Hana Babic is a quiet middle-aged librarian in Minnesota who wants nothing more than to be left alone. But when a detective arrives with the news that her best friend has been murdered, Hana knows that something evil has come for her, a dark remnant of the past she and her friend had shared.
Thirty years before, Hana was someone else: Nura Divjak, a teenager growing up in the mountains of war-torn Bosnia—until Serbian soldiers arrived to slaughter her entire family before her eyes. The events of that day thrust Nura into the war, leading her to join a band of militia fighters, where she became not only a fierce warrior but a legend—the deadly Night Mora. But a shattering final act forced Nura to flee to the United States with a bounty on her head.
Now, someone is hunting Hana, and her friend has paid the price, leaving her eight-year-old grandson in Hana’s care. To protect the child without revealing her secret, Hana must again become the Night Mora—and hope she can find the killer before the past comes for them, too.
The Quiet Librarian is a captivating novel with a dual timeline combining historical fiction and modern crime suspense. The story follows Hana Babic, a librarian in Minnesota, whose tranquil life is disrupted by the murder of her best friend, Amina. This tragic event forces Hana to confront her concealed past as Nura Divjak, a fierce teenage warrior who avenged the murder of her family during the Bosnian War. The narrative alternates between Nura’s harrowing experiences in 1995 Bosnia and present-day Minnesota, when Hana’s new identity is at risk of being discovered.
It should be noted that the book features some triggering content, including war crimes, violent murder, rape, and body violence. Some parts of the Bosnian war narrative are very difficult to read, especially the brutal murders of Nura’s family and the genocide that’s described. This will be an eye-opening experience for many readers, especially as Eskens’ sheds light on a tumultuous period in history that is often overlooked in fiction.
This book is on trend with the large number of historical fiction books with female protagonists in recent years. Fortunately, this one occurs during a war that is seldom written about and with a character of unique heritage (Bosnian Muslim) that adds elements of originality and intrigue to the story. Hana is a very strong protagonist—she’s extremely loyal to family and friends, is fearless in the face of danger, and has incredible perseverance. In the Bosnian war timeline, Eskens accurately captures the Bosnian culture, times, and circumstances of the war through the first-hand POV of a fearless protagonist. Nura’s journey is heartbreaking and engrossing and is worthy of much discussion. This book is an excellent selection for a book club and will resonate with fans of Kristin Hannah and Kate Quinn.
The book alternates back and forth between present day and the Nura’s story in the past, primarily during the Bosnian war. The present-day story is not only a thriller narrative but also has a romance subplot. As Hana and the police officer work together to investigate her friend’s death, they develop a strong connection. As Hana is forced to use some manipulation tactics to get answers to solving the case, their relationship becomes strained. The Bosnian war timeline is extremely compelling and heart-wrenching but also feels a bit repetitive in the midsection of the book. Both timelines end in dramatic fashion and provide readers with a deep understanding of Hana’s transformation from a war survivor to a quiet librarian. The present-day timeline also requires readers to suspend their disbelief (in true crime thriller fashion), but it does provide a very satisfying conclusion!
The audiobook is a great way to devour this story. Narrator Ilvana Muratovic’s real-life Bosnian accent brings protagonist Nura/Hana authentically to life and makes the Bosnian War timeline very compelling. The only improvement is there could have been more distinct voices for the characters. Aside from that, the narration is paced very well and infused with perfectly placed emotion and drama.
Overall, The Quiet Librarian is a must-read for fans of historical fiction and suspense. Allen Eskens’ weaves a narrative, inspired by a real-life war, with captivating characters and heartbreaking scenes that you won’t be able to put down. If you’ve enjoyed Eskens’ work before or are interested in compelling historical fiction about a time rarely written about, make this one your next read!
