I think so. In the style that it’s written, it isn’t clear which country but it sure could be Norway. The people are waking up slowly to realize they can sabotage the occupiers. (occupiers are clearly the Nazis, though they aren’t stated so in the story.)
I, too, was a great lover of Steinbeck and towards the end of high school read all of him I could get a hand on. So I read this one then along with at least half dozen more: Of Mice and Men, Cannery Row, Travels with Charlie, The Grapes of Wrath, etc. Still love to read.