If our country were threatened by invading forces, what would people rush to hide and protect? My cynical soul suggests that it might be all of the electronic toys - smart phones, tablets, computers, x-boxes, kindles, etc. After all you might want to be tweeting during an invasion. Before the outbreak of WWII the people of France were obsessed with protecting beauty in the form of artwork. The story of what they did is amazing. This book is a novel about a small village in France where a man tried to save his grandfather's personal art collection. The story begins in 1937 when Lisette leaves Paris, the city she loves, to follow her husband, André, to Provence to care for Pascal, André's grandfather. When they arrive, Pascal is playing boules and seems pretty healthy to Lisette. But it is soon apparent that Pascal wanted them there for another reason. Over the years Pascal had built frames for some struggling artists who paid him with paintings. So in this very humble home there are beautiful works of arts by artists who became famous. Pascal wants to be sure that before he dies Lisette understands and appreciates the art.
When war finally breaks out, André hides the paintings before going off to fight. He refuses to tell Lisette where they are hidden in order to protect her. The story takes the reader through those war years. After peace finally arrives, Lisette must try to find those paintings. If you like historical fiction I think you will enjoy it.
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