I loved this book! It was so interesting to read from a somewhat different perspective of WWII Nazi 9ccupied France. I enjoyed reading about the library and the book lending program they started in order to make sure all their patrons still had books to read.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for eARC! All opinions are my own. I apologize for my delay in reviewing, but am grateful for the chance to read and review this book!

This is such a complicated book for me to review. First, let's start with the cover which is absolutely gorgeous! That would pull any Paris lover into the story. Second, this book had so many DELIGHTFUL quotes about books that just made me book lover heart warm:

"I gorged on those too, like chocolate cake, like love. I cared so deeply about the characters that they became real." (I've absolutely felt that love for characters - and chocolate cake!)
"I'd tried to keep Paul in the margins of my mind, but he'd moved to the middle of the page, to the center of my story." (Tying books and love together just makes my heart sing)
"It's wonderful to get to know someone by the books they love." (Absolutes 100%, I love connecting with this book calls a "bookmate" - a soulmate of books)
"Libraries are lungs...Books the fresh air." (I feel this so deeply, I'd feel lost without books)

And the list goes on and on. I was giggling with glee as I read these sections. I knew the storyline would turn more serious as the book went on, and it did in a way that flowed well with the story. I loved learning about how the librarians in occupied France kept delivering books to their members, whether Jew or not. They made sure everyone had books to read, at great risks to themselves. I also loved seeing Odile as an older woman in the second storyline within this book. But as the book started wrapping up, I felt like I was grabbing at loose ends. What was tied up, felt rushed. And I literally turned the last page thinking there was more. Did Odile ever reunite with Margaret? Why didn't she have a ticket to go to Paris with Lily? I would loved, even a 10 page epilogue, of Odile and Lily in Paris together.

All in all, this was a gorgeously written book, I have many many highlights, but I was just left wanting a little bit at the end. My husband would tell me it's the American in me wanting a perfect happy ending, and maybe it is, but needless to say I simply wanted more.

Lily's next door neighbor is a mystery. The elderly woman lives alone and rumors about her past run rampant through their small Montana town. Her age and accent cause speculation that Odile's departure from her home country had something to do with the war and Lily can't help but be curious. Deciding to befriend her Lily knocks on her door and learns much more than the truth about her neighbor's past. Told in dual timelines, through multiple POVs "The Paris Library" is a beautiful story about two women coming into their own, discovering their independence and experiencing the effects of their own life choices in two different times. It's difficult to review this book without giving too much of this gorgeous plot away. I love a good historical fiction that teaches you something new about a period that is written about so frequently. I highly recommend reading through to the author's notes as she explains that most of the characters in "The Paris Library" are based on real people and events in their lives. Give this one an add if you are fans of this genre. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was not quite as gripping for me as I had hoped it would be. Regardless, the characters were well developed and offered a unique insight into this time period. I did enjoy the depth of the library setting and the use of the Dewey Decimal System throughout the book.

Title: The Paris Library
Author: Janet Skeslien Charles
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 3.5
Pub Date: February 2, 2021

Thank you to Atria Books for providing an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

T H R E E • W O R D S

Enchanting • Unforgettable • Literary

📖 S Y N O P S I S

Paris, 1939: Odile, seems to have it all; a handsome boyfriend, an English best friend, a beloved twin, and her dream job as a librarian at the American library in Paris. And when war is declared, Odile joins the Resistance with the best weapon she has - books.

Montana 1983: Widowed and alone, Odile is suffering from loneliness. Lily, a lonely teenager, soon takes a keen interest of her recluse, French neighbour. What develops is a unlikely friendship.

A story of love and friendship, of family and sacrifice, of grief and betrayal, of self-discovery and the power of literature.

💭 T H O U G H T S

Based on the true WWII story of the heroic American librarian, Miss Reeder, who created the Soldiers' Service in order to deliver books to servicemen and to Jewish readers after they were banned from entering the library, The Paris Library is a reminder of why I love historical fiction so much. It brought to life a part of history I knew nothing about, and is an ode to the essential nature of books and libraries.

The library atmosphere, the description of books, and the cast of incredible characters really immersed me into the story. The sense of 'found family' among the secondary characters was an additional bonus. It demonstrated how the library staff risked their lives to provide a small piece of normalcy to patrons, all while exploring the consequences of their choices. This novel was well researched, and the dual timeline worked, but I continually was drawn back to Paris and Odile's trials. At times there were parts of Lily's story that felt unnecessary. I also found it odd how there were only a small numbers of chapters from the perspective of secondary characters, to me this detracted from the story and felt inconsistent. And yet it was the ending which felt rushed, that left me feeling disappointed, although I adored the story as a whole.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• book lovers
• readers of historical fiction (particularly WWII)
• fans of Lilac Girls and/or The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

⚠️ CW: antisemitism, bullying, hate crime, grief, death, sexual content, suicidal thoughts, infidelity, terminal illness, police brutality, war, death of child, death of parent,

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"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 wished I could go back to that last moment. I would say, 'You were the best mom in the world. I need you. We need you. I loved the way we watched robins and hoped for hummingbirds. I wished we had one more morning. One more hug. One more change to say I love you."

"Grief is a sea made of your own tears. Salty swells cover the dark depths you must swim at your own pace. It takes time to build stamina. Some days, my arms sliced through the water, and I felt things would be okay, the shore wasn't so far off. Then one memory, one moment would nearly drown me, and I'd be back to the beginning fighting to stay above the waves, exhausted, sinking in my own sorrow."

Not my usual style of book, but I found myself sucked in! One of the plot lines was not very interesting and the character felt rushed and underdeveloped/stereotypical, but the main character was well-written and fascinating. Overall, really good!

