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The Banned Books of Berlin
- Author
- Daisy Wood
- Narrator
- Lizzie Schenk
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Publish Date
- 10 April 2025
- Run Time
- 8 hours 46 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
What to expect
Berlin, 1933. The night skies are burning bright with huge bonfires of banned books. The Nazi party is swelling in number and Berlin is no longer a safe place for young Freya.
She can only watch on, horrified, as her beloved city falls to fascism – and the usually law-abiding Freya is forced to make a choice: continue being a bystander, or sacrifice herself to save the lives of others…
Los Angeles, present day. Maddie commutes home to her family to reset. Struggling to fully turn off from her work, she is surprised to come across a pre-war German diary amongst her Grandpa’s things. And when she starts to dig into the diary, Maddie’s shocked by what she finds.
And so begins a journey that will take Maddie beyond America as she searches for the truth about Freya, and how she changed people’s lives across the globe…
A sweeping tale of bravery and betrayal, perfect for fans of Barbara Davis and Madeline Martin.
Readers can’t put down Daisy Wood's books!‘Amazing! Delightful! Perfection!’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘I couldn’t put it down… utterly enthralling from start to finish!’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘This is the best historical fiction I’ve read,’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘I cannot stop talking about how much I love this book,’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘A genuine pleasure,’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Critics Review
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Readers love Daisy Wood:
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'A ticking time-bomb of intrigue, wrapped around stark but rich descriptions of the Blitz. An unforgettable wartime debut.' Mandy Robotham, internationally bestselling author
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‘Oh my!!! This is one of those books you just can’t put down or stop thinking about. A must read.’ NetGalley reviewer
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‘One of my favourite reads of the year. The two timelines are seamlessly [woven] together… I loved it!’ NetGalley reviewer
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‘A truly wonderful read that you will not want to put down!’ NetGalley reviewer
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‘This book had me mesmerised from beginning to end. Highly recommended.’ NetGalley reviewer
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‘A heck of a good story filled with hope, and heartbreaking at the same time. Brilliantly written!’ NetGalley reviewer
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‘Such a stunning read! Five stars.’ NetGalley reviewer
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‘A truly riveting read. If you love historical fiction, this one ticks all the boxes. Five out of five!’ NetGalley reviewer
User Reviews
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Details
- Author
- Daisy Wood
- Narrator
- Lizzie Schenk
- Duration
- 8 hours 46 minutes
- Release Date
- 10 April 2025
- ISBN
- 9780008713294
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Genre
- Historical fiction, Historical romance, Second World War fiction, Historical adventure fiction, Fiction based on or inspired by true events, Narrative theme: love / relationships, Narrative theme: sense of place
Synopsis
An unforgettable story, tying together past and present, from the bestselling author of The Forgotten Bookshop in Paris and The Royal Librarian Berlin, 1933. The night skies are burning bright with huge bonfires of banned books. The Nazi party is swelling in number and Berlin is no longer a safe place for young Freya. She can only watch on, horrified, as her beloved city falls to fascism – and the usually law-abiding Freya is forced to make a choice: continue being a bystander, or sacrifice herself to save the lives of others… Los Angeles, present day. Maddie commutes home to her family to reset. Struggling to fully turn off from her work, she is surprised to come across a pre-war German diary amongst her Grandpa’s things. And when she starts to dig into the diary, Maddie’s shocked by what she finds. And so begins a journey that will take Maddie beyond America as she searches for the truth about Freya, and how she changed people’s lives across the globe… A sweeping tale of bravery and betrayal, perfect for fans of Barbara Davis and Madeline Martin. Readers can’t put down Daisy Wood's books! ‘Amazing! Delightful! Perfection!’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I couldn’t put it down… utterly enthralling from start to finish!’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This is the best historical fiction I’ve read,’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I cannot stop talking about how much I love this book,’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A genuine pleasure,’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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