Review: The Schoolteacher of Saint-Michel

Title: The Schoolteacher of Saint-Michel

Author: Sarah Steele

Publisher: 30th November 2021 by Hachette Australia

Pages: 400 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: historical fiction, World War II

My Rating: 4 cups

Synopsis:

The war taught her to fight. The children taught her to hope...

Inspired by real acts of bravery and resistance, The Schoolteacher of Saint Michel is a heartrending and deeply moving story of one woman's courage and sacrifice during World War II, from the USA Today bestselling author of The Missing Piece of Nancy Moon.

This exquisitely beautiful novel is perfect for readers of The Rose Code by Kate Quinn, The Postmistress, Lilac Girls and The Girl from Vichy.

My darling girl, I need you to find someone for me . . .'

France, 1942. At the end of the day, the schoolteacher releases her pupils. She checks they have their identity passes, and warns them not to stop until the German guards have let them through the barrier that separates occupied France from Free France. As the little ones fly across the border and into their mothers' arms, she breathes a sigh of relief. No one is safe now. Not even the children.

Berkshire, present day. A letter left to her by her beloved late grandmother Gigi takes Hannah Stone on a journey deep into the heart of the Dordogne landscape. As she begins to unravel a forgotten history of wartime bravery and sacrifice, she discovers the heartrending secret that binds her grandmother to a village schoolteacher, the remarkable Lucie Laval.

My Thoughts

For all my reading of WWII, I don’t think I have ever read a book where the lead character was a school teacher. Being of that profession myself, I was intrigued to see how someone would have dealt with children (you always consider to be your own) under such threatening and frightening circumstances.

‘She straightened her narrow pencil skirt and tugged the peplum of her jacket over her slim hips, tilting her chin as she walked through the village. Her suit might be shabby, the lace collar of her silk blouse frayed, but her dark, shiny hair was as immaculately rolled as ever and her tired lace-up shoes were polished until they shone. She was Lucie Laval, schoolteacher of Saint-Michel.’

The Schoolteacher of Saint-Michel is quality historical fiction detailing the courage, bravery and determination of one small village in occupied France and, in particular, school teacher Lucie Laval. The story is a dual time narrative and, as often occurs with this style of fiction, the historical narrative is stronger than the contemporary. I was fully invested in this interesting tale with the research evident, detailing a unique aspect from this era. Apart from my issues with the contemporary tale, readers must also note that there is a large cast of characters to try and get your head around.

Many stories of this WWII era focus solely on the direct war events and often in/famous people. Here we have something quite removed from that - seemingly ordinary people who are faced with frightening circumstances and bravely come together to try and make a positive difference. So despite the obvious sadness and loss this is also a tale of hope and joy.

‘For seven decades, the story of the schoolteacher of Saint-Michel had remained untold, open-ended, and as Hannah reached the end of her time in France … it was not too late to share her story with those who remembered her, and those who were connected to her by bonds of friendship that ran as deep as blood ties.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.