The Zookeeper's Wife: A War Story Chapter 27 Summary

How It All Goes Down

  • Now it's Spring 1943, and Antonina recovers from her leg infection. However, her marriage seems infected.
  • The more Jan leaves the house to work for the Underground, the tenser their marriage grows. He picks at her, and she feels like she never does anything right.
  • However, one day, German soldiers come to the door and accuse Antonina of purposefully starting a fire on zoo grounds.
  • Antonina says that the soldiers themselves probably did it.
  • The barn is on fire, and Antonina suggests that a German sneaking away with his girlfriend was enjoying a smoke and set the place ablaze.
  • Bam, mic drop.
  • Jan admires Antonina's resolve and compliments her at dinner.
  • Antonina is thrilled. Her husband has never praised her in public before.
  • Antonina believes the real reason she was able to dissuade the soldier is due to her "telepathic waves" (27.45).