"French kiss. French toast. French fries. All the good things were French."

I 100% agree with this quote from The Paris Library, and would include this story of the French Resistance during WWII in that list. Although it's being released this week, I read the book last year and it was one of my favorites of 2020.

"I was skeptical about soul mates, but could believe in bookmates, two beings bound by a passion for reading."

Based on the true story of how a group of book lovers and the employees of the American Library in Paris worked to protect the treasures there as well as to subvert the Nazis, this novel alternates between two timelines and places - Paris in 1939 and Montana in 1983. I won't give too much away but Charles weaves two wonderful stories and, as you can probably tell from all of the lines I'm including in this review, her words truly touched me.

"Sometimes I like books more than people."

This isn't just a novel about it war and survival - its about family, friendships, coming-of-age, the consequences of our choices and finding comfort in words even when the world is falling apart. I read a lot of historical fiction about WWII and it was refreshing to find such a unique take on it, and I fell so in love with the characters that I didn't want the book to end.

"'Libraries are lungs,' she scrawled, her pen barely able to keep up with her ideas. 'Books the fresh air breathed in to keep the heart beating, to keep the brain imagining, to keep hope alive.'"

There is so much to take away from The Paris Library - that there is the heroism in even the smallest actions, bravery in all of us and true power in words. I cannot recommend it enough.

Thank you to Atria Books, NetGalley and the author for a copy to review.

The Paris Library is everything you'd want in a World War 2 novel about the American Library in Paris. It flips back and forth between Lily in 1980s Montana(random, but the author is from there) and Odile in 1940s Paris. I absolutely loved the literary quotes and references that you'd expect in a book about a library. It was fascinating to me to see how Paris acted in the middle of the war. The way people were forced to react to Nazis taking over and the way they chose to respond. I loved how books were the main focus and I also loved how so many of the characters were real people.

Huge thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for providing this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I am a huge fan of historical fiction! I was browsing Netgalley for books to request when I came across The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles. The cover is absolutely gorgeous and immediately grabbed my attention. I read the synopsis and was hooked. I requested and was lucky enough to receive an e-arc!

The Paris Library follows two young women through two timelines. Odile is a young woman living in Paris during the 1930’s-40’s. Odile has just started as a librarian at the American Library in Paris (the ALP). The book follows her journey throughout the Nazi occupation of Paris and WW2. Lily is a teenage girl in Montana in the 1980’s. Lily is a student who is fascinated by everything French. She decides to interview her neighbor, Odile, for a school project about France.

I absolutely adored The Paris Library. It is first and foremost a love letter to readers. The overarching theme of The Paris Library is the power of books and the importance of libraries. I felt so connected to Odile whenever she described her love of books, libraries, and reading.

There are so many fantastic quotes . . .

Breathing in the best smell in the world—a mélange of the mossy scent of musty books and crisp newspaper pages—I felt as if I’d come home.

I loved being surrounded by stories, some as old as time, others published just last month.

I never judged a book by its beginning. It felt like the first and last date I’d once had, both of us smiling too brightly. No, I opened to a page in the middle, where the author wasn’t trying to impress me.

“I’m Odile Souchet. Sorry to be late. I was early, and I opened a book . . .” “Reading is dangerous,” Miss Reeder said with a knowing smile. “Let’s go to my office.”

The Library is my haven. I can always find a corner of the stacks to call my own, to read and dream. I want to make sure everyone has that chance, most especially the people who feel different and need a place to call home.

“The best thing about Paris? It’s a city of readers,” our neighbor said.

“We’re bookmates,” she said, in the decisive tone one would assert “the sky is blue,” or “Paris is the best city in the world.” I was skeptical about soul mates, but could believe in bookmates, two beings bound by a passion for reading.

Then, with a handful of pages left, I started to dread the fact that this world that I loved was coming to an end. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye. I read slowly, just savoring the scenes.

“Why on earth would you want to be a librarian?” he asked, an étincelle, a sparkle, in his eye. “Sometimes I like books more than people.” “Books don’t lie or steal,” he said. “We can depend on them.” I was surprised, and heartened, to hear an echo of my own feelings.

