This is a story about London during the Blitz of WWII. It’s a pleasant and interesting read about a number of women and their actions during this time. Central to the story is love of books, and a true story of various activities, including a library, that the English undertook during the raids when they would escape to the underground stations.

Historical fiction and a book about books? Count me in! The Underground Library was a happy surprise for me. I found the whole book to be engaging and I enjoyed reading it.

While very readable, The Underground Library just seemed to be missing something to me. It took me much longer to read than it should have - not because it read slowly but because I just didn't fell compelled to pick it up. I wasn't dying to keep reading to see what happened. It was certainly interesting reading about the literal underground library put together by the characters, but in the end, I think my overall impression is that this book turned out to be perhaps one of the most lighthearted (if that's possible) WWII historical fiction novels I've read (and I've read A LOT). It's not that I'm looking for death and horrifying details, but it almost seems hard to believe that these characters had it so "easy." Everything was wrapped up so nicely, which as a reader is lovely, but it just didn't ring true to me. I would give it a solid 3.5 stars, but since that's not possible I will bump it up to 4.

Based on a true story, The Underground library follows three young women in London during the war. With the Nazi’s bombing London they help bring their library underground where most everyone goes to shelter. The three girl’s resilience, brings not only themselves together but many in their community. When it is the worst of times, they endure love, loss, friendship and every other emotion to make things easier on their community. Saving their library, in turn, saves their own lives as well.

I have generally enjoyed Jennifer Ryan’s WWII fiction. It was odd at first to read this one, since Kate Thompson had written about the same topic so very well last year. I was really worried that I wouldn’t be able to like this book, after reading Thompson’s.

But Ryan’s characters are completely different—though they fight some of the same battles—and Ryan takes a different angle on the Bethnal Green Underground Library.

As always, Ryan’s characters and their trials feel real. I like how she brings her diverse group of characters together seamlessly, bringing them into a cohesive unit working to a common goal. The character of Mrs. Ottley was delightful, and the secondary characters in this book are well-developed. Some you love, some you hate—as it should be. Dialogue is natural, and the evens believable.

Like Thompson, Ryan provides historical references and explanation of the real events that she used to inspire her story.

Would I have liked this book better if I hadn’t read Thompson’s? Yes. But this is still a solid, worthy effort, and holds its place among slice-of-life WWII books.

This book is also reviewed at https://biblioquacious.blogspot.com/2024/04/wwii-books-about-books.html

Possible Objectionable Material:
Sex/pregnancy outside of marriage. One character considers a back-alley abortion. Parental pressure. One character is mistreated by her employer. Stealing. Lying. The usual issues you get in a book about WWII London.

Who Might Like This Book:
Again, those who love books, who like WWII stories, and enjoy a little romance.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an early review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Juliet Lansdown, the new deputy librarian at Bethnal Green Library, vows to revive its dwindling spirit despite facing skepticism due to her gender. She forms an unlikely alliance with Katie Upwood, who is grappling with personal loss and a hidden secret, and Sofie Baumann, a Jewish refugee finding solace amidst adversity. As they battle personal demons and the ravages of war, they strive to preserve their cherished library, their refuge, from the devastation of bombs and the turmoil of their lives.

Though I usually prefer historical novels set earlier in time, I enjoy stepping into World War 2 fiction now and then. This one caught my attention because of the title. The author does a fine job incorporating real-life experiences into the story, though at times it feels a bit crammed. Like, I felt like Sofie being on the Isle of Mann was glossed over.

The majority of the story stays with Juliet, though we get chapters for all the characters to get their experiences. I’m not usually emotionally invested in a story, but the death of a secondary character hit me hard. Everyone, for the most part, has a happy ending.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read. I would recommend it to readers looking for a World War 2 novel.

Jennifer Ryan has once again given us a gripping and entertaining WWII novel. The multi plot line story revolves around 3 women Juliet, Katie and Sophie who band together to save the library during the blitz attack in WWII. Each woman's life is as different as the stories they read, yet they find a way to survive the attack and save the library.

Ms Ryan does a wonderful job of keeping the storylines connected while also giving each woman their own story to tell. The descriptions take you back to a deep, dark time in history while also showing you that there is hope and life in the midst of darkness and death. I was given an ARC in exchange for my unbiased opinion and review of the story.

