This book is based on the true story of the American Library in Paris during World Ward II, and the heroic librarians that stood up for what they beilived in.
This stroy follws Oldie and present day and her encounters with Lily, the teenage girl next door. The book weaves in time of present day and Oldie's past in Paris. I found this book to be educational and also a story of family and friendship and what we must do to protect them. One of my favourite quotes from the book, "Accept people for who they are, not for who you want them to be." This book will follow be for a long time, the histoy that unfolds and the magic of the books are an amazing adventour through time.

Odile worked for the American Library in Paris during World War Two. Fast forward to 1983 and Odile is widowed and living alone in Freud, Montana. Odile is befriended by her next door neighbour, Lily, who begins to ask about Odile’s past. She struggles to keep the library open to provide the public and soldiers with some type of distraction from the horror of their everyday lives during the war. Lily is intrigued to learn about how Odile ended up in Freud. As their friendship blossoms, Odile begins to open up and share about her life and we get glimpses as she experiences love and loss, in both her personal and professional life.

This book incorporated two of my fave things: libraries and French. I love to read and I love to speak French (I’m a French Immersion teacher) so I naturally gravitated towards this story. I loved this retelling of events in Paris from the unique perspective of a librarian. I enjoyed the flipping back and forth of timelines as it kept my attention with Lily’s personal troubles as well. The characters from Odile’s time at the library were lovely and really helped shape the story. I enjoyed the author’s note at the end that revealed the real people whom the characters were based on and the role the American Library played during World War Two. If you are a historical fiction fan, I would definitely recommend this book! Thank you to @simonandschuster, @librofm and @netgalley for my advanced copies.

I was very excited for this book. A WWII story centered on a library? That sounds amazing. And I really did like that part of the book. And I wish that was all the story had been. However, it also included a more modern timeline that I did not think added to the story at all. This one didn't quite live up to my expectations.

Charles was born in Montana and now divides her time between there and Paris. This is her second novel, her first being "Moonlight in Odessa". This book is based on the true lives of the librarians at the American Library in Paris and the events of the World War II years. It is set in two times periods, one starting in 1939 Paris and the second in 1983 Montana. In Paris we follow the life of Odile who, has been just hired as a librarian at the library. As war ramps up, she and her fellow librarians do what they can to both keep books flowing and also help others. In Montana we meet Lily, a teenage girl who happens to live next door to a widowed Odile. When Lily's mom dies and her life changes she finds a friend in Odile and pries out her story. There are elements of romance and forgiveness and the need to take responsibility for your actions. This is a good recommendation for fans of the genre and those who love libraries.

This book takes place in dual timelines. In one, it's 1939 in Paris, as glamorous a city as ever. Odile Souchet is about to start her dream job as a librarian at the American Library in Paris (ALP), she has a handsome police officer beau, and her brother Remy is her best friend. Everything is perfect. But when the Nazis take occupation of Paris, she has everything to lose. Her and her fellow librarians remain open and join the resistance in the best way they know, via books. This piece is based on a true story, the librarians of the ALP were considered heroes of their time.

In the other, it's 1983 in Montana. Lily is a lonely teenager who is intrigued by the elderly lady living next door. She is elegant, has books everywhere, and comes from a mysterious past. They have more in common than she realizes.

This book tells a powerful story. Sometimes we feel helpless when there are events occurring in the world that feel so much bigger than us. It shows that resistance can take any form, and doesn't have to be as grand as facing something head on. These librarians were so courageous, and it was so nice to see them portrayed that way. We saw how average citizens got swept into the evil plans of the Nazis. It told about love, loss, betrayal and heroism. We can all learn something from the obstacles that Odile faced and overcame in her life.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction and to anyone who loves reading! It's nice to read a book about someone's love of books.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada and NetGalley for the eGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This historical fiction is set in dual timelines where we follow the life of Odile, from her time as a young librarian in Paris during WWII, through to Montana in 1983.

I instantly fell in love with the characters and enjoyed seeing Odile through the eyes of her young neighbour in her later life. The perspective of Lily allows a natural progression into the long term affects the war has on Odile.

I loved the notes included at the end of the book on the characters and the real people they represented.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book and give it 4 stars
⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to @netgalley and @simonandschuster for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I have just finished reading The Paris Library, by Author Janet Skeslien Charles.

This is a historical Fiction that takes place in Paris from 1939, and small-town Montana in early 80’s.

The main character Odile Souchet is a book lover who finds herself a library job at The Paris library during wartime.

As far as historical fiction is concerned this book has a good story, characters that you care about and have been researched out from real people.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and the writing style of the Author.

