The Librarian of Burned Books: A Novel

The Librarian of Burned Books is primarily a testament to the power of the written word. This applies predominantly to books, but also to the letters the ASEs authors receive from soldiers abroad. Over and over, books are presented as a unifying force greater than their tangible accumulated materials: “What Viv loved best, though, was the general consensus that books were not just books. They were stories that helped the exhausted men overseas remember what they were fighting for—freedom of thought, American values, anti-fascism sentiment” (370-371).

Although every one of the protagonists has some connection with reading, the clearest example of this is Althea, whose path in life is largely determined by her relationship with books. Her debut novel is the instigating force behind her voyage to Germany, and she uses books as a lens through which to see the world, particularly in times of crisis: “As she often did when she was flustered, Althea tried to imagine she was writing instead of living this scene. What would she do if she were the main character instead of the dowdy friend there simply to add contrast, if she were Lizzy Bennet instead of Charlotte Collins?” (16). They become a tool from which she draws strength and comfort when the world becomes too intimidating.