The Librarian of Saint-Malo

The Librarian of Saint-Malo by Mario Escobar

Life in France was challenging during World War II. First the able-bodied were called out to defend the country from the Germans. Alas, the Germans defeated France quickly and established a puppet government. The French then had to endure German occupation for half a decade. Germany was using France as a source for resources and was intent on installing its ideology. German soldiers were free to take what they wanted, or kill those that got in their way. The French resistance ended up adopted the same in reverse. Aligning yourself with one side could lead to the wrath of the other.

The novel focuses on the life of a librarian in coastal Saint Melo. Her husband went off to fight. She stayed back and worked to save the library, while trying to find the status of her husband. The Nazis came into the city. There was a "good Nazi" that stopped cruelties of others and respected books. There was also a "bad SS Nazi". He just wanted to take what he could and was willing to destroy anything or anyone that got in the way. The French were mostly subservient, but there were collaborators and others that killed collaborators. 

Her husband eventually comes home, but dies after a fight. She becomes closer to the good Nazi. (I  expected them to get married at the end, but that did not happen.) They go through multiple layers of efforts to protect antique books. The good Nazi helps them and also helps out for others in need. In the end, the allies come. The Germans are reluctant to surrender and the town gets damaged. They learn of atrocities of concentration camps from one who got out. They also help shelter Jews and German deserters. The book shows the positives that can happen even under the horrors of war.