“But seriously, why books. Because no other thing possesses that mystical faculty to make people see with other people’s eyes. The Library is a bridge of books between cultures.”

“We all have a book that’s changed us forever,” I said. “One that let us know that we’re not alone. What’s yours?”

“Books will outlast us all.”

The Paris Library is very much a character driven story. There is little to no action. Unlike a typical WW2 based historical fiction, we do not see the outright violence and horror of the war or concentration camps. Instead we focus on the loss and devastation that individual people faced on daily basis. We see family members say goodbye to sons/brothers/friends as they leave to fight in the war. We see the women waiting in endless lines for miniscule rations. We see homes left abandoned after Jewish tenants are forced into camps. And, of course, we see the library and the censorship, surveillance, and rules that are forced upon it.

I honestly had never thought about the the impact of the war on libraries. During the Nazi occupation, Jewish and anyone determined to be an “enemy alien” library subscribers were banned from entering the library. However, librarians from the ALP worked together and delivered books to these subscribers at home. Odile is a fictional character, but librarians like her risked everything to make sure that everyone was able to have access to the library. This is just the most beautiful, kind, and courageous act. I can’t imagine how scary it would have been to pass through the Nazi checkpoints while delivering books. But they still did it.

“I decided that words were worth fighting for, that they were worth the risk.”

“Libraries are lungs,” she scrawled, her pen barely able to keep up with her ideas. “Books the fresh air breathed in to keep the heart beating, to keep the brain imagining, to keep hope alive.”

I think Lily perfectly describes how brave and incredible this was . . .

“You were brave,” I told Odile. “Keeping the library open and making sure all people could check out books.” She sighed. “I did the minimum.” “Le minimum? What you did was amazing. You gave subscribers hope. You showed that during the worst of times, people were still good. You saved books and people. You risked your life to defy the fricking Nazis. That’s huge.”

I could not have said it any better.

I highly encourage everyone to read the author’s note at the end of the book. Janet Skeslien Charles did a huge amount of research for this book. So much of The Paris Library is true and/or based in fact and on real people. I love reading author’s notes in historical fiction books because it is so fun to learn where authors get their inspiration from!

The Paris Library is also a story of friendship. There is loss, love, betrayal, and hope. The Paris Library shows the power of a true friend. It beautifully and heartbreakingly illustrates the importance of treasuring that friendship, being open with those you love, and not running away. This is shown through Odile’s relationship with Margaret.

As I said before, The Paris Library is a character driven story. And I came to love so many of these characters! I truly feel like I go to know each and every one of them. It’s like Lily thought after she heard Odile’s story . . .

“Her hand hugging mind, she introduced her cast of characters. Dear Maman and down-to-earth Eugenie. Blustery Papa. Remy, the mischievous twin I would see every time I looked at Odile. His girl, Bitsi, the brave librarian. Paul, so handsome, I fell in love with him, too. Margaret, every bit as fun as Mary Louise. Miss Reader, the Countess, and Boris, the heart and soul and life of the Library. People I would never know, would never forget. They’d lived in Odile’s memory, and now they lived in mine.“

The relationships and friendships between these characters are one of the things that makes The Paris Library so special! Odile’s relationship with Remy, the staff at the ALP, and later with Lily are all beautiful examples of friendship. I love her bond with Remy and the way the staff at the ALP all nerd out about reading. However, my favorite relationship is between Odile and Lily. I love how Lily brings joy and light back into Odile’s life. And how Odile introduces Lily to books and the love of reading. I actually equally enjoyed reading both the Paris and Montana timelines.

As you can see I really enjoyed The Paris Library. I could keep gushing about it for a long time. I wrote down so many quotes that I love! The book mates one is my favorite – I sent it to my book bestie because it describes us perfectly!

