Janet Charles weaves a powerful story in "The Paris Library". I am a fan of historical fiction and World War II is one of my favorite time periods. The author weaves the story back and forth in time from the late 1930's until the late part of the last century. The characters are strong and emotional. The main characters relate to each other thru a common love of books and learning thru the time and space of fifty years as each goes through their own traumatic and tragic times.
The author spins a tale of the past around the American library in Paris. A strong underlying part of the book is what war and survival does to the human spirit and mind. What would at once time seem inconceivable for a person one respects and loves to do becomes believable. If you love books, you love libraries and if you love libraries you will love this book.
To quote the author, "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."
Ms. Charles does an excellent job of weaving a story that will make you think and reflect and she hopes not on what you would have done in this situation.
Instead, Ms. Charles says, "I think a better question to ask is what can we do now to ensure that libraries and learning are accessible to all and that we treat people with dignity and compassion." A pretty good question for this time in our own history. Read this book. It is a journey.
Thanks #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

***I received an ARC from Netgalley and the Publisher in exchange for my honest review.***

Very rarely does a historical fiction rope me in right off the bat; but this book was everything I hoped for and MORE. Following Odile and Lily on their journey through their very, VERY different times was truly a joy and I wish it had not ended.

What I loved about this book:

-The love of literature.
-The relationships created and their strength.
-The vivid images that the author creates of the times (mainly WWII).
-Overall, the characters. I loved them all!

What I didn’t love about this book (this list was tricky to create):

-How we were left to wonder what happened with Odile and Margaret (did she write to her or what?!).
-Odile’s abrupt departure from Paris... I felt as though I wanted more from that moment.

As a sucker for WWII Historical Fiction movies, tv shows, and books, The Paris Library was a perfect mix of the time period and bookish love! I LOVED learning more about the American Library in Paris, as well as how those in it fought to keep it going despite the War. While there were times that the POV changes interrupted the older storyline, I did like seeing Odile's post-war lifestyle and thoughts, especially as it gave a great, more contemporary lens/vantage point. As a big fan of this new book, I can't wait to read more from Janet Skeslien Charles!

The Paris Library by Janice Skeslien Charles is based on a true Second World War story of the heroic librarians, one that I was unfamiliar with and learnt so much, one reason why historical fiction is one of my favourite genres. Set in two different time periods France 1939 - 1944 and the other in Montana 1983-1989. The book focuses on a librarian and a high school student.

Although the characters are well developed, and the history is well established I did find this book a little on the slow side. I enjoyed the library references, anything about books!

The authors note at the end of the novel added extra dimension to this book, it was an excellent epilogue for certain characters who we discover were actual people. We realize just how much research was done in writing this book.


Thank you #netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I had been highly anticipating the release of this book since it was first announced and was very sad to see the publication date pushed back to February 2021. Thankfully, NetGalley and Simon and Schuster granted me an advanced copy in return for an honest review, which I’m more than happy to give. I enjoyed every minute of this book and didn’t want to put it down. It absolutely lived up to my expectations. However, I do admit I would have preferred for the entire novel to come from Odile’s perspective in Nazi occupied Paris rather than switching off with Lily’s story during the 1980s in Montana. Even so, I quickly warmed to Lily and appreciated being able to see comparisons between her and Odile’s personal qualities and characteristics.

Every detail of the American Library in Paris made me feel right at home and long to be able to return to my local library. All of the habitués personalities blended perfectly and formed a devoted, second family. Therefore, I could identify with their strong relationships with books as well as their determination to defend the library against the Nazis, even though it meant risking their lives. Most notably, I thought the personal conflicts that Odile faced regarding love, loss, friendship, and her integrity were appropriate and are still relatable today.

I have been a little burnt out on books like this but gave it a go anyways and really enjoyed this one! Engaging characters and story that kept me reading once I picked it up.

I absolutely love historical fiction and especially WWII historical fiction so The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles fit me perfectly! It has dual timelines (France 1939-1944) and Montana (1983-1989) and while I much preferred the France timeline, the Montana one allowed a way for Odile to tell her story.

