15 Unforgettable WWII Historical Fiction Books
A Moment of Measured Celebration—And a Powerful Call to Slam the Door on Fascism
Growing up, I was deeply fascinated by the history of WWII and the Holocaust, immersing myself in everything I could to understand how these atrocities could occur. To this day, I’ve found them to be a haunting study of humanity—and one that must never be forgotten.
And today, May 8, 2025, stands as one of those powerful reminders. It is Victory in Europe Day marking 80 years since the Nazis were defeated. “VE Day was a joint Allied triumph over Nazi Germany; over hatred, dictatorship, the Third Reich's territorial expansionism and heinous crimes against humanity.”1
This year’s celebration is a bit different given the political climate globally—but specifically in the United States—where Nazi salutes are surging, Donald Trump’s actions are eerily reminiscent of Hitler’s rise to power, and his followers are blindly complicit. Is this the 1930s?
But the real questions pulsating in our minds should be: Haven’t we been down this road before? Are we willing to risk repeating the past and allowing fascism to rule once again?
VE Day, a cautious celebration this year, should be a loud reminder of what the world has already endured and a splash of ice-cold water to shock us back into reality. It's a reminder to reflect on the horrors of the past, honor those who were lost, and remain vigilant in today’s climate to ensure history does not repeat itself.
So let’s celebrate the 80th anniversary of the defeat of the Nazis and examine some of the most unforgettable stories serving as a reminder to slam the door on fascism.
Here are 15 picks for history lovers, novel enthusiasts, and champions of human rights:
1. “The Nightingale” by Kristin Hannah
This novel is an absolute must. It follows two sisters on two vastly different paths in Nazi-occupied France—one through quiet endurance, the other through dangerous defiance. I remember sobbing long after I finished the novel, stirred by the unwavering thread of hope that binds these women even as the world tries to unravel them.
2. “The Mademoiselle Alliance” by Natasha Lester
Through fictionalized storytelling, this book pays homage to the real-life Marie-Madeleine Fourcade, the sole female resistance leader heading up the "Alliance" network supporting the Allied forces. I laughed, I got mad, I cried, I fell in love, I cried again, I grieved, I got pissed, I cried some more, then I felt empowered and ready to resist.
3. “The French Winemaker’s Daughter” by Loretta Ellsworth
A unique WWII story brought to life via French wine and vineyards. We follow Martine's harrowing journey to escape the Nazis during WWII and trailblazer Charlotte as she navigates the 90s as a strong and independent woman—discovering how these two worlds collide through history, wine, love, and loss. I was transfixed by this novel, starting it one evening into the wee hours of the night and promptly finishing it the next morning.
4. "Last Twilight in Paris" by Pam Jenoff
When Louise stumbles upon a necklace tucked in a secondhand box in 1953 London, she’s jolted back to her Red Cross days and the wartime death of her friend, Franny. Her journey to uncover the truth leads her to Paris, a haunted department store, and Helaine—a Jewish woman imprisoned by the Nazis. It’s a HEART-breaking mystery unfolding across decades, borders, and narratives.
5. “Sarah's Key” by Tatiana de Rosnay
Two lives interwoven across time—Sarah, a Jewish child torn from her home in 1942 Paris, and Julia, an American journalist unearthing the past decades later. What begins as an investigation into a dark moment in French history quickly becomes a devastating story of one girl’s harrowing decision and another woman’s reckoning with inherited truth. This story is the one that lit the match for my love of historical fiction.
6. "The Things We Cannot Say" by Kelly Rimmer
A dual-timeline narrative that interlaces the horrors of WWII-era Poland with a modern-day family's emotional reckoning, all tethered by long-buried secrets and the desperate need for truth. What sets it apart is the heart-wrenching connection between Alice, her stroke-stricken grandmother, and her nonverbal son Eddie—three characters bound by the things they cannot say, yet speak volumes through their actions and love.
7. "The Zookeeper's Wife" by Diane Ackerman
A story of wartime heroism in the most unique of places—the Warsaw Zoo—that became an unlikely sanctuary during one of the darkest periods in history, contrasting animalistic predators with their resilient prey fighting for their humanity. I am still in awe of Jan and Antonina Zabinski’s remarkable courage and grace, turning cages into safehouses and lion dens into lifelines.
8. “Lilac Girls” by Martha Hall Kelly
The novel braids together the lives of three women whose paths violently converge in the shadow of World War II through their individual journeys—one of privilege, one of resistance, and one of complicity. This was my first deep dive into the atrocities of Ravensbrück, the all-female concentration camp where women were subjected to inhumane medical experiments, and it’s a topic that must be explored further.
9. "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doer
An intimate tale of two young souls navigating the brutal chaos of World War II—one a blind girl hiding in Nazi-occupied France in the walled citadel of Saint-Malo with a priceless artifact, the other a German orphan whose gift with radios lands him on the frontlines. Doer creates a distinctive convergence of struggling youths, both attempting to liberate their true spirits from their circumstances.
10. “The Women in the Castle” by Jessica Shattuck
An exploration of three widows bound together by a shared past in the German resistance. As they attempt to rebuild their lives, the novel examines the messy gray areas of morality, loyalty, and survival in the wreckage. It’s a compelling juxtaposition of post-war ruins with wartime flashbacks—it sharpens the contrast between what once was and what remains.
11. “The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak
Set in the shadows of Nazi Germany, where a young girl named Liesel finds solace and strength in stealing books as the world around her crumbles and fascism attempts to extinguish precious stories. For her, books were survival. For me, they still are.
12. “Number the Stars” by Lois Lowry
A poignant novel that follows ten-year-old Annemarie Johansen in Nazi-occupied Denmark when she becomes part of a dangerous plan to protect her Jewish best friend, Ellen. I read this in middle school, and I still remember how deeply it impacted me. It was one of the first stories that opened my eyes to the terrifying reality of how simply being different could be dangerous.
13. “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” by John Boyne
Directly from the Goodreads synopsis: “If you start to read this book, you will go on a journey with a nine-year-old boy named Bruno. (Though this isn't a book for nine-year-olds.) And sooner or later you will arrive with Bruno at a fence. Fences like this exist all over the world. We hope you never have to encounter one.”2
Without elaborating and spoiling the novel, it is a journey that will remain with you long after.
14. “The Tattooist of Auschwitz” by Heather Morris
Lale Sokolov, a Slovakian Jew imprisoned in Auschwitz-Birkenau, who is forced to tattoo identification numbers on fellow prisoners, finds unexpected purpose—and love—when he meets Gita, a young woman whose presence shifts the very axis of his world. You’ll want to call someone you love after reading this and wish to hold them closer.
15. “We Were the Lucky Ones” by Georgia Hunter
A globe-spanning saga starting in Poland and expanding to multiple continents, it follows the Kurc family as they fight to survive and reunite amidst the chaos of World War II. It's about the unshakable tether of family and the determination to find one another again, no matter the cost.
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Adler, K. (2025, May 3). Europe marks VE Day with Trump on its mind. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn7x3v5d1y4o
The boy in the striped pajamas. (n.d.). Goodreads. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39999.The_Boy_in_the_Striped_Pajamas?ref=rae_15