I actually struggled writing this review because I don’t feel like I’m able to capture the magic I felt while reading The Paris Library. I think I ended up just ranting, but I can’t help it! The Paris Library actually reminded my of Ruta Sepetys’ books . . . a beautiful story that also teaches me something about a lesser known part of history. This is just a very special book that I think everyone should read. I will hold The Paris Library close to my heart forever.

Congrats to Janet Skeslien Charles on this stunning book!

THE PARIS LIBRARY IS SET TO BE RELEASED FEBRUARY 9TH, 2021 BY ATRIA BOOKS.

Most World War II fictions are horrendous and detail the brutality of the Nazis, the gestapo, or the concentration camps and this book wasn’t that. Yes, there was the back drop of a war and very changed times, but at the heart of this book is a library, a love for books and friendships. There was much charm throughout this book. The characters and their choices, made them unique and brought light to what different people had to do to survive. Of course, as a reader, reading about libraries and books warms my heart. Most importantly, as the book progressed and the story unfolded, it tugs at your heart strings. I’m not going to lie. It was a slower start, but it ended strong and left an ache within me and made me sift through my own memories in general.

What a beautifully written book! It is a tribute to the importance of books, of reading, of friendship, of trust. I feel in love with Odile, the main character, both as a young woman during the war in Paris and an older woman in Montana forty years later. The story goes back and forth between the two timelines, painting a picture of this woman’s life. Odile worked at the American Library in Paris during the war and did many brave and important things. Yet she had some unhappy secrets, and she finally confides in a young girl, Lily, and this helps both of them.

I love me some World War 2 fiction and while I've read my fair share of novels set during the era, they always run the risk of slipping into 'sameness'. But The Paris Library was different. Set against the backdrop of the American Library in Paris, we meet a group of resistance fighters. And while they aren't fighting with weapons per say, they're fighting with...books.

My kind of people! A motley crew of librarians, historians, writers, and book lovers that work at the library as the Nazis invade Paris. Our heroine, Odile, a new librarian with a love of literature, English language, and everything the library and books represent, finds herself at the heart of a mini resistance as the library distributes 'banned' books to Jewish library patrons. The story alternates between Odile in Paris in the 40s, and Montana in the 80's in a small town. As she grieves the recent loss of her mother, teenager Lily seeks out the friendship of her elderly, reclusive, foreign neighbor....Odile. As Lily learns more about Odile's history, Odile gives Lily lessons in French, in life, and finds a flicker of her old self that she thought she had once lost.

[Unpopular Opinion]

I was excited for this book. I had originally received a copy almost one year ago, however the publishing date was delayed to 2021 - and it was finally released this month.📖.
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I really enjoy historical fiction so the idea of historical fiction combined with the theme of love for books - was an an amazing premise. Unfortunately, this book didn’t work well for me. Although interesting in parts - the “based on real events” story of the American Public Library in Paris during WWII, and the librarians who continued to educate, support and provide assistance during the time of Nazi occupation - the writing just held me back from really enjoying the book. I may be alone on this but I felt the writing to be strangely simplistic - which really took away from the book and almost made the book read like a very junior story. This book follows Odile - a young French woman who worked at the library during the 1940’s and forty years later as a widow living in the US.📖.
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The dual timeline didn’t really make any sense and didn’t contribute to the overall story. There were parts where I was interested - about mid way through - but it wasn’t enough - and I put it down multiple times throughout this whole week. Also, the ending is so strange - basically the story just stops with no real wrap up. Overall, I did appreciate the story and the research work done by the author but I didn’t think there was enough to really make this book stand out. Thank you to @netgalley for this copy.⭐️⭐️.
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The Paris Library is a beautifully written book based on the true World War II story of the heroic librarians at the American Library in Paris who defied the Nazis by continuing to provide subscribers as well as soldiers as many books as they possibly could no matter what restrictions the Nazis placed upon them. As Odile learned after a short time working there, "The Library was more than bricks and books; its mortar was people who cared." In fact, the library itself is a powerful character in the book, and its employees and regular visitors become important members of this literary family.

