
"The reading of all good books is like a conversation with the finest men of past centuries."
Rene Descartes
It is 1940; For beautiful, intellectually challenged, and strong-minded, eighteen-year-old, Monique Joubert, the German occupation of France is the latest in a series of heartbreaks. Illness and now the war have devastated her family dynamic, leading to her placement at the Sainte-Anne Psychiatric Institution in Paris. When the Germans appropriate Sainte-Anne, it becomes overwhelming and Monique flees with her best friend, intent on living with Monique’s brother, Marcel. Unbeknownst to them, Marcel has left the family home to help the resistance cause.
On the streets, searching for Marcel proves futile, and as German rule prevails, martial law and racial profiling leaves Monique suddenly alone. Taking particular interest is Pierre Girard, a Vichy Police Captain, who is an arrogant, self-serving, excuse of a man, with an eye for young women. He takes a less than genuine interest in Monique and places her to live with Jacqueline and Lizette, a mother and daughter, with whom he also has designs.
Meanwhile, Marcel’s resistance activities begin to draw interest from the Gestapo and Police Captain Girard. And far away, Monique and Marcel’s father, Henri, thought to be dead, tries desperately to return home. However, duty to country detours Henri far from Paris and his family.
Can Monique, Jacqueline and Lizette stay out of Girard’s clutches? Is it possible for Marcel to avoid arrest when Girard and others begin piecing together his undertakings? Can Monique and Marcel find each other as their lives spin in different directions or will the Gestapo reunite them unceremoniously? Will Henri return to Paris, or will the circle of events bring Paris to him?
Based on real events, Light Through a Fractured Lens tells the story of one family’s challenging journey through the occupation, in a world fractured by war and personal tragedy.
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Isabella Guidetti
store manager
Thank you for visiting Isabella's Bookstore, I am delighted you are here!
Opening this shop is a dream coming to life. An independent, community-based online shop filled with books, beautiful products from local artisans, and conversations with authors and neighbors is a convergence of all my favorite things. When you add my eight-year old son asking if he can help show other children where all the best kids’ books are, there you have it: my version of paradise.
Now, more than ever, communities like ours need safe spaces to gather for discussion and reflection. Neighbors should feel welcome and be encouraged to ask questions, share feelings, and get to know one another. Bookshops are wonderful places where the act of pulling a book off the shelf can spark a conversation that leads to authentic and meaningful connections. Bookshops are magical spots where children discover the characters that turn them into life-long readers and learners. These experiences cannot be downloaded.