Mastodon The Writing Desk: Book Review: The Last Bookshop in Prague, by Helen Parusel

14 September 2024

Book Review: The Last Bookshop in Prague, by Helen Parusel


Available for pre-order from 

For bookshop owner, Jana, doing the right thing was never a question. So when opportunity comes to help the resistance, she offers herself – and her bookshop. Using her window displays as covert signals and hiding secret codes in book marks, she’ll do all in her power to help.

Helen Parusel's The Last Bookshop in Prague is a captivating historical novel that transports readers to the heart of Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia. A story of courage, resistance, and the enduring power of literature, the narrative is poignant and suspenseful. 

Set against the backdrop of a city shrouded in fear, Jana's determination to protect her bookshop and her community is inspiring. Her unwavering belief in the power of stories serves as a beacon of hope in the face of darkness.

The novel delves into the paradoxes of life under Nazi rule, and the lengths to which people will go to preserve their humanity. Jana's involvement in the resistance movement adds a layer of intrigue and danger as she navigates the treacherous terrain of occupied Prague.

Helen Parusel's writing is evocative, creating vivid images of the city and its inhabitants. The characters are well-developed and compelling, and the theme of the value of literature in shaping our understanding of the world is thought-provoking.

i was interested to learn that this book was inspired by the 2016 war film 'Anthropoid' directed by Sean Ellis and starring Cillian Murphy and Jamie Dornan. 

The Last Bookshop in Prague is a powerful and moving story that will stay with readers long after the final page, and one which I am happy to recommend.

Tony Riches

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About the Author

Helen Parusel is originally from London but now lives in Hamburg, Germany with her husband, daughter and rescue dog. Over the last twenty years she has taught English to students ranging in age from three to ninety- years-old. Many of the war time stories she heard further inspired her love of Historical Fiction.  Find Helen on Facebook and Twitter @HelenParusel

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