Safiyyah's War by Hiba Noor Khan

Safiyyah’s War by Hiba Noor Khan. Based on true events, this book is set on the streets of Paris in World War Two. Safiyyah lives in the mosque with her family & is particularly close with her grandmother. The war seems far away to her at first but things start to change quickly. Her best friend moves away to be safe & the frequency of the bombings make safiyyah afraid to go out. Safiyyah’s father starts to act in a strange way - leaving the mosque at night, having meetings with people that she wasn’t allowed to attend, she was always in the meetings and couldn’t understand why now she wasn’t. When she does get into his office, why is there what looks like blood on the rugs?!

Safiyyah’s dad is arrested, suspected of being part of the resistance. Although he is released it is no longer safe for him to be seen to be visiting with Jewish families & Safiyyah must find the courage to take the messages to them. She discovers that the people in danger are being smuggled out through the catacombs under the city that lead to the water where they are hidden on boats to be taken to safety. The catacombs are dark and dangerous places that our courageous young hero may need all her bravery to face…

This book was a massive hit for me. The characters were so well written and the scene set so well that I was hooked from the first pages! Safiyyah was such a great heroine. Her bravery & fear were palpable & her relationships felt real - the moments with her grandmother were just the best for me - so touching, I can’t deny I cried at the part with Grandmother, Safiyyah & her old school friend who had been traumatised by the persecution she’d been under, on the mosque roof. And don’t get me started in the part where her grandmother’s health starts to fail!

Just fantastic writing. Knowing it was based on truth just made it all the more emotional.