“The man steps through the door and into the library, no coat despite the late-spring rain. He stops to cast his gaze around the room. Maybe it is the way he focuses on people and not books that first catches her attention. Or maybe it’s the question in his eyes despite his confident demeanor, the look of a seasoned hunter in an unfamiliar wood. Whatever the pique, it is enough to hold Hana’s attention.”
And so, it begins “The Quiet Librarian” by Allen Eskens. Some books stay with you long after you turn the final page, and this book is one of those rare novels that lingers in your heart and mind, long after you finish it. Historical fiction often takes us to distant pasts, but this story stood out to me because it unfolds against a more recent history— split between present-day Minnesota and war-torn Bosnia in the early to mid-1990s. And this split timeline is that first attracted me to the book. The Bosnia timeline completely captivated me, pulling me into a bittersweet reflection.
Spoilers: The novel tells the story of Hana Babic. She is a Bosnian born refugee now living and working as a librarian. Hana likes to be invisible, not drawing any attention to her. But with that first line, her quiet and peaceful life comes to a halt when she discovers that her best friend was murdered. Now she must face her past in order to survive. And to do so, she must revisit her past as Nura Divjak, a fierce warrior from the Bosnian War, and seek justice for her friend, while protecting her best friend’s grandson.
There are several things I really love about the story. First, Hana’s past is revealed through a series of flashbacks, giving us gradual, sometimes chilling glimpses of how Nura became Hana. The author does a great job of being detailed without over-explaining, striking the perfect balance. I also appreciate how Hana confronts her past trauma as a war survivor in the present day. It's something she's been avoiding for years, but after the death of a friend, the painful memories resurface, and she must face them to survive. Lastly, the author portrays the Bosnian war with great respect, honoring the victims of that tragic genocide.
This was very important to me because I was in Bosnia from 1999-2000, just a few years after the war ended. I saw the deep scars it left—not just on the landscape, but on the people. I've listened to firsthand accounts of the horrors, walked past walls stained with dried blood, and witnessed the resilience of those who survived. Some of those people remain dear friends to this day.
Because of this, “The Quiet Librarian” struck a deeply personal chord. It wasn't just a book—it was an experience. The emotional weight of the story, the way it grapples with identity, survival, and the past's inescapable grip, made it impossible to put down. I went into it with assumptions about what the story might be, but nothing could have prepared me for the suspense, mystery, drama, depth and beauty of this novel.
This is historical fiction at its finest-moving, immersive, and unforgettable. If you're looking for a book that will stay with you, this is it.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
I am joining Book Beginnings on Friday, hosted by Rose City Reader, and First Line Friday, hosted by Reading in My Superpower.