A charming book that talks about books ;). I loved the reference to books and I love how the women in this novel stood together and not against each other. Filled with romance, love of mother and daughter, friends, father and daughter, and siblings. You may need tissue at some point 😉

At least once a year, I encounter a book that really touches me, a book where the characters come so alive that I find myself deliberately reading slowly in the hope that the story will last longer. This is that book for 2020 for me. The Paris Library alternates between two time periods and tells the story of Odile, a young librarian at the American Library in Paris during the WWII Nazi occupation, as well as Lily, a teenager in the midst of teen angst living in Montana in the 1980s. The characters are interesting and likeable, and the fact that the story is based on history made it all the better for me as I love to read about strong female characters who have found a way to change their world for the better. The interactions between Odile and Lily, the older woman advising the younger one based on her own mistakes as a young person, really makes the story meaningful. The author’s writing style is easy to read and I look forward to reading more by her. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I've been on a binge of historical fiction novels and loved this one. The Paris Library is both a love letter to libraries (and to book lovers), as well as a bit of WWII history that I was unaware of.

As dual timelines go, generally one grabs my attention more than the other. The primary storyline is set in France and surrounds the main character Odile, who gets her dream job at the American Library of Paris. The story revolves around the ALP 1939 and onward, leading into and during Nazi occupation of Paris, and it is based on real characters.

Odile and the supporting characters were flawed, intriguing, endearing, and well developed. This was yet another bit of WWII resistance history that I was both delighted and saddened by. Delighted by how clever the librarians were to get books to supporters and soldiers; saddened for those that were betrayed to the Nazis.

Charles does a lovely job of developing a sense of place. Her research is evident and appreciated. As the war progresses and the characters fight to survive, for some, previously drawn morality lines are skated on and crossed. Others take greater chances in resistance and are constantly crossing dangerous lines.

The second storyline is set in Montana in 1983, featuring a teenager named Lily and the now elderly Odile. Initially, I found this storyline slower. I loved Lily's character - her resilience and insistence reminded me of a younger Odile, which was good, as the older Odile is closed off and unpleasant. However, as their story progresses, Lily begins to soften Odile and we finally learn how she came to Minnesota. While the second storyline serves well to bring Odile's story to a more satisfactory ending than perhaps it would have been if left to just one timeline, I was generally anxious to get back to Paris and Odile's life there.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC. The Paris Library follows two separate storylines. The first follows Odile, a young French women with her first job at The American Library in Paris at the cusp of the second World War. The second catches up with Odile in the 1980s, now living in Montana, but focuses on her teenage neighbor Lily who is navigating big changes in her family. The two women become friends and Odile's bittersweet story is revealed.

Stars: Let's start with the gorgeous cover and title. As a book lover, any title with "library" in it is quick to catch my eye. It was a quick read, and definitely gave me "all the feels." It was fun to read about the 1980s since I was little girl then too.

Wishes: This book seems so ambitious and tries to cover a lot of ground. I don't know if it had to have Lily's story, honestly. I think some of the main themes of love and friendship could have been pushed a little deeper as well.

All in all, this is a great escapist novel and will probably be very popular. It just was a little too superficial for me to really love it.

Excellent fictionalization of a true, little known bit of history. I especially liked the literary references, which promoted me to order some of the books mentioned.

I really enjoy reading different perspectives on what can often feel like an oversaturated genre featuring WWII stories. “The Paris Library,” based on a true story, introduces readers to the lives of Odile Souchet and her fellow librarians as they join the resistance and risk it all to protect their beloved library. Charles weaves together this tale from Paris, 1939 with adventure-seeking Lily, in 1983 Montana to uncover a dark secret from the past that connects them together.

Thank you to Net Galley and Atria Books for the chance to read and review this book. This was the perfect story for me-it involved books, friendship, and it was based on true events. This is the story of how the librarians of the American Library in Paris used books to resist the Nazis during WWII. There are two story lines. The first one centers on Odile Souchet, who is a librarian in 1939 Paris. When WWII breaks out, she is threatened with the loss of her beloved library as well as her way of life. The other story line in set in Montana in 1983. Lily is a lonely teenager, who becomes friends with her elderly neighbor. As their friendship becomes deeper, secrets are revealed and they discover they are a lot alike. So many elements to this story, and I enjoyed all of them. Highly recommend to all Historical Fiction lovers.