The story is told in two timelines: Odile as a young Parisian woman in 1939 and as an older woman living in Montana in 1983. In many ways, I thought the second timeline was unnecessary other than to show Odile attempting to rescue a young girl who was on the same path that Odile traveled so many years ago-- and of course for the complete unveiling of Odile's past.

Odile drew me right into the story. I could smell the books on the shelves of the American Library in Paris. I could hear the two old friends' daily arguments in the periodicals room. And I felt no shock when the "crow letters" began arriving at Nazi headquarters informing them that the librarians were hiding forbidden literature and providing reading material to Jews.

As beautifully written as The Paris Library is-- and there are many passages that illuminated my imagination-- I had a difficult time immersing myself fully into the story. As much as sentences like "Her bookshelves ran over, so her vanity table was a mixture of pink blush and Dorothy Parker, mascara and Montaigne" warmed my heart, and facts such as Zora Neale Hurston being Odile's favorite living writer made her come alive to me, part of me still held back.

Why? It has more to do with me as a person than it has to do with the story. The overarching theme of The Paris Library is jealousy, and I've always had trouble warming up to people or characters who live by that emotion. Since my reaction to this novel is so subjective, take my opinion with a grain of salt and give it a try. It is a rich and multi-layered tale.

A slow story based on actual people and the trials they lived through during the Nazi occupation of Paris during World War II. I was getting tired of reading WWII novels because they all tend to be the same, this book sounded like a promising read from a much different point of view. It turned out to be more of a love story told from two different periods of time rather than a story about heroic librarians. Not my cup of tea.

Another great historical fiction! About halfway into this book, I was ready to give it four stars. It started out strong. I was liking the characters and was fully invested to see what happened. Then it started to slow down and I was wishing for more of Lily's timeline. I was ready to pick up another book and give this one a rest for a day or two. But then the action picked up and I found myself interested again. We also get a few plot twists that I honestly can say I didn’t see coming.

In the end, I realized that this was Odiles story to tell much more than it was Lily's. Lily was just a catalyst that came along at the right moment.

In the last quarter of the book there are some truly ugly occurrences. So be forewarned. In the end there were some truly charming events that occurred too and had me tearing up more than once. I also enjoyed reading the author’s acknowledgements telling what parts of the story are true and what she embellished.

"The Paris Library" by Janet Skeslien Charles is a historical fiction that is going to be a hit with book lovers everywhere! Highlighting the timeline of WWII and then also Montana during the 1980s, this book blends together different eras and locations but weaves the story together effortlessly that will leave readers turning pages. With themes of friendship and love of literature, the characters in this story are well developed, interesting and will live on long after the novel has ended within the hearts of readers. I would like add: so many books have been written about the WWII time period. "The Paris Library" stood out to me amongst the others. This book was different and held my interest. I felt invested in the story from the beginning and didn't want the book to end!

Blogger's Note: Thank you to the publisher for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I love Paris and I love libraries so I was very excited to read this book. I have to say I did not love this book but I did like it. I liked Odile and Lily and how the author interchanged their lives. I liked learning about the American Library in Paris and what the workers did during WWII to keep getting the books circulated to people who were banned from the library. Odile was naive in her younger years. Her father was always inviting possible husbands over for Sunday brunch. Danny was one of those young suitors. She fell in love with him but he was not a nice person or maybe the war had something to do with his hostility. Odile also was a librarian at the ALP and it is there that she made some wonderful friends who were like family to her. After something Odile said led to a horrible consequence, Odile moved to Montana and lived next door to Lily. Lily is a young naive girl who befriends Odile. Odile teaches Lily French and helps her through the loss of her mother. She also tries to teach her to keep her mouth shut and mind her own business. The relationship between Odile and Lily was beautiful and that is why I like the book. I did feel that it moved a little slow at times. Scenes between Odile and Danny in apartments that were not theirs did not add to the story and I felt they could have been eliminated. Other than that if you like Paris and libraries and historical fiction I would definitely recommend.

