Book review: Citadel, by Kate Mosse

Citadel by Kate Mosse
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love this book! It reminded me just how brutal the Nazi occupation of France was, how much suffering was endured by communities throughout France, how brave those who served in the various Resistance groups were, and the ultimate price that so many of them paid. It's a story which needed to be told, and who better than Kate Mosse to do so. It interweaves that more recent history with the ancient stories of the ghost army and the legends of the Languedoc, which add an extra dimension to what could be an overwhelmingly sad account of life during the occupation. It is a fact that the Nazis searched for ancient relics during the Second World War, and it is also a fact that the Midi has a long history of Christian and Cathar legends and links, so combining aspects of these into Citadel enriches the story rather than detracts from it. The people are, after all, the results of their historical experiences. As those who endured such horrors become fewer in number, it is vital that stories such as Citadel keep their history alive and in our collective memories... if we do not learn the lessons of history we are condemned to repeated its mistakes.

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