“In a time of humiliation, the only dignified answer is cunning.”
These are the words of Emma, the heroine in The Baker’s Secret by Stephen P. Kiernan. The novel tells the story of the Nazi occupation of Vergers, a small French village. Emma is 22-years-old, a baker, who learned her craft from Ezra Kuchen, the master baker in Vergers. Emma has a secret that the reader is privy to, which defines her feistiness in the wake of the Nazi takeover of Vergers.
As I read the book, which was published in 2017, in the midst of our global pandemic, I kept think about the fact that Emma was a helper. Emma’s actions to help her village survive showed her strength and cunning nature. It brought to my mind how Mr. Rogers said his mom told him in times of scary news to “look for the helpers.” Many of us have looked for helpers or have become helpers during the pandemic, just like Emma was a helper to her community during the most trying of times. With little food, the deaths of many around her, and a terrifying Nazi captain hot on her trail, Emma never gave up fighting for her village of Vergers.
The Baker’s Secret leads up to the Normandy invasion of the Allied troops on June 6, 1944. Part Five of the book titled ‘Hell on Earth’ is face-paced. Stephen Kiernan actually visited Normandy for his research. His writing is detailed and engaging. The novel is such a tribute to the people who lived through World War II in their small villages.
On a personal note, I could not help thinking about a cousin I never met that was killed on D-Day on Omaha Beach in Normandy, France. Robert Pitts, Jr., known an Junior, was a young Private First Class from Indiana, who trained to be a medic. From the research I’ve done, he never reached land, and was declared missing in action or lost at sea. He was supposed to be a helper that day, but never had the chance. Junior was awarded the Purple Heart. Thankfully, my father kept Junior’s memory alive for our family.
I loved The Baker’s Secret by Stephen P. Kiernan. It brings up many emotions and made me feel grateful for all I have, even in a pandemic. If you enjoy historical fiction novels that are beautifully written and researched with a strong heroine, I highly recommend The Baker’s Secret.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Comments
Post a Comment