Thanks to #Atriabooks and #netgalley for the ARC of this book

I instantly wanted to read this book based on the title... I’ve always wanted to go to Paris and who doesn’t love the charm of libraries. This book really did capture the love of books that I was hoping I would connect with.
Set in WWII German occupied France and Montana (of all places) in 1983, this novel had it moments of betrayal and tragedy. But the author found a way to tie every sad moment with a quote from a novel. So even though Odile and Lily’s lives had had these massive ups and downs, literature helped them through the toughest times. And I feel like that resonates today.
One of the quotes that marked was “Yes, this war had divided us, but a love of literature would reunite us.” This has to be the motto that take with me as I battle through life.
I’m sure that I could write more, but honestly, there are many surprises that I don’t want to give away. Just know, books are the thread that weaves this story together. Friendship between an older woman and a child blossoms. And so many life lessons are learned!

I'm sorry to say I didn't finish this one. This story is a WWII historical fiction, told on a dual timeline of modern day, when the protagonist has moved to a small town in Montana. The storyline, though, despite the war, is just. so. slow. I've read plenty of WWII historical fiction, and usually appreciate the nuances and differences in the characters and what they went through, but in this book, the main character doesn't really have too much conflict to resolve. Her beau is with her in Paris, due to his working a farm in harvest season, her brother is at the front, but largely unharmed, and her job is relatively intact with no real risk to her. I was just bored.

The Paris Library is a historical fiction novel that is based on actual happenings before and during WWII. It is woven from true events of the brave and heroic group of The American Library in Paris that worked tirelessly during the war to keep the library open. Odile is a young Parisian book lover that gets a job at the library just before the war - although her family, particularly her father, would rather her not work outside the home and get married instead. She is strong willed, bright and passionate and that is displayed well throughout the book. Of course, not all strong willed, passionate people make the best decisions all of the time....

Outside of the narrative of Odile's life and family, you will learn all about The American Library in Paris and the events that took place before and during the war.

There is a second timeline in the 80's as well with Odile in Montana that takes a little bit of a back burner to the first but I enjoyed this part of the story as well. Young teen-aged Lily is very interested in the mysterious Odile and they become friends and help each other quite a bit without realizing it.

As a lover of libraries myself, I did very much enjoy all of the history of The American Library in Paris and appreciated learning everything that was done to keep it open. There were a few parts throughout the book that at times became a bit tedious and I did find myself skimming more than once. All in all, a good historical fiction read. If you enjoy WWII historical fiction, you will likely enjoy this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for this advance copy in exchange for my honest review. The Paris Library will be released on 2/9/21.

This book snuck up on me, grabbed hold and wouldn't let go until the very end....and even then I didn't want it to be over. Janet Skeslien Charles gives us a well researched and fascinating story of the American Library in Paris during the time leading up to...and during WWII. She introduces us to the brave librarians who worked to keep the Library open and the books safe during the war. A duel time-line story it alternates between Odile a young French woman coming of age at the library during the war years, and the 1980s in Froid, Montana when Odile meets and befriends Lily, her young neighbor. Their friendship grows as Odile teaches Lily French and helps her navigate the tender teen age years. Despite the difference in their ages a deep friendship is forged.
I REALLY liked this book....it will stay with me for a long, long time.
Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, did I love this book! While it was based during WWII, as so many historical fiction books are, it focused on a topic I knew nothing about until reading this book: The American Library in Paris. The library sounds like it was an lovely place even before the war, but what's really incredible is the heroes that worked there during WWII. Their dedication to their jobs, subscribers, and their soldiers is incredible. I think it's amazing that they made the effort to send and deliver books to soldiers to help keep up their morale.

This book included a great cast of characters, and it was incredible to learn that many of them were real people, and this was based on their real stories! I found most of the characters likeable and really liked the dual timeline. So many times with dual timeline books, the more recent timeline is present day, so the people who lived through WWII are not normally present in the current day timeline. But because this book's more recent timeline was set in the 1980's, we got to experience Odile's story both in the 1940's and the 1980's. I really enjoyed her friendship with Lily and the advice and direction that she gave her.

