BookBrowse:

A dual timeline narrative featuring two strong women fighting back against injustice in the military.

Emmaline Balakin believes in the power of the written word - books have changed her life. When the opportunity arises, she volunteers to serve as a librarian in a frontline hospital in France during World War I. The atrocities of war are worsened by the racism she sees in the hospital and the censorship issues that plague her work, and when Emmaline pushes back against these injustices, a single decision threatens to destroy her entire life.

Almost 60 years later, Kathleen Carre is one of the first women to be accepted into the United States Naval Academy. Kathleen has always dreamed of serving in the Navy, but those dreams are put to the test when she faces repeated attacks from those who do not approve of women serving. When a letter from the past makes its way to Kathleen, she finds herself not only accused of treason but questioning the truth of her family history. The War Librarian tells the story of two women fighting against discrimination and connected by a decades-old secret. Featuring two strong female leads in unique historical situations, strong relationships, the atrocities of war and a mystery that ties the two women together, Armstrong's story has remarkable depth. Emmaline and Kathleen are two very different individuals, but they both experience significant character growth throughout the story, due largely to the discrimination they're forced to endure.

Despite their different circumstances, both Emmaline and Kathleen find themselves facing social inequities that push them to stand up for what is right. Soon after she begins serving as a librarian, Emmaline discovers that wounded African American soldiers are not only segregated from their fellow servicemen, they're not allowed to enter the recreation center to access the library. Emmaline rightly believes that all of the men should have access to the library's books, and Armstrong clearly shows the significant impact the written word had on the morale and recovery of those fighting far from home. When the proper channels fail to address this issue, Emmaline takes the situation into her own hands. She's also forced to deal with the censorship of books and other written material, a phenomenon she finds particularly alarming as it directly conflicts with her belief that America's freedom gives all individuals the right to their own beliefs. As a woman in a male-dominated institution, Kathleen is faced with sexism from the male students of the Naval Academy as well as the ranking officers, many of whom don't believe women should be part of the armed forces. Although she refuses to back down, small words and actions quickly escalate, and it should be noted that there is a scene of sexual assault and several subsequent references that readers might find disturbing.

Ultimately, the attacks on Kathleen reach the point that her position at the Academy is threatened, and it's then that the stories of the two main characters intersect. Armstrong does a clever job of hiding clues about what happened to Emmaline throughout Kathleen's timeline, and although mystery readers may guess the twist before it's revealed, the payoff is still satisfying.

The War Librarian is a book about the power of the written word, as well as a story about following your dreams and fighting inequality in whatever way possible. Fans of strong female leads will enjoy seeing Emmaline and Kathleen overcome adversity, while lovers of historical fiction will appreciate the unique perspectives and the connection between the dual timelines.

This review first ran in the September 21, 2022 issue of BookBrowse Recommends.

This review is available to non-members for a limited time. For full access become a member today.