I enjoyed the book overall and it felt obvious That much research went into the storyline. However, I felt the book moved a little too slowly for my taste and would have worked better without the second storyline. I still have it 3 stars so overall I enjoyed the novel.

I am a sucker for WWII historical fiction. I love reading stories based on real events because it opens up a piece of history that I didn’t know existed.

The Paris Library has 2 different timelines, WWII in Paris and Montana in the 1980s. It is a coming of age story centered on Lily and Odile. I enjoyed the realistic narrative and the tales of friendship, life and loss. I highly recommend.

I loved the inspiration of this book and how it highlights the history of the American Library in Paris during Nazi occupation in WWII. An aspect that I have not read about, it was interesting to hear about the efforts taken to keep the library open and the courageous acts to continue providing books for all, including Jewish subscribers and soldiers on the front lines.

The story alternated between two main characters and settings. We follow Odile during her time as a librarian in Paris during WWII, and then fast forward 40+ years when she is living in the U.S. and befriends a young neighbor, Lilly, and becomes somewhat of a mentor to her.

Overall, a solid 3.5 stars for me. It was highly readable, however I felt there were almost too many story lines. I would have preferred the sole focus being the WWII time frame.

I received this ARC in ereader form from NetGalley. It’s the first book I’ve read as an ARC.

I just finished reading this minutes ago and I’m still recovering from the tears I shed at the end. It’s not a sad ending, my tears were because it ended so beautifully. I haven’t had book that made me tear up in quite a while And this one did a few times.

I throughly enjoyed this book. So many characters yet our two main ones, Odile and and Lily were definitely who I connected with. I had no idea going into this book that Lily and I were the same age in 1984 and both graduated in 1988. I also loved the brief mention of my fave book as a teen, The Outsiders.

I loved this book and not solely because it’s based around a library but I completely enjoyed the characters along with the story.

Go read this book when it comes out.

I overall enjoyed this book; the story was engaging and the characters were easy to connect with. While it did take me a bit of time to initially engage in reading the novel, the fault was my own as I was in the mood for a different genre. I am happy I revisited this title. I gave it four stars!

A fascinating story of the American Library in Paris during WW2, based upon actual characters and events. While I enjoyed the secondary story told in the present, I also didn't need it in order to enjoy the book. I loved the character development and the backdrop of a Paris both revered and tortured. Very enjoyable read, and I learned about a side of WW2 I hadn't previous known.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. I go through phases where I can't bring myself to read yet another WWII novel but this the topic of the American Library in Paris was a new topic for me and I will definitely be recommending this title to my historical fiction fans.

I never tire of reading novels set during WWII. I am fascinated that there are seemingly countless stories of characters caught in those desperate times. There are always fine people as well as the dreadful. There are also many who fall somewhere in between - these grey people are an important part of humanity. They are the imperfect people who are everywhere, made up of both good and bad. Many are prominent characters in this book.

The book is set in France, and the story, based on true characters, revolves around the American Library of Paris. The ALP is filled with fascinating characters who are all affected by the war in different ways. Most are a mixture of good and bad, and their lives among the Nazis in occupied France is fascinating.

The book goes between two timelines, slowly revealing bits of the story. It was a satisfying read, and the additional information about books, French culture, and the language made it even more enjoyable.

This book was provided by NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I’m definitely a fan of historical fiction; and the Paris library is exactly the type of book I love. Set in two different time periods we catch a glimpse of what it was like in 1939, a glimpse into a story about love, family and friendship. Knowing what these women did in order to get books delivered to their clients during a time of when even the smallest words could give even the smallest bit of hope. Definitely recommend for anyone who has a soft spot for historical fiction. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers.

Thanks to Atria for the free review copy. All opinions are my own.

WWII fiction is a genre that I find to be oversaturated and not one I read much anymore unless I come across a unique story, and this one fit the bill. I did not know anything about the American Library in Paris, let alone what the staff and patrons did during WWII. I liked how the author did her research and included real staff members in this story. These people were brave and fun. Each cared a lot about books and their patrons. I also enjoyed the inside look of parents who did anything for their children. There are a few different of these perspectives in the book.