Thank You to NetGalley, Author Janet Skeslien Charles and Simon & Schuster Canada for my advanced copy to read and review.

#NetGalley

This book reminds me why historical fiction will always be my favourite genre. I love to read stories based on past events, as they all at least have some kernel of truth to them. Reading the author's notes in historical fiction novels is something I highly recommend - you can learn about the actual group of people in history who inspired the story, and it makes the characters all the more real.

The Paris Library is set in two timelines - Odile, twenty years old and working as a librarian at the American Library in Paris, is seeing the war tear apart everything she loves. Her twin brother is off fighting, her chief-of-police father is being enlisted by the Nazis to round up Jewish citizens, her British best friend is doing what she can to look out for her daughter, and the staff at the library are under constant surveillance. Odile learns that her actions, even the smallest ones, have deadly consequences, and that war changes even the people you thought you knew best.
In Montana during the 1980's, Odile has suddenly become an object of interest to her teenage neighbour, Lily. Having continuously stayed distant from her neighbours, Odile suddenly finds herself with a surprising friend, who she shares her past with. While Lily is going through more than her share of teenage troubles, she and Odile develop an unlikely friendship, that helps each of them open up their hearts in ways they never expected.

This is a story about a love of books, but more importantly, it offers many valuable life lessons. Life is fleeting. The choices we make have consequences on everyone around us, and are often irreversible. Odile teaches Lily that jealousy can get the best of you, that family is always worth the sacrifice, and that finding your passion allows you to make the most of life. I found this to be a beautiful story, and one I would recommend to anyone looking for a historical fiction.

Thank you Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for the chance to read an advanced copy of The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles. As a Library Technician in the field for over thirty years reading a book that is “Based on the true World War II story of the heroic librarians at the American Library in Paris” I so wanted to like this book. And in some way I did. The historical parts I found fascinating. Some of the story was riveting, some parts were not. Odile Souchet, is obsessed with books and the Dewey Decimal System and wants nothing but to work at the American Library in Paris …and obsessed is correct. She spews out Dewey numbers constantly. This for me became a bit irritating. The main issue I had was with the dual timeline, which seems to be an “in” thing these days. I just wasn’t interested in Lily’s storyline in 1983 as much as I could have been. The Paris Library is one of those books where some readers will love it, while others won’t, but you decide. Either way remember this woman Dorothy Reeder (Director, American Library) 3 1/2 stars rounded up to 4

When I read the synopsis for The Paris Library for the first time on NetGalley I knew almost immediately that I would quickly fall in love with this story. The first of the books timelines follow Odile as she enters her new position at The American Library in Paris. When World War II breaks out they do everything they can to get books into the hands of Jewish readers as Germany occupies the city. 44 years later we are introduced to Lily as she connects with Odile, and they both help each other prepare for the future and learn from the past. So first off huge thanks to the team at NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for allowing me to read an ARC of The Paris Library.

I have a soft spot in my heart for Historical Fiction that centers around WWII and literature that acts as a love letter of sorts to both reading and writing. This book does this near perfectly. One of the bigger takeaways from The Paris Library was how people can come together during dark periods of time. An example of this is shown between two characters who in theory should detest each other, but their actions towards one another are sweet and caring. There are of course copious amounts of other examples to highlight this, and each one will warm your heart equally. As someone who spent many hours at either my school or community library growing up, reading about The American Library feels just as familiar. It acts as a meeting place, a sanctuary, a source of knowledge and power, a beacon of hope, and so many more things to the characters.

The ending personally felt slightly rushed, but this is a comment I have for a lot of books I read, so it definitely is not a knock at the ending, which was wonderful (and will make you cry). As a literary historical fiction read it checks off all my boxes and then some! Could not recommend it enough!

What is so striking about this book is that it is based on true stories from the American Library in Paris. Written in dual timelines, the author takes her readers on two journeys, one in Paris during WWII and the other in 1980s Montana. Both timelines are riveting and interesting, though my preference was for the one in Paris as I adore Europe and reading about the WWII era.

Odile, a young librarian at the ALP in 1903, is smitten with her job as she gets to indulge in her book and reading passion, the ability to lend books to others and to preserve the written word. Later, in 1983, Lily, a young girl in Montana visits and befriends older Odile. Odile is known to keep to herself but opens up to Lily as they form a deep attachment. Odile's past and a profusion of emotions comes to light throughout the book. We read about heartache and love, secrets and truths and the effects of our circumstances and choices. The author also insightfully describes the human spirit.

Book banning and burning became commonplace during WWII and many people resorted to hiding or mailing their precious books. People were arrested and worse just for owning them, especially if deemed dangerous. This is an important thread in the book but there are others, equally interesting, including the appalling treatment of Jews. We also see many relationships blossom, fail and stick like glue. As a voracious reader and lover of books I quickly became attached, though did not feel particularly connected to the characters. But what intriguing stories! And the ending!

