I'm not quite sure how to describe this incredible
novel. It is both heartbreaking and
hopeful and, to me, represents historical fiction at its best. The setting is Normandy, France, just before
D-Day. The people of Vergers, a village
on the coast, have been devastated by the occupying Nazis, who have brutalized
and killed, insulted and humiliated, and have stolen nearly everything of
monetary or sentimental value from the village.
Emma, an apprentice to baker Ezra Kuchen, a Jew, is tasked with baking 12
baguettes each day for the Kommandant with flour that he provides. She finds a way to produce 2 extra loaves per
day by adding pulverized hay to the dough, hoping that the Kommandant will not
discover her secret. The two extra
loaves are distributed to her starving neighbors and, eventually, Emma finds
herself engaged in a system of exchange and barter designed to provide food and
sustenance to the village while they wait to be rescued by the Allies. Emma doesn't believe that that day will ever
come.
This is a difficult novel to read because of the subject
matter. Kiernan's insights into the
Nazis, their attitudes and brutality, and the incredible resilience and courage
of those who fought to stay alive during the occupation are brilliant. Emma's character, compassion, and love for
her community battle with her belief that the Nazis will triumph, but she
continues on her quest to defy them and make life a little more bearable for
her neighbors. I would highly recommend
this story of selflessness and ingenuity in the face of horrifying
circumstances. Kiernan brings his
characters to life. You won't soon
forget them.
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