613 Results with the "Historical Fiction" genre


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      Part Five:i

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      by testsuphomeAdmin In this chapter, Nancy meets with Father Walsh at the Manse to discuss her upcoming marriage to Jim. Father Walsh shares encouraging news about the church’s support for their wedding in Rome, mentioning an old friend who can assist with arrangements, including finding a suitable chapel and accommodation. He advises Nancy to consider spending at least a week or two in Italy to deepen their relationship before the ceremony. Nancy reflects on her recent visits to confession and her feelings about disclosing…
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      Rumors

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      by testsuphomeAdmin The chapter "Rumors" captures the growing unease in Paris as whispers of the approaching German forces permeate the Jardin des Plantes and the museum where Marie-Laure and her father live. The rumors, ranging from absurd to ominous, circulate among the locals—claims of invincible German soldiers, fog pills, and poisoned chocolate. Marie-Laure, a blind girl, listens intently to these stories, while her father dismisses them, insisting that the political tensions will not escalate into war. Despite the…
    • Mandatory Surrender Cover
      by testsuphomeAdmin The chapter "Mandatory Surrender" opens with Marie-Laure urging her father to read a notice requiring all citizens to surrender their radios to the authorities by noon the next day. Failure to comply would result in arrest as a saboteur. This directive stirs anxiety in Marie-Laure, as her household contains numerous radios, including those in her grandfather’s room and Etienne’s study. The family begins the painful process of gathering and boxing up the devices, with Marie-Laure listening as each one…
    • Everything Poisoned Cover
      by testsuphomeAdmin The chapter depicts the deteriorating conditions at a Nazi military school as the war intensifies. New propaganda banners with slogans like "Be slim and slender, as tough as leather" hang ominously, while instructors are replaced by broken, elderly men who command little respect. Werner observes the school becoming increasingly unstable, likening it to a grenade with its pin pulled. Electricity failures, food shortages, and substandard supplies highlight the war's strain on resources, with cadets facing…
    • Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea Cover
      by testsuphomeAdmin The chapter opens with Marie-Laure, a blind sixteen-year-old, receiving a birthday gift from her great-uncle Etienne. The present, wrapped in newsprint and twine, turns out to be two Braille books: Jules Verne's *Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea*, split into Part One and Part Two. This moment is particularly poignant, as it has been over three years since Marie-Laure last read Braille, yet she immediately recognizes the titles. Overwhelmed with emotion, she embraces Etienne, who explains that the…
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      Visitor

      Visitor Cover
      by testsuphomeAdmin The chapter "Visitor" depicts von Rumpel, a desperate and ailing German officer, reflecting on his futile search for the elusive Sea of Flames diamond. As he drinks spoiled wine in a ruined house, he berates himself for his mistakes, imagining scenarios where the diamond might have slipped through his grasp—hidden in a museum, stolen by a perfumer, or even discarded by the old man. His obsession with the gem is overshadowed by his deteriorating health, symbolized by the "murderous bloom" inside him,…
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      Part One:ii

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      by testsuphomeAdmin The chapter opens with a depiction of Tony’s father’s Saturday ritual of checking on his sons’ cars, a gesture reflecting his care and mechanical expertise despite his wife's concerns about him getting dirty. This routine extends to Eilis, who has recently acquired an inexpensive car, drawing her father-in-law’s attention and approval. His recommendation of Mr Dakessian, a trusted Armenian mechanic and family friend, underlines the community’s reliance on dependable, honest service and the…
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      Bombers

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      by testsuphomeAdmin The chapter "Bombers" opens with a midnight flight across the Channel, as twelve bombers, each named after popular songs like *Stardust* and *In the Mood*, glide through the dark sky. The serene yet ominous scene is marked by the moonlit sea below, dotted with whitecaps, and the distant outline of islands on the horizon. The narrative sets a deliberate, almost eerie tone as the bombers approach their destination, blending the mechanical precision of war with the poetic irony of their musical namesakes. As…
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      Hotel of Bees

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      by testsuphomeAdmin The chapter "Hotel of Bees" opens with Werner recalling a chaotic moment in a cellar beneath the hotel, where an explosion throws him and his companions into disarray. The scene is vividly described: the ceiling light flickers out, and the massive Frank Volkheimer's field light scatters like a beetle as a deafening roar consumes everything. Werner is momentarily transported to a childhood memory of a mule's grave in Zollverein, highlighting his disorientation and the surreal blending of past and present.…
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      What They Have

      What They Have Cover
      by testsuphomeAdmin The chapter depicts a tense and dire situation as Werner, Volkheimer, and Bernd are trapped in a dark cellar, their sense of time distorted by the flickering of a flashlight. Volkheimer tends to Bernd, who is injured and panicked, while Werner observes their dwindling supplies: minimal food, half-empty canteens, and a bucket of undrinkable sludge. The oppressive darkness is occasionally pierced by the flashlight's beam, revealing the grim reality of their confinement. The group's meager possessions—a…
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