If I had to find one thing to critique it's that there was a part of Odile's life that was explained towards the end of the book that felt a bit rushed. I realize there was no way to explain all of those years in detail, but because I found Odile so endearing, I would've loved to have known more about her life in the years in between the two timelines that were the focus of the book. So not necessarily a critique, just a desire for more, because I enjoyed Odile's story so much!

I also really appreciated the library setting, as I think any bibliophile will. This was a great story that was well-written and, judging by the author's note at the end, also very well-researched. I will look for more work from Janet Skeslien Charles in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advance e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I have a natural love of history, I grew up with a father that was a history buff and he engrained that love in me. I would say that at least if not more than 1/4 of my bookshelves are stacked with books from my favorite historical time period because every history buff has one they gravitate to. So it stands to reason I am also a big fan of Historial Fiction.

When it comes to reading Historial Fiction I do gravitate to WWII, maybe because it is not so distant in the past, or that being Jewish, it reminds me of the horrible obstacles my people overcame, or that it is a way to learn and honor the 6 million Jewish people that died for no reason other than believing differently than others. Mostly I think I enjoy the stores of the preserver of the common people, the ones who quietly fought against the Nazis away from the front lines, their small stories and actions are what made this was so different from others.

The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles was the first HF book I picked up this year. Drawn to it by its gorgeous cover, I was quickly taken in by the story, especially having had worked in a library for years. The story has dual storylines. One taking place in 1939-1944 during the war, and the other later in the 80s. It is the story of Odile Souchet, a young determined girl who gets her dream job at The American Library in Paris ( ALP ) It also features Odile in later years living in America in a small Montana town, lonely and alone until she meets her neighbor Lily who comes to visit wanting to interview her for a High School class.

While I enjoyed the small glimpses of Odile in the more present day, the part of the book that captivates me was the period in Paris during the war. I fell in love with the American Library and understood Odile’s need to work there. I also fell in love with the people of the library, they were the soul of the building. As a former librarian, I understood their need to make sure people were able to read, the need to get books to people who wanted them, such as the soldiers and the Jewish subscribers that had been banned from reading. In fact, for the book to have taken place in WWII, there is little mention or details of the war, you are transported to the library during the occupation of Paris by the Nazi’s. That is the purpose of the book, showing how the library and the people inside risked their lives for the love of books and reading.

The entire book was well researched by the author. Many of the happenings and people in the book are base on truth and real people, it is a flawless blend of fact and fiction that will keep you captivated. The Paris Library held so much magic for me. The friendships, and how they are depended on trust and easily torn apart when that trust is tested. The love of family, and how the dynamics of a family can change at any given moment. But mostly it was reading about the power of books and literature, and how much these things actually mean to people, especially when they are no longer readily available, and people who are willing to risk their lives to continue to provide the means to read.

I have been waiting for a new book from Janet Skesleien Charles since reading and loving Moonlight in Odessa in 2011. When I heard about her new book, The Paris Library, I was doubly excited because I love books set in Paris. The Paris Library was one of my most anticipated reads of 2021. The book is based on a true story of librarians and workers of the American Library in Paris, who kept the library open through the Nazi occupation and delivered books to their subscribers.

I am sad to say The Paris Library didn't live up to my expectations. I was in a funky reading mood when I started reading it, so maybe that's why I didn't love it as much as I wanted to, but I wasn't captivated by the story. I usually find WW2 stories emotional and moving, but in this case, I didn't feel any connection to the characters and wasn't moved by their struggles. I found most of the characters one-dimensional and lacking complexity. Often, their actions didn't make sense to me. This book also had dual timelines, with the second timeline being 1980s Montana. I found the storyline of the 1980s even less developed than the war-time storyline.

The Paris Library will appeal to historical fiction readers and anyone who loves books about libraries and book shops. This book has mostly positive reviews, I think I didn't read it at the right time, or my expectations were way too high.

The only thing more beauitful than the cover is the story. The Paris Library is both heartbreaking and heartwarming and impossible to put down