Skylark by Paula McLain is a historical novel told through two intertwined timelines that explore women’s lives under oppression and the struggle for freedom. In 1940s Paris during World War II, a young American woman becomes involved in the cultural and intellectual circles of the city just as the threat of the Holocaust and Nazi occupation grows. As Jewish friends and neighbors face increasing persecution, she must decide whether to stay silent for safety or risk everything to help those targeted by the regime. Running alongside this story is a 17th-century narrative about women who are confined in an institution for behavior deemed unacceptable by society. Through their experiences, the novel explores how women were labeled “mad” or dangerous simply for resisting social rules, revealing the harsh realities of forced confinement and the limited freedoms available to them. As the two timelines unfold, Skylark highlights themes of resistance, identity, courage, and the fight for autonomy, showing how women across centuries confront systems designed to control them.