This is also a dual timeline between Odile's story in Paris during the war and her life in the 1980s. I wish there was more of Lily's story in the 80s. A lot of it felt rushed, especially towards the end. I also was not a fan of Odile in either timeline. She was super frustrating with her responses to events, and I found myself not caring about this character. I did like Lily and her resilience to everything she goes through in the story.

As a little girl, I roamed the stacks of the New York Public library, falling in love with the massive stacks, the card catalog, and the endless rows of books. For me and other bibliophiles, that love never abated and the novel Paris Library captures the essence of that lifelong devotion. Filled with references to some of the most notable written works and plenty of bon mots of wisdom from our favorite books, Paris Library reminds us why we embrace the seductive world of books, they never abandon us. Janet Skeslien Charles sets her novel in the American Public Library in Paris on the eve of WWII. Filled with a charming cast of flawed characters, the novel winds it way through the war through the eyes of Odile, an idealistic, somewhat immature young woman whose dream is not a traditional marriage but a job at the APL. Odile who has memorized the Dewey Decimal System, uses it not only to earn her job but to catalog her life experiences. She tries to make sense of a quickly changing and harsh world as France falls and her world is now governed by the Germans,

Charles does not bog the narrative in the minutia of wartime Paris but treats it a the new normal of life under the Nazi regime. Odile struggles with the incarceration of her twin brother in a stalag, the hunger and rations, and the dispirit of Paris during the occupation. As they struggle under the regime, Charles has her characters walk the fine line of resistance and collaboration versus the need to survive. Traditional morality is compromised and Odile and her loved ones have to learn life isn't quite what it seems; survival requires compromise. Not only does the author include the consequences for the French, but what happened to Americans, British, and Russians trapped in France as the war engulfs them and they become enemies of the state.

While the bulk of the story revolves around Odile's life in Paris, a secondary story emerges set in Froid, Montana (French for cold.) This part of the story, while interesting, is a diversionary tract. A very real trend in many novels is to have this duality of stories intertwined, the intersection of the past and the present. Paris Library could have done without the modern part of the narrative. Why authors use this tool I don't know. The post war life of an elderly Odile and her neighbor girl is interesting but unnecessary to tell the young librarian's tale. But that is my personal preference and others might enjoy that aspect.

Based on the actual stories of the librarians and staff of the American Public Library during the war, Paris Library feels very true to the time and harsh conditions. I spent years in the stacks of libraries in the 940 section--France during WWII to write my Master's thesis on the French Resistance. Charles did an excellent job on her research and manages to weave the nuances of the difficulties of life under the Nazi regime into her story. The author states her motive for writing the book was more than just "a love of literature" but also that ". . . language is a gate that we can open and close on people. The words we use shape perception, as do the books we read, the stories we tell each other, and the stories we tell ourselves." Charles' intention resonates through the novel. Paris Library is a gem for all those who love books and libraries. I couldn't put it down.

Not just a book about books, The Paris Library is a book about readers. Set in Paris before and during World War II, The Paris Library is truly historical fiction. The author's note at the end reveals that several of the characters were based on real people. I was especially pleased to find out that Dorothy Reeder, the director of the American Library in Paris, actually lived! There are many books that depict librarians as staid and strict--constantly shushing everyone around them. Most librarians are rather rebellious, so it makes perfect sense that librarians in Paris during WWII would have taken an active role in the resistance by making sure that all of their beloved patrons had access to books.

There are many great lines about books and libraries in this book, but this one really captures the heart of this book for me: "I believe in the power of books--we do important work, by making sure knowledge is available, and by creating community."

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Odile is a librarian working at the American Library in Paris in 1939, Lily lives in Montana in 1983. This is a story of how their lives intersect and so much more. There is the story of Odile's life and family during the war and her work at the library. Her move to her deceased husbands hometown in Montana and the tale of a young girl, trying to deal with growing up and the many changes life can throw at you. I am not a huge fan of WWII but, the details, the research and the work the author put into this story make it a wonderful read. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys well written historical fiction.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atira Books for the advanced ebook in exchange for a fair, honest review.