The Underground Library is told from three POV - Juliet, Katie and Sophia. Juliet leaves her small hometown during the war and heads to London, working at the library. Katie, living in London with her parents, is stuck at home while her boyfriend is on the front line fighting in WWII. And Sophia has to flew Berlin as the Nazi's are closing in persecuting Jews. After the library is bombed, Juliet and the community move it down into the Underground far away from the bombing. It's here that the community comes together and each protagonists storyline weaves and intertwines together to get their happy endings.

Half way thru the book I paused to google Bechnal Green Underground and learn about the real Underground Library and tube bombing. It doesn't matter how many historical fiction books I read, I learn something new about the war in each and every book. The author does a great job trying to imagine how everyone kept their spirits alive in the library during this time.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

The Underground Railroad by. Jennifer Ryan was a stunning portrayal of WWII. I have read a lot of books on this topic and this perspective was unique for me. It is told from the view point of three women and how the war affects them. The main plot is surrounded by the fact that the library was bombed and not usable. These women brought the library to the underground subway area that was being used as a bomb shelter. The descriptions and antidotes between these women are wonderful, heartbreaking and at the same time they build a bond that is life changing. I highly recommend this novel.

I can't believe this is my first book by this author. It was excellent. Very well written and researched. Based on a true story. One that I had no idea existed. To move a library underground was such a great thing to do. It helped people who did not have access to it before. And there is the fact that it was bombed and needed to be moved....

You meet three young women in this story and each tells their story. Their hopes and fears. The ways they coped. How these three became the best of friends during a very dark time in the world's history. Sofie, Rachel, and Juliet all met in Bethnal Green. In the library.

Juliet was the Deputy Librarian. She got the job because there was no man to take it. The war had called most me to battle. She had many grand ideas, many of which the head librarian shot down. A man of course. He wanted things to be as easy as possible for himself. But Juliet would not let that stop her. She aimed higher and made it the best library they could possibly have.

Sofie who fled her home for a safer place. She was working for a hard mean man. She worked very hard for him despite all of his abuse and meanness. The best thing that happened to her was when he sent her to the library for a map. There she met Juliet. Juliet was going to help her in ways she could not have guessed.

Katie was a young girl who's fiancé was sent to war and went missing. Maybe killed. She is pregnant and scared. Barely out of school and terrified of how her family will react. She hides the pregnancy for as long as possible. When her mother finally finds out Katie knows things will be so bad for her. She's brought such a shame to the family. When she meets Juliet her life is changed also. So much will happen for her.

This book has a few secondary characters that I loved also. One of my favorites being Sebastian. He sounds like the almost perfect man. I was very leery of Victor. I just didn't trust him. The Miss Ridleys were wonderful as was Marigold. I didn't like Ernest Wainwright either.

This is a story of friends during a horrible time. A time when Jews were singled out and deemed less than human. When Hitler decided that they needed to be gotten rid of. During a time of book banning and burning. A time when anyone with a sickness was consider less and needed to be put away. A very dark time for the whole world. I certainly hope it never happens again. But never think it can't...

Thank you #NetGalley, #JenniferRyan, #RandomHousePublishing, #Ballantinebooks, for this ARC. This is my true thoughts about this book.

FIVE huge stars and one of the best I've read this year.

The Underground Library tells a story about the power of books to unite people and give them hope during a time of war. This is another great book by Jennifer Ryan that tells a WWII story that gave me a glimpse of life during that time that also taught me somethings I did t know. From libraries in train stations to internment camps for those with German connections and escaping Jews this book was a great story that left we wanting to research this topic further. This book brings together a community through books and told from the point of view of women. Juliette is given the opportunity to work in a prestigious library with all the eligible male candidates off to war. Katie is set to go to University in a slot left open due to a lack of young men and Sofie is a Jewish refugee who has fled to London in hopes of safety. Books are a refuge to them all and the community they create in an underground station during the blitz. Ryan does try to fit a lot of war “experiences” into a handful of people but it was a good read that shared this piece of history that may not be widely known. Thanks NetGalley for this copy!

