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6 Fiction Books Set During World War II You Should Read
Captivating novels with beautiful messages in the midst of suffering
When looking over the books I’ve read over the past few years, I noticed a common theme. Most of the historical fiction books I read took place during World War II.
Not only did I notice I was constantly selecting books from this time period, but a lot of historical fiction books receiving critical acclaim in recent years were from this time period too (The Prisoner of Auschwitz, All The Light We Cannot See, and The Book Thief, to name a few).
Why was this?
Perhaps it was a time in history when the entire world felt the reverberations of the battlefield. Though the world witnessed great atrocities in these years, it was also a time that showcased humanity and human strength in the midst of suffering.
Perhaps the many books set during World War II are just the result of writers and readers still trying to make sense of it all over half a century later.
Below, I’ve compiled a list of my favorite World War II fiction reads, all of which have still stuck with me today.
1. Atonement by Ian McEwan
The setting: a beautiful English estate at the start of the second world war. The scene: Thirteen-year-old Briony Tallis watches her older sister Cecelia speaking to the servant’s son, Robbie Turner, from the window of her room. What Briony sees or thinks she sees forever changes her life and the lives of Robbie and Cecelia. Set during the backdrop of a chaotic and changing world, Atonement explores perspective, reality, and the repercussions of our actions.
Given the setting of books that take place during war-time, it’s safe to say most are deep reads. But Atonement is especially so. It’s a book that made me question how my perspective influences my own reality.
“It wasn’t only wickedness and scheming that made people unhappy, it was confusion and misunderstanding; above all, it was the failure to grasp the simple…
