Tracy Groot

Dear Readers,

I am so excited to review this book.  First because I have known Tracy Groot for a few years now (I don’t want to say many because neither of us is that old so it can’t be many). Secondly, this is a really good book.

I have read all of Tracy’s books that she has done in recent years: Madman, The Brother’s Keeper and Stones of My Accusers.  Loved all three, the last two really put faces on people that met and walked with Jesus.  Madman, a difficult as it was to read, was one of the most interesting looks at the culture of the Roman society of the time that Jesus walked on the earth.

Flames of Resistance is Tracy’s latest work and by far my favorite.  I was completely caught up by this book and it was to a point where I couldn’t wait to find out what happened, but I really didn’t want the book to end either.  Yes it was that good.

Set during World War II using the idea of Rahab from the Bible, this was a very interesting look at the French resistance.   What these people were willing to give up or risk just to fight for their freedom.  These were everyday people that just did what they thought was right.  Their fighting wasn’t done by the direction of any general and they were all volunteers.  None got paid and few received the recognition that they deserved. 

Brigitte has lost everything to the war.  Her family was killed, her home taken away, and now they have taken the one thing she had left, her innocence.  She has become the lowest of the low; she is running a house of woman that the Nazi officers visit.  Her neighbors and fellow townspeople despise her because they see her as a Nazi sympathizer and she hates herself for the job she has been forced into just because she needs to eat.  

She finally decides she needs to take a stand and when American pilot Tom Jaeger crashes in the area and is rescued by the resistance she knows it is time to make the choice.  Will she have the courage to stand for what is right?  What will be asked of her?  Her freedom?  Her home?  Her life?

There are so many good things to say about this book, I am not even sure where to start without sounding like I am going overboard.  The characters are people that we could be or have met in everyday life.  The storyline got me thinking… "would I have been willing to put myself, my family and my town at risk for just little strikes at freedom?”   I really don’t know the answer to that question and it is one I feel no one can answer honestly until they are in that type of situation.  I would like to think yes, but then again… 

I married into a family that was involved in the Dutch resistance and have heard stories off and on over the years of things that happened to them and things they did.  On the anniversary of the end of WWII the local paper ran several stories of people who live(d) in the area that fought for the resistance and many of those mentioned were related to my in-laws or were known by them.  That may be one of the reasons I loved this book so much, but over all I so enjoyed this book because it is just that good. 

Happy Reading

P.S. Tracy will be in our store next Saturday June 16th at 10 - 1.  She will be signing copies of this her newest book. 

P.S. S. This book is available at Baker Book House or online by request at bakerbookstore.com