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The Schoolteacher of Saint-Michel

Heart-wrenching WW2 historical fiction inspired by true acts of courage

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The Schoolteacher of Saint-Michel

By: Sarah Steele
Narrated by: Natalie Pela
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Summary

 The Schoolteacher of Saint Michel is a heartrending and deeply moving story of love and hope in World War II from the USA Today bestselling author of The Missing Pieces of Nancy Moon.

The war taught her to fight. The children taught her to hope...

Inspired by real acts of bravery and resistance, The Schoolteacher of Saint Michel is a heartrending and deeply moving story of one woman's courage and sacrifice during World War II, from the USA Today bestselling author of The Missing Piece of Nancy Moon.

This exquisitely beautiful novel is perfect for readers of The Rose Code by Kate Quinn, The Postmistress, Lilac Girls and The Girl from Vichy.

'A beautifully worked tale of bravery, woven into the reality of a time we can't forget' Mandy Robotham, author of The Berlin Girl

'An emotional, beautifully constructed read. I loved the way the clues from the past and present slowly knitted together, answering the questions that had been missing their answers for so long' Sunday Times bestselling author Jill Mansell

'Gripping, at times heartbreaking, but ultimately uplifting, I found this beautifully written novel impossible to put down' Sunday Times bestselling author Katie Fforde

'My darling girl, I need you to find someone for me . . .'

France, 1942. At the end of the day, the schoolteacher releases her pupils. She checks they have their identity passes, and warns them not to stop until the German guards have let them through the barrier that separates occupied France from Free France. As the little ones fly across the border and into their mothers' arms, she breathes a sigh of relief. No one is safe now. Not even the children.

Berkshire, present day. A letter left to her by her beloved late grandmother Gigi takes Hannah Stone on a journey deep into the heart of the Dordogne landscape. As she begins to unravel a forgotten history of wartime bravery and sacrifice, she discovers the heartrending secret that binds her grandmother to a village schoolteacher, the remarkable Lucie Laval . . .

'An engaging tale of courage and friendship. A triumph!' Gill Paul

'Evocative writing and the storytelling is masterful. It really draws the reader in' Felicity Hayes-McCoy

(P)2021 Headline Publishing Group Limited©2021 Sarah Steele 20th Century Family Life Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Historical Fiction Romance Women's Fiction World Literature Friendship War Heartfelt
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Critic reviews

An emotional, beautifully constructed read. I especially loved the way the clues from the past and present slowly knitted together, answering the questions that had been missing their answers for so long (Jill Mansell, author of It Started with a Secret)
Gripping, at times heartbreaking, but ultimately uplifting, I found this beautifully written novel impossible to put down (Katie Fforde, author of A Springtime Affair)
An engaging tale of courage and friendship. The setting in the French countryside is lush and summery. A triumph! (Gill Paul, author of The Secret Wife)
I gorged on cherries and slices of rich history in this beautifully worked tale of bravery, woven into the reality of a time we can't forget (Mandy Robotham, author of The Secret Messenger)
The Schoolteacher of Saint-Michel really draws the reader in. The storytelling is masterful, as are all the subtle touches that convey the sense of place; and, as with Nancy Moon, the bedrock is Sarah's nuanced, unsentimental portrayal of warm, compassionate female friendships (Felicity Hayes-McCoy, author of The Library at the Edge of the World)
All stars
Most relevant
The story was well laid out and kept you in suspense
Well narrated, would recommend

Very much enjoyed this book

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I very much enjoyed “The School Teacher of Saint - Michel. I usually avoid such wartime drama as they are riddled with historical inaccuracies however I found I could easily slip in to the older time zone without too much jarring. Some of the language used by the characters was too modern but it was a sprinkling and easy to ignore. The strength of this book lies in the characters and storyline of the war years. I found Hannah intensely irritating and for a woman of clear intelligence I was incredulous about how little we were meant to believe she had known about the era. The setting of the modern day Saint Michel was a pleasant place to be but Hannah was just too earnest and “woke”. In all honestly I could have done without the modern day characters, they tied the threads with the older timeline but I don’t feel they added anything to the storyline. The modern day section was not the one I wanted to hear and the book could easily have been completed with just the one timeline.
Strangely enough I enjoyed the narration of Lucy’s timeline, in Hannah’s it became a bit more wishy-washy. I think that was simply down to the fact the plot was a little stretched and the characters less strong, as a listener you simply couldn’t become as invested in their ending.

Really enjoyable

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This book dragged me into the story within quick smart and I was happy to acquiesce. Beautifully written, it weaves in and out of timelines seamlessly to pull together people's accounts and experiences of WWII in France.
If you enjoy hearing about the exploits of the French Resistance you will love this book.

An Amazing book.

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A lovely heartfelt story. Well told with a good narrator too. It moved at the perfect pace to enjoy.

brilliant

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I gave up so a waste of a credit. I just couldn’t get past the terrible narrator. Her inflection was all wrong and quite frankly she sounded bored. Not a gripping story either. I wouldn’t bother.

Narrator is terrible!

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