I loved this book! I’ve read so many books about the world wars, but never thought about what it took to preserve the history and literature that came before them. What heroic people!

The character's complex realities, hopes and dreams will keep readers turning the page. Another imagining of how war can impact every piece of a person, and how hard it is to keep the parts of ourselves we most love.

I can see the potential that this book has; it is different from other historical fiction novels as it doesn’t heavily focus on the impact of the war on Parisians, Odile actually seems very oblivious to everything happening until she’s forced to confront it because of her actions.

I disliked the main characters Odile and Lily so much. I felt like they were both whiny and not very well-developed, very one dimensional and had no real personality to them. I understand what the author was trying to accomplish in this novel – having the setting be the American Library in Paris and having a whole range of characters and their personalities clash sounded like a good premise to me, but the execution wasn’t there. I was left wanting more; more drama, more intrigue, but I received none of that.

There wasn’t a specific moment where I was on the edge of my seat of what could happen next – it was very one note for me.

Overall it was an okay book – nothing really stood out to me now that I’m reflecting back upon it.

I really enjoyed this story. I wasn't aware there was an American library in Paris, and knew nothing about Paris during WWII. I loved how the book switched between the 1940s and the 1980s. I loved learning about the characters in both time lines, and seeing how the author would weave the two timelines together. I couldn't put this one down! It is sure to make my top 20 historical fiction reads.


I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

Emotional story and tale about behind the scenes of WW II and the life it caused people to live. The friendship was incredible. History fiction in this story was very moving and heart felt thank you net galley for the eARC

such a moving and emotional story and tale about behind the scenes of WW II and the life it caused people to live. The friendship of the protagonists and the age difference was incredible.

This was a great book, full of historical detail and compelling characters. It’s told in two timelines, one set in Paris before and during WWII and the other set in 1980s Montana. It flows back and forth easily between two time lines to tell the story of Odile. The American Library in Paris acts as the anchor for the story, it was almighty another character.

I really enjoyed this book, 4 stars. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I read this with my IRL book club and loved it! The Paris Library is a dual timeline story about a librarian who lived thru WWII in Paris with plenty of history and intrigue as the Nazi's close in to destroy the books and try to take over the library.

There has been quite a lot of WWII, dual timeline fiction over the past couple years but this one was wonderful and action packed so give it a chance.

A incredible story about an unbreakable love of literature. Dedicated library employees are determined to distribute books to those who are banned from entering the library’s doors during World War 2. The commitment of these individuals is remarkable, and I am grateful to have learned their stories.

Historical fiction at its finest, “The Paris Library” by Janet Skeslien Charles tells the tale of Odile Souchet when she is a young woman in Paris during WW2, and in the 80’s when she is living in Montana after the death of her husband. During WW2, Odile works at the American Library in Paris and finds a way to resist the Nazis and rebel through books, however Odile never imagines the regret and betrayal that will occur during the war. As Odile reflects on her life to her young neighbor Lily, a common bond is discovered both in pastimes and in character.

This book was beautifully written. The details and characters feel so real- probably because so much of the book is aimed to show real events and people. Odile’s character is relatable, both young and old, as she discovers who she is and what she stands for, as well as who she wants to be moving forward. Lily is an echo of Odile, and Odile’s desire to help Lily avoid pitfalls is a desire we all have for younger people.

I think Skeslien Charles reveals something very poignant in the human experience. Through Odile we see the deep roots of jealousy that can take hold in a person and how much regret can come from acting on jealousy. The outcomes aren’t always as life-ruining, but this glimpse into the human experience is one that every reader can relate to- whether as Odile or more as Lily.

This book was easily 5 stars from me. I loved the characters and fell in love with a library I’ve never been inside. One thing continuously rings true for me too: books connect people and give them hope.

As war breaks out in France during WWII, Odile is preoccupied with her new position at the American Library in Paris and her love interest, a local policeman. That is until she starts to hear news of libraries being pillaged by the Nazis and the library staff and patrons start to disappear. Is there anything a quiet librarian can do in a time of war?
Lily is a young girl in a small Montana town whose life is rocked by her mother's sudden death. As Lily's life grows lonelier, she strikes up a friendship with her elderly parisian neighbor. Will their friendship endure as Lily starts to uncover more of her past?
Janet Skeslien Charles has written a WWII story that I have not often seen covered; the small heroics and weaknesses of common civilians in occupied territories, then from there, the lasting repercussions of those triumphs and mistakes. By bridging the storyline into the 1980s, the author is able to show readers not only the later perception of the war and its parallels to anti-soviet sentiment. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it for book clubs.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#NetGalley

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC digital copy. I have not been compensated for my opinion and this is an honest review.

Unfortunately, I was unable to finish reading this ARC digital copy before needing to switch to other books that were being archived. The book remains on my Goodreads "want to read" list, and I will update my review to reflect an updated opinion when I finish it at a later date..

This book was soo good. A quick and easy read. I loved the way the story was told and the characters were easy to like and so relatable.

I loved the author's writing style and the way she pulled me into the story and kept my attention throughout. This is one of the best WWII books I've read (and I've read a lot!).

This is a book I would highly recommend and defend one for the keeper shelf.

This book was right up my alley, WWII historical fiction, Paris, American Library, and dual time-line. I loved everything about this story. I had read a nonfiction book many years ago that dealt with the American Library during WWII and the Paris Occupation, so this was like continuing that education about that time. I loved how Odile and Lily became friends in 1983 Montana. They were both a bit damaged in their way but they were able to help each other. Just a fabulous story. #NetGalley #HistoricalFiction #Libraries #Paris