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The Librarian of Amsterdam: An Emotional WW2 Holocaust Novel Inspired by True Stories of Courage
Two forbidden loves. One deadly secret. Hundreds of lives in her hands.
Nazi boots thunder up the stairs. Sophie pulls Hannah close, covering the three-year-old's mouth. The child calls her "Mommy," but Sophie isn't her mother. She's the Jewish forger who gave her a new name. A chance to survive.
In occupied Amsterdam, Sophie has become invisible, a librarian who officially no longer exists. By candlelight, her artist's hands create the documents that smuggle children past the Gestapo. One slip of the pen means death.
But Sophie hides more than forged papers.
She's falling for Marika, her fierce Dutch resistance partner. But when Michael, a British intelligence agent from her past, returns with a dangerous mission, Sophie is caught between desire and betrayal.
As Colonel Zoller hunts "The Librarian" with obsessive precision, Sophie faces an unthinkable save the child she loves, or protect the network that saves hundreds.
Sixty years later, Sophie's daughter Anne discovers a hidden satchel, old stamps, ink, and a photograph of a child she doesn't recognize. The mother she buried becomes a stranger.
Inspired by true stories of the Dutch resistance. Perfect for fans of The Nightingale, The Alice Network, and All the Light We Cannot See.
Nazi boots thunder up the stairs. Sophie pulls Hannah close, covering the three-year-old's mouth. The child calls her "Mommy," but Sophie isn't her mother. She's the Jewish forger who gave her a new name. A chance to survive.
In occupied Amsterdam, Sophie has become invisible, a librarian who officially no longer exists. By candlelight, her artist's hands create the documents that smuggle children past the Gestapo. One slip of the pen means death.
But Sophie hides more than forged papers.
She's falling for Marika, her fierce Dutch resistance partner. But when Michael, a British intelligence agent from her past, returns with a dangerous mission, Sophie is caught between desire and betrayal.
As Colonel Zoller hunts "The Librarian" with obsessive precision, Sophie faces an unthinkable save the child she loves, or protect the network that saves hundreds.
Sixty years later, Sophie's daughter Anne discovers a hidden satchel, old stamps, ink, and a photograph of a child she doesn't recognize. The mother she buried becomes a stranger.
Inspired by true stories of the Dutch resistance. Perfect for fans of The Nightingale, The Alice Network, and All the Light We Cannot See.
289 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 3, 2026
3 people want to read
About the author
Uri Dushy
3 books1 followerUri Dushy - Author & Artist
I'm a multidisciplinary artist with over 40 years of experience, and in recent years I've discovered a passion for storytelling.
My writing explores the intersection of art, history, and human resilience. I write both non-fiction about creativity and historical fiction focused on WWII narratives, particularly untold stories of resistance and survival.
Published works:
Creative Rush: A New Way to Connect to an Endless Source of Creativity and Overcome Your Inner Critic - A guide to intuitive creativity
The Girl in the Oil Painting - Holocaust historical fiction based on a true story (Book 1 in the "Art of Survival" series)
The Librarian of Amsterdam - Coming soon (Book 2 in the "Art of Survival" series)
I'm currently working on Château des Brumes, the third book in the series, set in occupied France during WWII.
Favorite genres: Historical Fiction, Art, Classics, and Thrillers
I'm a multidisciplinary artist with over 40 years of experience, and in recent years I've discovered a passion for storytelling.
My writing explores the intersection of art, history, and human resilience. I write both non-fiction about creativity and historical fiction focused on WWII narratives, particularly untold stories of resistance and survival.
Published works:
Creative Rush: A New Way to Connect to an Endless Source of Creativity and Overcome Your Inner Critic - A guide to intuitive creativity
The Girl in the Oil Painting - Holocaust historical fiction based on a true story (Book 1 in the "Art of Survival" series)
The Librarian of Amsterdam - Coming soon (Book 2 in the "Art of Survival" series)
I'm currently working on Château des Brumes, the third book in the series, set in occupied France during WWII.
Favorite genres: Historical Fiction, Art, Classics, and Thrillers
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 16, 2026
WWII historical fiction is my jam. I’ve read many novels centered on perilous escapes and military valor in battle, but The Librarian of Amsterdam is the first book I’ve read that focuses on the invaluable contributions of document forgers.
In 1939, Sophie, a young Jewish girl, leaves her family in Germany to attend art school in Amsterdam. While there, she becomes involved with an underground movement dedicated to helping Jewish families escape the looming Nazi invasion. Using her artistic talents, Sophie learns to create falsified documents, and through her work many families—especially orphaned children—are able to escape the city.
The Librarian of Amsterdam tells two interwoven stories. The first follows the perfection of Sophie’s forgery skills, her constant movement from one safe house to another, and the life-saving impact her documents have on Jewish children. The second explores how the horrors of war destroy relationships, futures, and entire communities.
