickering, the landlady of her tenement house, and Margaret, her coworker at the lending library, she becomes an active member of the Women’s Volunteer Services (WVS).Related Stories
A Women's Volunteer Services poster. Public Domain
With this group, Emma tries her hand at sewing scarves, gathering aluminum for Spitfires, and serving tea and sandwiches to servicemen at a train station canteen. Women who volunteer also have a place to go for much-needed diversion as they wait for their enlisted husbands, brothers, and sons to return. The WVS becomes a support group for mothers, wives, daughters, and sisters.
With an eclectic cast of characters ranging from the grumpy old Mr. Sanderson (a fellow tenement resident), nosy Mr. Beard (a teacher and Class A subscriber), to the mysterious Mr. Fisk (a seemingly strong, able-bodied man who has not enlisted), the book shows the power of friendships and the importance of having a community to rely on.
Historical and Literary Notes
As “history lite,” the book presents and piques readers’ interests in historical tidbits and events. Some of these interesting nuggets include the library in Nottingham, where the story is set. The library was part of the first department-style store for the Boots pharmacy. Innovative for its time, it wasn’t just a place to buy drugstore items like tinctures and solvents. It also carried a selection of glassware, stationery, and knickknacks—plus it included a small café.Aside from evacuating children to the countryside, some parents actually opted to send their children abroad. The SS City of Benares was a ship used to carry children to other Commonwealth nations, such as Canada, to avoid the horrors of war taking place in England. This one, mentioned in the book, had 90 child evacuees on its passenger log. Unfortunately, it was struck by a German U-boat, promptly ending all future overseas evacuations.
The SS City of Benares during one of its sea trials. Public Domain
Another interesting piece of history is the Mass Observation, which one of the book’s characters was a part of. It started in 1937 to record public sentiment surrounding the abdication of King Edward VIII. This social behavior research project extended into World War II. Though issues on privacy and express permission remain controversial, it’s become an invaluable source of information on the war experience for researchers today.
As a book lover’s book, it would be remiss if it did not mention classics by Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Louisa May Alcott, Leo Tolstoy, Lewis Carroll, and Emily Brontë. Titles in other genres include “Death on the Nile” by Agatha Christie, the highly controversial “Lady Chatterley’s Lover,” and one of Barbara Cartland’s many romance titles: “Love in Pity.” Readers will delight in seeing these “friendly faces.” Perhaps, they'll meet some new ones. Elizabeth Bowen’s “modern”novel “The Death of the Heart” or Eric Ambler’s “The Mask of Dimitrios” may be some of those.
“The Booklover’s Library” presents a narrative that follows Emma as she maneuvers the life of a single parent during a devastating time in British history. It was a time of blackout curtains and air raid warnings, of ration books and coupons. But it was also a time of coming together, of helping one another—as seen in Emma’s gift of her rations for a wedding cake for Margaret. This is reminiscent of Queen Elizabeth II’s wedding gown which was procured through the donation of clothing coupons from her royal subjects. It was a time of giving emotional support; as Emma agonizes over sending her daughter away or keeping her by her side, she finds an unlikely ally in grumpy Sanderson.
Few books written today for adults are appropriate for a younger audience, but in this case, Madeline Martin’s latest historical fiction novel may also be enjoyed by the YA crowd.
‘The Booklover’s Library’
By Madeline Martin
Hanover Square Press, Sept. 10, 2024
Hardcover: 416 pages
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