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Aug 25, 2017greenacres rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
In a coastal village in Normandy in June of 1944, we meet a baker's apprentice who is forced to bake bread for the German army. Emma stretches the required 12 loaves per day to 14 by adding finely ground straw to the dough to share with the starving townsfolk. She knows that at some point her secret will be discovered. Life is brutal, neighbours belonging to the resistance are caught and shot or simply disappear. Emma believes help will never come. By novel's end, it's June 5th, 1944 and there is an appearance of Allied bombers overhead but Emma still believes there is no hope. A bit slow moving at first, but a very satisfying ending.