Set in London during World War II, we follow 3 main characters through the trials of living life during a war. Air raids force the library underground into the London tube, which provides a unique setting to develop community.

Thanks to NetGalley for the free advance copy of The Underground Library in exchange for an honest review.

The Underground Library is Jennifer Ryan’s latest novel and it’s terrific. The narrative alternates between three protagonists, all young women who end up in London during the Blitz trying to save their community library by moving it underground. Based on true events, the novel is about much more than the library, though, and it touches on the plight of Jewish refugees, families of missing soldiers, women in the workforce and more. Ultimately the novel is really about the strength of community and friendship. I highly recommend it! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Jennifer Ryan’s The Underground Library is one of the best historical fiction books that I have read. The story is set in London during World War II and tells the stories of three young women. Juliet, the new deputy librarian, is determined to keep the library open despite the war. Kate, who also works in the library, is told that her boyfriend is dead and she discovers that she is pregnant. Sofie, who is a Jewish refugee, is in London on a work visa. Her employer treats her terribly so she often escapes to the library and finds solace in the books. When bombs destroy the library, Juliet relocates the books to the underground station where the London community takes shelter during the bomb attacks. As each woman faces their own challenges, they also try to save what is left of their library.

The Underground Library is a wonderful read. The story is full of suspense, brave characters, and includes a little bit of romance set during a major historical time period.

A great story of love and loss in England during World War II.

This story is about making family during the blitz of England with the people around you. People caring and helping each other when life was extremely difficult. Keeping spirits up, so that everyone could survive the best way possible. The historical fiction is rich in this book, I learned so many things that I did not know. Plus, it is always fun to read a book about the importance of books and reading. Books that provide escape to safer places and bring joy to the people who read them.


Three strong women are the main characters in the book. They are well developed and strong characters, I had no idea that the blitz in England went on night after night. The idea of having someone read out loud during the bombing was great. It was also a great idea to move libraries to the underground, so people could check out and read books while they were in the shelter. It was interesting to hear that the only way that Jews could get out of Germany or German occupied counties was to get a work visa in England.

ts inspired by the true story of a London library that moved underground during the blitz. We follow three women whose lives are very different but connected through the library. It’s about books and friendship. thank you netgalley and thepublisehr for the arc in exchange for a review.

I love books about books/libraries/reading/etc., and this one certainly fit the bill on that. It really speaks to the power of books on a lot of levels!

I was simply ... kind of bored. As ever with multi-narrator reads, it can be hard to do all 3 well. These characters were all fine, and that was just it--fine. None really stood out to me or particularly compelled me to keep reading.

I have so many books on my TBR, it's hard to keep reading one that is just simply "fine," LOL. So I'm DNFing for now at 25%.

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Once I got my characters straight, I really got into this novel set during WWII's blitz. Hearing about how difficult life was for the people of England isn't new to me because I've read fiction and non-fiction about England during WWII. This is based on a true story about a library that moved to the underground where people went for shelter during the bombings. Some events were shifted to accommodate the story but it was filled with interesting folks from various walks of life who each had an interesting story to tell.

I read a lot of WWII fiction, and thought this was a great story. I was drawn into the characters lives, and found myself rooting for them. Having a library in the bomb shelters was a different take on the story. I loved how the woman bonded together over almost insurmountable problems. We often take for granted our freedom to read anything we want to, without government interference, and I pray this never changes.
Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read the ARC.
I definitely recommend!

The Underground Library is a beautifully written story about three very different women living in London during World War II. Juliet Lansdown is the deputy librarian at the Bethnal Green Library. Katie Upwood works at the library while she waits to attend college and for her boyfriend Christopher to come home from the war. Sofie Baumann is a young Jewish refugee separated from her family on a work visa as a house maid for Mr. Wainwright who is a horrible, horrible man. The way the community came together underground nightly to support the library, attend the reading circle and checking out books was a great insight to what probably happened in London during WWII. Jennifer Ryan did a great job bringing the reader underground and feeling the desperation, friendship, family, camaraderie and strength of these women. I did get Juliet and Katie mixed up a little bit until I got into the book more. I will definitely recommend The Underground Library to people.