My sincere thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this enthralling book in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada, Janet Skeslien Charles, and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this bookin exchange for an honest review.

What an incredible piece of historical fiction. A genre I have taken a dive into in more recent years, this one is near the top of my favourites and is a perfect portrayal of how the world of libraries and books can have such a great impact on communities. This story is also a reality check that you do not know what kind of a day another person is having and that the simple act of just saying hello and starting a conversation can change everything!

The Paris Library is a reminder of who we need to be and what we need to do. While we may be shocked and in awe of the events that have taken place in the past and the acts people committed, it shows us that we can and we HAVE to make a difference. There are so many parallels to historical fiction works (that are based on real events) such as this and the world we live in today. There IS a war going on in our world today and that is the war between white supremacy and BIPOC. The events that are taking place could someday be the base of future novels, fiction and otherwise.

I recommend this book to those who enjoy historical fiction, particularly WWII works, and enjoy diving into the library community!

4.5 STARS - I have been on a Historical Fiction kick lately because there are so many amazing books that will publish this winter! I have read a lot of books in this genre set during WWII, but The Paris Library stood out for me due to its different perspective of the war. This is a story about the heroism of a group of librarians working in the American Library in Paris (ALP) during WWII who surreptitiously smuggled books to their Jewish patrons, despite the constant threat of the Third Reich.

The story is told using two timelines and POVs. The first is set during WWII and follows Odile Souchet, a young librarian who has just started working at the American Library in Paris. This story line was my favourite of the two, particularly because I'm a Library Assistant and book lover myself. The strength of this book is in its characters. Instead of focusing on the front lines of the war, we witness its devastation through Odile's experiences of love, loss, betrayal, and perseverance. I especially enjoyed seeing the connections she forged with the diverse group of library patrons who become Odile's support system.

The second timeline occurs in the mid 1980's and focuses on Lily, a lonely high school student who lives next door the elderly Odile. The two create an unlikely friendship and its through Lily's POV that we get more of a personal look at family dysfunction, loss, friendship, and the lasting effects of the war on Odile.

This story is a great combination of history and heart. I strongly encourage readers to not miss the author's note at the end where she explains how she wove her story around real events during the German occupation of Paris. I loved that Skeslien Charles included the lives of real people, in particular, Dorothy Reeder (the perfect librarian name if ever there was one!), who was the director of the ALP from 1936 to 1941.

This well-researched story blends fact and fiction into an impressive and engaging story that focuses on the impact of the war on the lives of regular people and the heroism of a group of librarians who were determined to keep the library accessible to their Jewish patrons despite the strict Nazi ban. These librarians also instigated the Soldiers Service which shipped over 100,000 books to English, French and Czech soldiers on the front lines. The book has a lull or two, but overall, this is an engaging story that focuses on the power of community and how books and libraries bring people together, making them an integral part of society even in the darkest of times.

‘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.’
- Dorothy Reeder -

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to the publisher for providing me a complimentary digital copy of this title in exchange for my honest review.

The Paris Library is a book that made me laugh and cry. If you have ever read a book, found it super satisfying and wanted to savour it for some hours longer, you have experienced how I felt with this book. It made my heart ache in the chapters that related directly to atrocities of war and I wanted to stop the characters from saying and doing things that were clearly so dangerous. I was invested in Odile's journey and her present and am so glad that she found Lily and moulded her into an even more avid reader. Their connection was so sweet to read about and added another dimension to the story.

The Paris Library shows the descent of a society from a time of peace into a time of unrest with the Second World War. The community has to come together to support everyone and keep moving forward inspite of all the fear and terror. Every single individual might not be at the battle field but that does not mean that they are not fighting in their own right. When the German authorities declare certain books banned in France as well as make it illegal for Jews to use the library, the librarians of The American Library in Paris take a stand and continue to deliver books to their patrons. They face security checks and curfews but they make sure to check on the people that have to be isolated from the rest of the society because of discrimination.

The Paris Library has a number of intense relationships – the connection between Odile and her brother, Remy, Odile’s friendship with Margaret, a Britisher in Paris, her love for Paul, Odile’s relationship with her parents, especially her dad as the war reveals certain secrets that she finds hard to fathom. The pain of having a brother or child or spouse away at the warfront and awaiting news for them made for some brutal moments in the book. Developing new relationships like with a step-mom were also touched upon beautifully.

Read full review on Armed with A Book.

BOOK REVIEW
The Paris Library by Janet Skeslein Charles

Thank you to @netgalley and @simonandschusterca fro my ARC in exchange for an honest review

Synopsis
Odile is a young librarian in 1939 Paris working at the American Library when World war breaks out out and Paris becomes occupied by German Nazis. Odile and her friends risk their lives to save the written word and bring hope in the form of books to the persecuted hiding in the city.

Montana 1983, Lily, a teenager who struggles to fit in befriends her elderly neighbour Odile during a school project. Lily and Odile share a love of France and books but Odile’s past remains a mystery. Referred to as the War Bride no one knows her story, until now.

REVIEW
Historical fiction set in WW2 has got to be one of my favourite time periods. I love hearing the personal stories of people who lived through the war, forever changed by their experiences.

The Paris Library is based upon a true story, the characters, though somewhat adapted, lived, their stories are real. The truth of their lives immediately drew me in, knowing these people existed made me feel even more connected to their stories. Libraries are a special place to me. As a bullied middle schooler I sought refuge in the school library and the books I hauled home in my backpack. It was a place where I felt understood and accepted and it offered escape from my real world problems. The American library in Paris was that and so much more. It brought people from other cultures, beliefs, and economic status together, first in their love for books, and then in their joint mission to save the library.

The story itself is amazing, but for me, the book didn’t really live up to my expectations. Does Lily’s story matter- nope- only as far as her friendship in uncovering Odile’s past. I was completely engaged in Odile’s chapters, and by halfway through when the POV switched to Lily I started skimming the page I didn’t need her to understand Odile.

I especially loved the notes on the characters and the real people they represented in the end notes of the book. It provided closure about what happened to the patrons of the American library and the library itself.

Overall a good book but not a great book. I am sure people who enjoy historical fiction would enjoy its pages. Perhaps others would appreciate Lily’s parallel storyline more than I did.

I wanted to love this book, however it felt very disjointed to me. I really enjoyed the historical aspect of the book and loved learning about The American Library (I immediately did a search for it when I was done to look at pictures and see how it was operating current day). However, the chapters/storyline in the future just were lost on me. It didn’t feel like it enhanced the story at all and they felt out of place. I normally love this type of narrative of jumping back and forth, but I would have much preferred the whole book was told in the past. I didn’t enjoy Lily or any of those characters and it felt like their story was told at warp speed.

I also found Odile to be rather unlikable. Some of the relationships and arguments felt very forced and I didn’t root for her.

However, I loved learning the history and I loved the supporting characters. I love historical fiction but the library was something I knew nothing about before. The afterward was my favourite part of the book where I learned how many characters were real people!

I think this book would appeal to people who haven’t read much historical fiction.
There was not as much emotional impact for me in this one like most WW2 set novels.

I absolutely adored this book! The staff and patrons of the American Library in Paris became a family through shared hardships during the German occupation. I really liked that how the story jumped back and forth between Odile's life in Paris during WWII and her life in Montana during the early 80s. Odile's close friendship with Margaret in Paris was mirrored in her friendship with Lily in Montana. This book reminds the reader of how the relationships in our lives can help us persevere through hardship.

I really enjoyed this book - it is a great read for any lover of books or anyone who loves historical fiction. As someone who loves both, this book was perfect for me!
The writing was really smooth and the story flowed nicely.

This book was really well done. It had a dual timeline, spanning from 1939 Paris to 1983 Montana, and I felt it was pretty easy to keep track of the plot. Both stories held up well on their own. I’ve never visited Paris and I had never heard of the American Library there, but I’m proud of the efforts everyone put in to promote reading and sending books to all the troops. Not a lot of focus was put on how the rest of the city or the Jews were faring during the occupation, but it was interesting to learn how the librarians struggled and adapted.

“After the darkness of war, the light of books.” (ALP’s motto)

I am only giving this book three stars, because I didn't enjoy it, although I see why so many people did, It was a good book, I think, and it was well written, I just didn't like it.

It was set in two time lines, showing parallels between them. It was the story of Odile, a young woman living in Paris during World War 11 under Nazi Occupation. And the story of Lily, a young girl in Montana in 1983 - 1989 who lives next door to Odile. The two find that they need each other, become friends, and their stories and inner feelings are told through this relationship.

There is a lot for the characters to learn, and a lot for the reader to take away also. Life in wartime was one theme, and so was jealousy, survival, and fairness. Since Odile was a librarian in Paris, and Lily a student, books and the power that story has in our life is another theme. We are affected by our actions, and by the reasons for and circumstances around those actions.

What really stood out for me here was those parallels between the characters, and that despite differences and hardships our similarities are more than our differences. You just have to be willing to look for them. Also, the truth that change changes everything.