The Librarian of Burned Books: A Novel

Hannah attends a weekly soirée at the home of her friend Natalie, where she is greeted by her friend Patrice. Patrice tells her that her girlfriend Marie has begun seeing someone else. Natalie joins them, and they talk about love and broken hearts in Paris. She tells them about the art of kintsugi, in which a damaged item is repaired with gold. They argue about the role of poetry in survival.

When Hannah arrives back home, she meets her abrasive landlady Brigitte, who hands her the mail. One of the letters is from Althea, which Hannah does not open, and one contains scant news on Adam’s ongoing trial. Despite Adam’s continued survival, Hannah does not hope for a happy ending.

Deveraux takes Althea out on the town, and Althea considers her support of her hosting party. They go to a nightclub where queer people socialize and love openly. An MC takes the stage and delivers a comedic and scathing discourse on Nazi rule. Soon after, they’re joined by a couple whom Althea finds instantly intriguing: Deveraux introduces them as Otto Koch and Hannah Brecht.

Viv travels to Hale’s office, where they begin by arguing nervously until Viv summons the courage to ask a favor. Hale reveals that he knows of Viv’s battle and already tried to make amends to the policy but was unsuccessful. She tells him of her upcoming event and asks for his help pressuring Taft to attend. Viv asks Hale his favorite book, and he agrees to tell her in exchange for an answer to a future question. He reveals that his true favorite book is Don Quixote, which Viv takes as a sign of a romantic spirit. He expresses concern for Viv’s plan, and she argues that she just needs to find the right story to tell at the event.

A week later, Althea meets Hannah a second time. Diedrich is becoming increasingly frustrated by Althea’s outings. Althea is growing attracted to Hannah, although Hannah is suspicious of Althea’s alliances. She and Hannah talk about the nature of the Nazis. Althea is reluctant to believe the worst of them when they have been kind and civil to her. They move to discussing writing, and Althea explains the difference between universal and personal details. As an example, she states that a person’s wrist will always be a wrist no matter where in the world they are, and touches Hannah’s wrist. They go on to talk about the differences between restaurants and cabarets in different places.

Hannah asks Althea to dance, but Althea declines. Hannah goes to dance with someone else, and Deveraux forces Althea to dance with her. Over the heads of the other dancers, Hannah meets Althea’s eyes and kisses her dance partner’s wrist.

Viv returns to the banned books library and accidentally interrupts a secret conversation between the librarian and another woman. The other woman leaves abruptly, and Viv helps the librarian reshelve books while they talk. The librarian explains that in addition to contentious novels, nonfiction works on sexual studies were also burnt in the Berlin book burnings, including research from the scholar Magnus Hirschfeld. Viv realizes that the two women she walked in on were lovers.

Viv enquires about the book burnings, and the librarian explains that the Nazis had trouble keeping the fire burning because of all the rain. She’s more concerned with the books that were left unburned, which the Nazis studied to better understand their enemies. Viv asks the librarian her favorite book, and the librarian responds with Parnassus on Wheels.

Hannah’s library prepares an exhibition countering Nazi propaganda. Lucien arrives, seeming concerned, and tells Hannah that Otto has been coming to his resistance meetings. He explains that he had to ask Otto to leave after he got in a fight, and he’s exhibiting increasingly violent tendencies.

Later, Otto arrives at Hannah’s apartment late at night, drunk and filled with rage against the Nazis. He tells her that he has made some new friends, and they have given him a gun. Hannah becomes frantically concerned about his safety. After Otto falls asleep, Hannah steals his gun and hides it.

Deveraux brings Althea to a local cafe, where a group of young resistants are meeting under the guise of a book club. Among them are Hannah and her brother. Adam delivers a rousing speech, though Althea and Hannah secretly think the speech is silly. Althea continues to struggle with her beliefs about the Nazis. She speaks with Adam, who praises her novel.

Adam’s girlfriend arrives, who is openly suspicious of Althea and discourages Adam from revealing information about them. Hannah asks Althea her opinion about the Nazis, and Althea takes too long considering the question. Before she can respond, a messenger arrives telling them the Reichstag has caught fire.

Hannah wraps up her shift at the library before returning home, where a letter is waiting for her announcing Adam’s execution. Hannah breaks down, and Brigitte collects her and cares for her at her apartment. Hannah thinks about when she last saw Adam, and an earlier memory in which he decided to act against the Nazis. She feels a renewed sense of purpose to carry on Adam’s work.

Viv and her librarian colleague Edith discuss the future of the ASEs, particularly a contentious new novel called Strange Fruit. They talk about Viv’s upcoming event; she is attempting to enlist a range of press coverage as well as prominent guest speakers. Considering authors who might attend, Viv decides she wants to invite the mysterious librarian of burned books. Edith suggests the equally mysterious, reclusive author Althea James. They discuss Althea’s two novels and the tonal differences between them. Viv decides to try and enlist Althea’s help, against all likelihood of her participation.

Althea witnesses a horrific beating of a man while a crying woman looks on. Another soldier brings forth a woman with a shaved head and a sign that says, “Race Betrayer.” When Althea enquires in the crowd, someone tells her that the woman married a Jew.

Althea runs away and begins having a panic attack. She finds Diedrich and tries to understand the violence. He tries to comfort her, but Althea only feels ashamed of her own fear and inability to act. She goes home and reads the memoir Diedrich gave her, trying to understand the evil behind Hitler’s influence.