The novel is well researched and loosely based on actual events, and I learned a great deal about an important but often overlooked aspect of World War II history. This story is both exciting and heartbreaking, and I would highly recommend it to fans of WWII historical fiction—especially those drawn to stories of resistance, sacrifice, and quiet heroism behind the scenes.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 20, 2026
Title: A pattern that should be remembered, so as to not be repeated.
This thoughtful book looks at the life of a few people living in The Netherlands before and during WW II. It does so by first setting the scene in the midst of the war, then going back to 1936 to see what life was like before the war. To tell part of the story, the author uses the modern day time frame to fill in details. Here is a brief look at how he does that:
Utrecht, The Netherlands – Summer 1943
> This is mid-story; Sophie Milstein, a forger of papers for Jews trying to escape German occupied lands that find themselves in The Netherlands. With her, a young child whose parents were taken by the Germans, but who was able to be saved by an underground rescue group working with Sophia. For a time, Sophie had the care of this child whom she began to think of as now belonging to her. Her close friend Marika, who worked in behalf of this group, had to flee to England, leaving Sophia and Hannah behind.
Amsterdam, The Netherlands – 2010
> Marika van der Weil, nearly ninety, meets Sophia’s own daughter, Anna Perlman, shortly after Sophia has died. Anna has come to learn about items she has found and for help understanding her mother’s standoffish attitude Anna’s entire life. So, Marika begins to relive the events of those long ago times.
Amsterdam, The Netherlands – March 1936
> We are taken back to 1936 when Sophia and Marika’s story begins as the Nazi threat takes form and function. Through her eyes and experiences, the exploitation, persecution, and relocation of the entire Jewish population of Europe is reflected in what we see of Sophia’s experience of the war. The devastation that the loss of so many families in the concentration camps, is seen by the loss of Sophia’s entire family and the life-long effects that loss had on her and her ability to openly love her own daughter in later years.
In contrast to this bleak aspect of the war, we get a behind-the-scenes-look at the extensive network of people working to rescue, hide, and re-document the refugees that took place, in order to save all they could, even at the expense of their own lives. Indeed, most of these noble people lost their lives trying to help these people, with only a rare survivor. Their heroic deeds to save even one life deserve to be remembered.
This book purports to be fiction, and the specific characters may be fictional. But the story they lived is based on the reality of that dark period of humankind. This story shows why it is so important to remember the lessons from that time. “Never again”—please, let it never happen again that a people is summarily and nearly completely destroyed.
I received a copy of this book from BookSirens. My review is voluntary and the thoughts reflect my own opinions.
This thoughtful book looks at the life of a few people living in The Netherlands before and during WW II. It does so by first setting the scene in the midst of the war, then going back to 1936 to see what life was like before the war. To tell part of the story, the author uses the modern day time frame to fill in details. Here is a brief look at how he does that:
Utrecht, The Netherlands – Summer 1943
> This is mid-story; Sophie Milstein, a forger of papers for Jews trying to escape German occupied lands that find themselves in The Netherlands. With her, a young child whose parents were taken by the Germans, but who was able to be saved by an underground rescue group working with Sophia. For a time, Sophie had the care of this child whom she began to think of as now belonging to her. Her close friend Marika, who worked in behalf of this group, had to flee to England, leaving Sophia and Hannah behind.
Amsterdam, The Netherlands – 2010
> Marika van der Weil, nearly ninety, meets Sophia’s own daughter, Anna Perlman, shortly after Sophia has died. Anna has come to learn about items she has found and for help understanding her mother’s standoffish attitude Anna’s entire life. So, Marika begins to relive the events of those long ago times.
Amsterdam, The Netherlands – March 1936
> We are taken back to 1936 when Sophia and Marika’s story begins as the Nazi threat takes form and function. Through her eyes and experiences, the exploitation, persecution, and relocation of the entire Jewish population of Europe is reflected in what we see of Sophia’s experience of the war. The devastation that the loss of so many families in the concentration camps, is seen by the loss of Sophia’s entire family and the life-long effects that loss had on her and her ability to openly love her own daughter in later years.
In contrast to this bleak aspect of the war, we get a behind-the-scenes-look at the extensive network of people working to rescue, hide, and re-document the refugees that took place, in order to save all they could, even at the expense of their own lives. Indeed, most of these noble people lost their lives trying to help these people, with only a rare survivor. Their heroic deeds to save even one life deserve to be remembered.
This book purports to be fiction, and the specific characters may be fictional. But the story they lived is based on the reality of that dark period of humankind. This story shows why it is so important to remember the lessons from that time. “Never again”—please, let it never happen again that a people is summarily and nearly completely destroyed.
I received a copy of this book from BookSirens. My review is voluntary and the thoughts reflect my own opinions.
January 30, 2026
Thoughtful and inspiring story of the Dutch resistance during WWII. I was waiting the whole story for a twist or someone close to Sophie being a traitor.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews