This book is lightly based on the true events of Paris in the 1940"s. I had never heard of The American Library which was founded by The American Library Association's Library War Service to serve U.S. forces personnel serving their allies in WWI. We come to know the main character, Odile, as a young woman interviewing for a job as a librarian at The American Library. The other main character is Lily, a young girl in the 1980's in Montana. Their lives intertwine and together tell the story of the occupation of Paris, the work of saving the library, Odile's family wartime hardships, and Lily's present-day trials as a young girl growing up and facing life's difficulties.
I received a free ebook from the publisher and this is my honest review of The Paris Library.

I loved this book! Odile is working at the American Library in Paris when the Nazis arrive.. They vow to remain open, and I their own form of quiet resistance, continue to circulate books to their troops and Jews. The dual timeline is an added later with Odile befriending a girl with her own struggles. This book has a everything! Frienship, bravery,betrayal, loss, and redemption! I highly, highly recommend!

The Paris Library is a delightful read for any bibliophile that also appreciates historical fiction. The story alternates between flashbacks in 1940s Paris and the early 1980s describing an unexpected friendship between two neighbors in small town Montana. Odile is a French woman who grew up in WWII-era Paris and never returned after following her husband to America and Lily is an American teen who lost her mom at an early age and is longing for an escape outside her immediate surroundings. Both the development of their relationship and its subsequent impact on each other's lives was heartwarming. The details surrounding the American Library in Paris where Odile previously worked as well as the lives of her colleagues added a wonderful depth to the story. I have already recommended this book to several friends who also love this genre!

Thank you for providing me an ARC of this book! I enjoyed reading this book and although I wasn’t in the mood for historical fiction, Charles really hooked me in with the plot. Pacing is a bit slow but its fairly the norm with historical fiction. I think the use of multiple timelines helped hook the audience in so it doesn’t feel AS slow.

I love historical fiction and books about books so this one was a perfect match.
Odile is a young woman who takes a job at a library during WWII. Her job is to protect the books and encourage people's love of reading during the war. Her parents didn't understand why she wanted to do this instead of getting married.
I loved the fierceness of Odile's character but she was so loveable- definitely a friend

I also loved the present day which was really the 1980s in small town Montana- told be Odile's neighbor Lily. I enjoyed their friendship and I wanted to be right there with both of them.
I enjoyed the authors notes and I could feel the love she poured into the book.

I love WWII books and so many of them are the same but this one told a different story and its so good.
Due out February 2021. Thanks to Netgalley for my advanced ebook copy.

Thank you to netgalley.com for the opportunity to read this ARC. Set in Nazi occupied Paris, and Froid, Montana in the 1980’s, we follow Odelia a Parisian who works in the American Library in Paris and Lily, a young girl who is searching for herself. Odelia becomes a mentor to Lily, but never reveals her secret about her time working at the library. Lily being Lily is not willing to leave it at that.

The story is based on the actual library and people who worked there and “subscribed” there. The story in Paris is the far more interesting of the two storylines, but even it has flaws. I felt like I was reading Historical Fiction “light.” Odelia’s actions are in defiance of Nazi law, but she is hardly a part of the resistance as described in numerous other fiction and non-fiction books. Margaret’s story could have been far more compelling. The round-up and deportation of the Jews should be far more detailed. This may not be a book about the Velodrome d’Hiver, but no mention at all? The book is cluttered with too many love stories. The Lily storyline in Montana is hardly necessary at all. I enjoyed reading it, but I wasn’t reading the book I thought it would be.

Although the overall pacing of the book was fairly slow, it was the kind of slow that kept me absolutely engrossed! There was such rich character development that I found myself attached to Odile and her life by the end of the novel. Because the author outlined her time working at the American Library in Paris, I could truly tell that there was so much detail, passion, and research went into this story. It was refreshing to read a new take on a WWII historical fiction novel, highlighting the importance of literature and books during such a difficult time. The Paris Library is the perfect read for both bibliophiles and francophiles.

<i>The Paris Library</i> is a historical fiction that has a unique focus on the people rather than the events of WWII. Odile Souchet is a young enthusiastic librarian who is trying to make her own way in her profession in spite of her family’s wishes. <i>The Paris Library</i> is the second novel by the award-winning author Janet Skeslien Charles.

Odile Souchet has no experience in library science but gets a job in the Paris Library because of her enthusiasm for the books and the library. She is made responsible for the periodical section where she meets many unusual subscribers and develops a close relationship with the other librarians. As the War begins and Paris is occupied the library is threatened but the librarians persevere and begin delivering books to subscribers who are not allowed entrance. Odile’s family relationship becomes very complicated. Her father and her lover are policemen who must support the Nazi regime when occupies Paris. Meanwhile, Odile’s twin brother Remy joins the army to fight the Nazis. The story jumps to 1983 in Montana where a young girl, Lily, develops a relationship with her reclusive next door neighbor when she decides to interview the neighbor for a school project. Both stories become linked when Lily decides she wants to know more about her neighbor’s secrets.

Although the story takes place primarily during WWII, the story is not about the war. It’s a real story about the people who live in Paris and are impacted by the Nazi occupation. This is an interesting perspective and the reason I really like the book. It’s a story about strength, heroism, loyalty, love and ultimately betrayal.

It’s also a story about books and how they can transcend any circumstance and tie people together in a common interest. It inspires me to visit the Paris Library. This is another reason why one has to love this book.

My only concern about the book is that it ends abruptly as if the author runs out time or page allocation. There are many questions unanswered and people left hanging. This is a disappointment.

I recommend this book to all people who love books and stories about books. I give it a 4 on 5 because of the ending but otherwise highly recommend the story. I want to thank NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with a digital copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review

My favorite genre to read is historical fiction, especially WWII historical fiction. I appreciated that the author did a lot of research and based the characters on real people. I could have lived without the dual timelines. The present day storyline didn't add much to the story for me. I would have much preferred that the war storyline was expanded on a little bit. It seemed like there was a lot that was glossed over that could have added a lot to the story. There were parts that felt important that didn't have very much detail. Overall I liked the book and learned about something I didn't know about before but I feel like I could have liked it more.

Set in two different time periods, The Paris Library is a well-written and engaging read. The book follows the experiences of Odile, a librarian and Lily, a high school student.
I felt as though it moved very slowly and I think it would have been a stronger book without the second story line involving Lily. I found myself rushing through those chapters to get back to what I considered the “main story” presented in this novel.

The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles is based on the true story of librarians who keep the American Library in Paris open during WWII.

Odile works in the library while her twin brother is in the French army. Her boyfriend is a Parisian police officer. When the Nazis occupy Paris, she does her part to resist the restrictions they imposed on the library. Odile finds treachery and betrayal as the war ends. Lily is a teenager who lives in a small town in Montana. As she gets to know her solitary neighbor, Odile, she learns they have more in common than she ever imagines.

If you love books and history, you're going to love this book. There are lots of delicious quote to discover. I was allowed to read this book on NetGalley. it is scheduled to be released February 2, 2021

Thank you to Atria Books for the gifted copy of The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles. All opinions are my own.

This is a must read for anyone who enjoys historical fiction based on true events. The Paris Library tells the story of the brave librarians during WWII who risked their lives to protect the American Library in Paris. Their bravery extended to delivering books to their patrons who were no longer allowed inside the library.

Yes this is a book about WWII but it's also so much more. In addiction to telling the story of the library during the war this is also a story about family, friends, loyalties, loss, and forgiveness. The dual timeline story centers around Odile. France 1939: Odile is a young, independent French woman who dreams of becoming a librarian at the American Library in Paris. Montana 1983: Odile is a mysterious next door neighbor to a curious middle schooler, Lily. What happened between 1939 and 1983? How did she end up in a small town in Montana? You will have to wait until the very end for some of the answers.

I loved the character of Odile. She has many layers and I enjoyed following her journey from Paris to Montana. The relationship that develops between Odile and Lily is beautiful and heartwarming.

Make sure to read the Author's Notes in the last chapter to find out about the characters who are real in the story and what became of them.

This book was hard to put down and I look forward to reading more from Janet Skeslien Charles.

Historical Fiction
Release Date: June 2, 2020

The Paris Library is set in two different times and two different places: Paris during WW2 and a small town, Froid, in 1980's Wyoming. The main charachter in each is Odile, a vivacious young librarian of the American Library in Paris and an old, retired church secretary in Wyoming. The author affords us a strong sense of place and quirky cast of charachters in each. The story is grounded in Odile's friendships, separated by over four decades, with two women: Margaret a young English woman married to a diplomat serving in Paris and Lily, a teenage girl trying to spread her wings beyond the confines of her small Wyoming town.

Two reoccurring themes are played out among the charachters: first, the healing and nourishing power of friendship. The patrons and librarians of the American Library, united by their love of books and each other,come together to transcend the physical and emotional difficulties of the Nazi years. Likewise, Lily's friendship with her partner in crime Mary Louise help her through her mother's death and her father's remarriage among other trials. The second theme, which dominates the last third of the novel questions the extent to which should we, must we, accept the foibles and flaws of our friends.

This novel, based in part on the real story of the American Library, is a loving paean to the power of and pitfalls inherent in friendship, I would warn the reader that this is not a book of good guys vs. bad. There is little here that would keep the reader at the edge of their seat. I would give it 4.5 stars rounded here up to 5 stars .

