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Review: What Is Left of the Night

What Is Left of the Night book cover on blue background

I'm very grateful to be able to read my first fiction book by Mark Buchanan, a Canadian author who has written extensively on Christian non-fiction topics. What Is Left of the Night is an ambitious feat, combining multiple points-of-view to deliver a story that is as suspenseful as it is thoughtful. Discourse and action carefully balance each other, keeping rapt attention on a book based on true events during the Second World War.

Many thanks to Kregel Publications for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Content to be aware of: see author's note regarding language; a closed door scene; descriptions of harm, torture, and death

Book Synopsis

In the quiet village of Le Chambon-sur-Lignon, a resistance is stirring.

In Europe, the Nazi regime's bloody wake persists as they brutally send "undesirables" to concentration camps. Hannah, a young Jew, loses her mother and sister while fleeing certain death, arriving in Le Chambon in search of refuge.

Driven by their deeply rooted faith in God, Protestant pastor André Trocmé and his formidable wife Magda have turned the unassuming community in the foothills of the French Alps into a quiet resistance―a haven where they shelter escapees from Hitler's ever-tightening fist.

But a sadistic crew is on the rise. Under the supervision of the Butcher of Lyon, Gestapo officer Herr Lauer pursues the Jewish girl. Hannah was in his sights, but when she evaded him, his explosive rage and thirst for revenge set him on a spiraling mission to track her down.

With lyrical prose and historical accuracy, Mark Buchanan weaves a riveting narrative from the real-life stories of a pastor, a refugee, a spy, and an author tangled together in a plot against the Reich.

Source: Amazon

Book Thoughts

This historical novel weaves together complex webs of characters—with most based on real people—while imparting the ultimate clash in opposing theological and philosophical paradigms. Set during the Second World War, What Is Left of the Night honours the French resistance workers who risked their lives and families in order to protect God's people and to fight against tyranny through collective efforts. Pastor André Trocmé is at the heart of the story, inspiring others through how he lives out his pacifism, but he is by no means the only hero of the story. From the nuns to the farmers to the business owners, the underground network of people resisting the German forces is extensive, requiring everyone to be steps ahead of who they're eluding. In exploring many points of view, readers can directly experience the high-stakes operation of who can outlast who as oppression and torture escalates between 1942-1944.

This book also succeeds in acting as a parable while recounting true events. Pastor Trocmé is continually presented with scenarios that test his faith and beliefs down to the finest points of execution. Will he be a man of his word and the Word by fully living to the ends of what he preaches? Or are there exceptions based on the extenuating circumstances he finds himself in? The author writes in such a way that readers need to carefully think through their theology without passively bypassing the spiritual dilemmas presented. If readers are interested in confronting the isms head-on from a Christian worldview, Mark Buchanan's historical novel is not to miss as it equally devotes attention to action and reflection, all within the same page.

Book Summary

  • Format of book: 📖
  • Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Recommendation: 👍
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