Odile was a librarian in The American Library in Paris before and during the Nazi’s occupation of Paris and tells of her library family and all the things they did to keep the library open throughout the war thus allowing a little escape into books for their subscribers.

The characters and details of the library and Odile’s family
are wonderful and you can tell the author did some amazing research! In fact, she even worked in the American Library in Paris herself!! Some characters are actually real!

The Montana timeline finds Odile as a widow still carrying a lot of emotions of the war and a little girl,Lily, who helps her work through it while battling some of her own coming down age issues.

This book will be out early next year but put it on your list if this topic sounds good to you! Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read this!

Books! Paris! WW2! Romance! Books! A gorgeous old library and a mysterious libbrarian. More books! Did I mention the books? You might be rolling your eyes and wondering if we really :need: another WW2 book. Trust me the answer is a resounding yes. This is a beautifully written story and a great example of how when the dual narrative is done correctly, it really works. I had a hard time putting this book down, just wanted to continue Lily and Odile's story and see how it was all going to come together, Without giving anything away, let's just say it all came together seamlessly and perfectly with a literary bang. My only criticism is the somewhat bleak cover; it doesn't really do anything for the story nor does it jump out at you and make you want to read this book. Which you absolutely should. **I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

This book was very enjoyable. I have 2 things I didn’t like about it. I’m picky about books that chance POV and I didn’t love it in this book. I also felt like the ending dragged on. Other than that, the book was fantastic! It was so interesting to read about WW2 from characters that weren’t people who are Jewish nor were they prisoners. They were just a regular group of people living in France while it was occupied by Germany. I also loved that it centered around a library!

I received an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

WOW just WOW!!! This book came to a boiling point near the end. WOO! This one is set mostly inside or near the American Library of Paris. The setting is just gorgeous. We get an in-depth look at what it was like to work inside the ALP, for a book nerd this was exhilarating. Just as we get comfortable in our journey WWII breaks out. Then Paris is occupied. The ALP employees struggle with keeping their subscribers supplied in books, yes that sounds simple enough until they are told there are certain people that may NOT borrow books. Well, a librarian's goal is to put books into people's hands so the employees have to think about how to serve all. The book was superb because Paris was occupied, but once we get to that point it becomes outstanding!

I think this book is definitely for the book lover, but also the lover of France, Paris, WWII historical fiction, and a smidgeon of romance.

I left out the part where there is also a timeline set in the 80s and this timeline will answer all your questions from the war timeline.

Please don't let this one pass you by.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

One of my favorite things about historical fiction is that it's historically based. The characters we meet in these books are based on real life people and often they are inspiring, brave, heroic, etc. Through them we learn about a life we've never and can never live and we see history in a new light. The Paris Library is no different in this effect.

I loved learning about the American Library in Paris and the cast of characters were all based on real people during WWII. It was a bit difficult at first to follow all the characters, but I loved reading the author's note at the end and learning more about the people on the page.

The friendship between the aloof Odile and teenage Lily was my favorite part of the book. Neither character had it easy and both seem to bring out the best and the worst of each other. The writing was extremely well done, mixing two time periods and personalities very well together.

I've said it before, I'm not a huge historical fiction fan but I'm so glad my friend loaned me this book. I was hesitant but after hearing her rave about it and reading a few 5 star reviews, I figured I would give it a shot and I'm so glad that I did! The writing was beautiful and there was such romance and heartbreak and freakin' PARIS. How can you not fall in love with a book mainly set in such a romantic place AND in a library! Anyway, this doesn't come out for a while but I'll definitely be recommending it to a ton of people at the bookstore because I have loads of historical fiction fans. I highly recommend this and just look at that cover!

Based on a true WWII story, The Paris Library tells the tale of Odile Souchet a young librarian in the midst of the second world war, dealing with betrayal, love, family, friendship, and dealing with the past.

In 1939, Odile Souchet, recently graduated seeks to find a job with the things she loves most: books. Accepted at the American Library in Paris, Odile forms bonds with different types of people which play an important role to her future. Her father is strict and her mother is a typical loving housewife while her and her twin brother Rémy, fight their father on the ways of independence and self-discovery.

As Odile discovers her love for working as a librarian, the looming Nazi occupation that enters Paris begins to unfold and she must learn to adapt to the sudden and large changes of the world around her.

Now jump to 1983, Lily, a high school student in Montana recently fighting the tragic loss of her mother must deal with her father marrying a younger woman only a few months after the death of her mother. Finding a connection with her elderly French neighbor, Odile, when she has to interview her for a school project.

I gave The Paris Library five stars and absolutely enjoyed my time reading this book. The powerful message about the Nazi occupation of World War II made me hold my breath in some parts of the book and the twists of betrayal made me captivated and excited to dive deeper into the story.

Odile’s original fascination with the Dewey Decimal System shined through this book and made this even more interesting to read and her personal connection as to why she loved it so much made her story fascinating to read. Odile’s character growth throughout the book was intense and to see her fall in love and gain friendship throughout the book and her ups and downs throughout the course of her life.

Her relationship with Paul who was introduced to her by her father played an important role in her life as well as her story in the past of when she was living in Paris. He pushed Odile to realize the power of love throughout working at the library and discovering the truth about the Nazi occupation that had arrived in Paris and the connections in her life that she would soon discover.

I enjoyed reading Lily’s point of view as well because she played a big role in getting Odile to open up about her past. Odile had been in solitude ever since her husband Buck passed away so when Lily comes into her home asking for an interview, Odile begins to find pieces of her in Lily. Their bond grew throughout Lily discovering who Odile was and was great to read throughout the book because it showed how Lily grew into a stronger more confident teenager with the help of Odile and Odile grew too open up more to the people around her after the death of her husband.

My one complaint was Odile’s second husband, Buck. I found that he played an important role in Odile’s story after she met Lily but there was so little times where he was featured in the books when they would flashback to when Odile was still in Paris. We got parts when they actually met but we never come to find more about their fast marriage and what ended up happening to Paul, Odile’s first husband.

But, that was not something that I was too worried about throughout the book and all in all I absolutely fell in love with Odile and Lily and their friendship that slowly blossomed and grew and how they both developed into better versions of themselves at the end of the book.

Thank you again to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was drawn into this historical novel about the American Library in Paris. I loved premise, this history (WW II) and the characters. I felt connected to the characters and a part of the library group. I loved the different perspectives of diplomats and expatriates that made the library their home. The friendships that were there were unmatched. There was a parallel story set in the 1980s that connected one of the characters to another family. Through the two storylines, we were given Odile's story, her family, her friends at the library, and her loves.

This story definitely showed life in all its beauty and messiness. there was no true happy ending and definitely disappointments along the way. It was beautiful in it's imperfectness. The subject matter was heavy at times. There was some content with some medium heat to it.

This was a story of life and all it's struggles. It was about friendship, family, and survival. If you are interested in the history of WW II and the impact on books, this is story to read. If you are interested in complicated relationships, this is a story to read.

I was given an early copy through NetGalley and this is my review.

As a lover of historical fiction, world war II stories, and books about books, I was thrilled to receive an advance reading copy of this book from NetGalley (thanks NetGalley!). I dove into it immediately.

This book had a very promising storyline, merging 1940's Paris with 1980's Montana, however, I found that it never quite lived up to my expectation.

I found the character development to be very abrupt. There was no really natural flow to the building of relationships or characters throughout the book. It seemed like best friends were made over the course of a page so that I never really felt invested in the characters or the story. It could just be that I don't like the writer's style, as there are numerous 4 and 5 star reviews for this book. But I felt that the writing didn't flow and the characters were one dimensional. It did get better near the end, but by then, I just didn't care about the characters.

Thank you to the author Janet Skeslien Charles, publisher Simon & Shuster and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Paris Library is centered around the American Library in Paris, during the Nazi Occupation. American,British,Canadian, Russian, and French, employees and patrons, unite to keep the Library open as a refuge from the horrors of war. Luckily, a sympathetic Nazi librarian secretly helps them. They risk their lives to deliver books to Jews and soldiers. The main character, Odile, a young French librarian, is a witness to the devastation of the occupation. Death, hunger and torture are constant companions for everyone in Paris. I enjoyed learning about The American Library in Paris. The characters are well developed, and the story well researched. This is a great read for historical fiction fans. I was given a copy by the publisher for an honest review.

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With thanks to NetGalley for an early copy in return for an honest review.

In my opinion, the best historical fiction books are the ones that leave you wanting to research the people, places and events behind the story. And The Paris Library does this in spades. I not only want to learn more about the librarians of The American Library in Paris, but I want to visit the library myself! I enjoyed getting to know the cast of characters and moving between the 1940's and the 1980's. I also liked the reminder in the story that people have so many layers and are more than just one good, or bad decision.

Thank you Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC of The Paris Library by Janet Skestien Charles.

I enjoyed the story of Odile and her time at the American Library in Paris during the years starting 1939 through 1944.. She shows such strength in standing her ground when her parents couldn't understand why she would want to work at the library. The relationship between her and her twin brother Remy was lovely. I've heart that the relationship between twins is as much unspoken as spoken and this was represented well in the book. I have learned yet another aspect of WWII and all the librarians did to protect the books and also their subscribers (patrons) when the Nazis entered Paris.. The fact that they risked their own lives to deliver books to their subscribers is amazing. I do wish the pronunciation of Odile's name (OH-DEAL) was mentioned earlier in the book. For me, it would have helped.

I also enjoyed the story of Lily and her story, beginning in 1983 through 1988. I was not sure it was needed until I got to almost the last chapter and you learn why Lily was needed, and what she did for Odile. That was very heartwarming. I loved learning French with Lily through Odile and how Odile would touch Lily's foot when she was anxious, as she and Remy did as children. It was so nice to see Lily and Ellie's relationship evolve. Lily needed Ellie as much as Odile to help her grow.

And let's not forget about the story of the library, with all of its books, subscribers, and that beautiful Dewey Decimal System. The subscribers were all wonderful characters who added so much breath to the library. The story of the library during WWII was told so beautifully from the Bibliotheksschutz-Library Protector-being kind to the embloyees to the darkening of the windows during the Occupation. The descriptions of the library were beautiful.

I do wish there was some sort of resolution between Margaret and Odile, and also Odile and Paul, and Odile and her parents. I felt there were some storylines that needed better closure.

The author did some great research and I was so pleased to learn in the Author's Note that many, if not most, of the characters in the book were based on the real librarians at the ALP. I look forward to learning more about the ALP on my own.

Historical fiction is not a genre I usually read however, I was interested in this book because the story is set in Paris and Montana. I love to read books that shuffle between characters and time periods and I found the combination of Paris and Montana unique and intriguing especially knowing the book is based on true events at the American Library in Paris during WWII.

The story weaves around the main character, Odile, and switches between her time as a librarian in Paris during WWII and as a widow in a small town in Montana where she develops a deep friendship with her neighbors, a young lady named Lily, and her family. When the story began, I was enthralled with the American Library, the librarians, and their subscribers. As the Nazis occupy Paris, every character is affected and every move is watched. The bravery of the librarians, who kept books distributed and hope alive to their subscribers during this time was captivating to read about and then switching the story to Montana, set in the 1980 kept my attention as the friendship between Lily and Odile grows during the death of Lily’s mother and her father’s marriage to Ellie (Eleanor).

There were times in the middle, when Odile is helping Lily through her grief, angst, and jealousy, where the story dragged, thus my 4-star rating. However, in the end, I found their friendship to be as inspiring and authentic as Odile’s relationship with her friends and family in Paris.

Any reader who enjoys historical fiction will appreciate this novel, especially if you’re a librarian or a fan of libraries.

Thanks to Janet Skeslien Charles, NetGalley, and Simon & Schuster for an advanced review copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Paris Library is a beautiful book with dual timelines about women who are searching to come to terms with traumatic experiences in their lives.

Odile works as a librarian at the American Library in German-occupied Paris, and Lily is a teenage girl facing a major life change in Froid Montana in the 80s. I loved both of these characters and how they grew through their experiences, and I found i couldn’t put this book down until I finished it. I highly recommend it!