My favorite genre...."Historical Fiction"
Thank you NetGalley....for allowing me to preview this book!!!
I LOVED it
Duel timelines and set on Paris. It seemed well researched and portrayed the established American Library in Paris amidst the background of the Nazi occupation during WW2.
The character of Lily helping Odile heal from her difficult life. A story of deep disappointment, loss, hope, healing, and the devoted power of friendship.!
I gave it 4 stars!!!

I want to thank NetGalley and Astria Books for allowing me to read this book prior to publication and give an honest review. I was intrigued by this book as I, like the heroine, have a love for books. This book starts off in pre-WW2 in Paris as Odile is set for an interview at the American Library in Paris. Odile's dad is a police officer and her twin Remy is a revolutionary. Her mom is a sweet stay at home wife. Odile's dad tries setting her up with various men. She finally meets Paul, another police officer, who she instantly clicks with. Once Odile is hired at the APL, she makes fast friends with Ms. Reeder (the directress) and Boris (who has this uncanny way of knowing exactly what book each person needs to read at that time). The Nazi's eventually occupy Paris and all Jewish patrons are no longer allowed in the library. So Boris and Odile along with other patrons decide to deliver books to the Jewish patrons not allowed any longer in the library. Early in the book, Odile becomes friends with Margaret who is an English lady who is out of sorts in Paris. She ends up volunteering at the library.

Odile's story line regarding WW2 is intertwined with a story of Lily. This part of the story is based in 1984. Lily's mom gets sick and passed away and her dad remarries. Odile helps Lily through all of this while giving Lily French lessons. Lily discovers who she thinks Odile was back in Paris which is not the truth.

I truly enjoyed this book until the last three chapters. I still finished it but it was not the ending I expected (or liked). That is the reason I gave it four stars.

The Paris Library was very intriguing to me from the beginning-- I found that this book had a lot of potential, and I don't usually pick up historical fiction, but I thought I would try it out. It takes place in multiple stand points, which I find can be a little confusing if not written well. The book was easy to follow, but I thought that there were some storylines that felt slower than others, which made getting through the book very long-- it's over 400 pages to begin with. It had a lot of emotional baggage, as well, but there were many parts that held humor which were nice. Many life lessons were packed into the book, friendship was a large theme, and of course, reading about WWII is always interesting and gives a great plot to any book. I thought that overall, I was a little disappointed with it, and had higher hopes, but I still enjoyed it regardless. It wasn't my favorite, but I'll definitely look for other books by this author!I want to thank the publisher, author, and NetGalley for giving me an e-book copy in exchange for a review.

This book was better than I expected. As a book nerd, I really liked that the story revolved around a library. I highly recommend that you add this book to your reading list.

That to Netgalley and Atria for the E Arc. The Paris Library is a dual timeline story set in Paris during WWII and in Montana in the 1980s. Odile longs to work in the the American Library in Paris and against the wishes of her parents but with the blessing of her twin brother, Remy accepts a job there just before the outbreak of WWII. Lily longs to know more about here secretive and reclusive neighbor, Odile in Froid, Montana in the early 1980s. The book traces Odile's survival at the library during the war and the heroics of the library staff to help the Jewish patrons who are no longer allowed to set foot in the library of check out books. In Montana, Odile and Lilly become friends and bond over French lessons. Odile mentors the middle schooler and cautions her against her rasher instincts. The book spends more time in Paris and Odile's storyline and we learn the story of how Odile ends up in Froid. We learn about her missteps and her guilt about not being able to do more to help people. We also learn how she helps Lily so Lily does not make similar mistakes. The book is based on true events that happened at the American Library and it brings yet another perspective of life in Paris during the occupation and the heroism of ordinary people.

The Paris Library captures the voices of the courageous library staff who defied the Nazis to help the subscribers and to share a love of literature during WWII and the Nazis Occupation.
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I liked reading about the number system used in the libraries during those years for stacking the books and the reference of classics throughout.⁣
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The author, worked at the American Library, Paris and she used her extensive knowledge and love of books to enrich the language of The Paris Library. The dual timelines are an interesting way to reflect the contrast and similarities between WWII and 40 years later in Montana. The author’s brilliant storytelling technique is reflected on how she wove the story around the real characters and it is so captivating.⁣

World War II historical fiction novels are a dime a dozen...this one, however, is an exception to that rule. The setting of the American Library in Paris is unlike any other and makes for such an incredible story based on real characters. The main character, Odile, is fantastic - strong yet vulnerable. I love how the story toggles between WWII Paris and 1984 midwestern America. I really enjoyed this and highly recommend it.